Shadow box bouquet

I haven't even come close to finishing our master bedroom! Grrrr!  I have painted the walls, picked out the bedspread, hung up the flat screen, but that is about it. I still need a headboard, drapes, side tables, accent pieces you name it I need it. Since I am waiting on a few things for the bedroom I thought it would be a great time to start my renovations! First project my wedding bouquet shadow box. I like the black distressed look, but I want it to match my bedroom.

Before renovation



First I sanded down any scratches or dents in the wood using 80 grit sandpaper. Then I applied Kilz spray primer to lessen the amount of paint I would have to apply. You can buy the primer by the gallon and apply it with a paint brush, but I prefer the spray to save time.

The primer leaves a rough type of finish; to smooth out the finish from the primer I gently sanded any rough spots or drips using 220 grit (very fine) sandpaper. Alright now its time to apply the paint.

I chose to paint the shadow box Creamy White by Behr, no special reason for the color I just had left over paint. I applied 2-3 coats of paint and since I took the time to add the primer it saved me from adding another 2-3 coats! I let it dry for about 3 hours before I began to distress.

I used 80 grit sandpaper to distress the box. I love the look of distressed pieces, but sometimes I take it to far so I start of small and keep adding until I like it. There is no right or wrong way to distress, it is up to you and your style.

Now comes the glazing which I love because it adds a antique feel to the piece. I used Ralph Lauren Faux Technique Glaze in Tea Stain, but you can use any glaze you prefer. There are different ways to apply glaze it all depends on the look you are trying to achieve. I wanted something subtle, I let the glaze sit for a couple minutes and took a damp rag and gently wiped off the applied glaze.

Sorry for the blurry picture but it reflects the true color of the shadow box. And for the last step I applied polycrylic spray to prevent any yellowing since the box is white.

I hope you all enjoy my first renovation! More to come!