A tribute to Vanessa Bell

Painting Furniture

I hate my bathroom! I mean really despise it! It's white plastic, lino covered and horrible! For this reason my beloved husband is planning on it being his next DIY mission, after he finishes the beautiful kitchen that is. Over the royal wedding weekend I went with my dear friend Helen to the stunning Charleston House, centre of the Bloomsbury Group and Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell's family home. An artists' house that is full of life and love, a truly restful place that feeds your creative imagination. It's just outside Lewes and we went on a lovely sunny Sunday, the carrot cake is not to be missed! The decor of their home is truly inspiring and I came home full of beans ready to paint everything and anything! Perhaps because Chris is planning to rip out the bathroom soon he told me to go crazy and enjoy it! Helen looked a little skeptical, the Charleston look is a little eccentric in it's ways and possibly not entirely suitable for my 60s build flat! Undeterred however I got stuck in!

Firstly I primed the white plastic cupboards with PVA or undercoat if you'd prefer. Then I painted the furniture with 3 coats of bathroom paint. 

I pencilled in my design and then with some white acrylic paint I painted free hand. You could use stencils but the Charleston look is a little lopsided and faded so I chose to go with this feeling!

This is when I really started to worry that my bathroom now looked like a crazy person lived in the cupboard!

I kept with it and painted the second layer in dark grey acrylic.

Following this I applied 2 coats of Yacht varnish

I do not love my bathroom yet! I think the tiles need painting and that new taps would suit the style better, I also want to create a mosaic on the floor. However I'm pleased with the quirky results and think it's on it's way!
Dressed with jugs and brica-brac I now have my own little piece of Charleston interpreted by me.