Distressing Painted Pillars

I decided to work on our

family room.  It seemed so dark

and I know I chose a paint color

that was just took dark for the room.

So after months of paint chips

attached to the pictures on the wall

I chose a color and started to paint.

Well, of course it was too pink, 

or it looked that way after it was on the 

walls, and there was no way it

was staying.

So back to the paint store for the shade darker, 

which turned out to be perfect.

Then on the same paint chip,

I chose the next color darker to paint

the pillars and the crown molding.

This was a great choice,

and I simply love my room again.

I decided to antique the pillars

and here is how they turned out.

I left the original darker color on the wall that has the Come follow me, 

that way I didn't have to find a way to paint around the

saying.  I painted the pillars the same color as the crown molding.

Dana built the pillars for me many, many years ago,

and I had painted them a dark grey, then I was going to faux marble

them.  Well, I never got them marbled, it was always a

thought in the wind I guess.

But I went to a web site called Secrets of Segreto,

and loved how the designers were faux painting and decorating 

the rooms they designed.  So I decided to learn

from their beautiful work and change my pillars.

Dana put molding on the pillars to create the rectangles.

I then painted them to match the new color,

then distress them.

I read blog after blog, trying to figure out how to distress

 the pillars how I wanted them.

I was a bit daunting, and intimidating, even though

I have done tons of painting over the years.

I also decided to keep the intentions of the crown molding

the original grey color, with just a touch of new paint. 

So I began.

I used Ralph Lauren glaze in sienna shade.

And I used a sea foam sponge.

This sea foam sponge has large holes in it, so it isn't quite so 

even when distressing as regular sponge.

I then put the glaze on with the sponge  LIGHTLY.

This is the look it creates, and just a light rub around the top

crown molding and even lighter on the flat section of the  pillar.

Here is my first finished pillar.  

Yea!!! I did it!

The other pillars became less intimidating,

and I got all the way around the room, 4 pillars in all.

These are the 2 pillars that stand at the bottom of our staircase.

Here it is stairs and all.

The long wall of the family room to the 

kitchen, with the finished pillar at the end of the wall.

And a close up of the finished pillar.

I made it through this project,

and oh, boy do I ever love it!

This is a great way to add depth to your room,

and to add and upgrade to your home.

Ciao,

Robin