Shades of Blue Interiors

Union Jack 3 Ways

21 Comments

Last week I started brain storming some different color combinations of the Union Jack design using the Annie Sloan colors I already had. I came up with 2 combinations using some of the most popular colors sold. I was SO excited to get started that I actually dreamt that I found 2 antique dressers the same size and shape on craigslist! haha Definitely not something most people dream about, I know!

So there is the Union Jack design painted on all types of furniture and all types of dressers. But I’m a little picky. I prefer the dresser fronts have have flat, flush drawer fronts, so there isn’t too much distraction from the design.

Imagine my joy when I found 2 nearly identical antique dressers sold by the same lady for the same great price! A DREAM COME TRUE!! I called immediately and arranged a time to come look (aka I knew I would buy them) the next morning. Thank goodness my boys are in school and my youngest went to a friend’s house that morning, because when I flattened all the seats in my Pilot, they both BARELY fit!  They were both very dirty and had been in a barn, but the insides are in fantastic condition and they didn’t really even need any repairs! Oh my gosh, I was giddy with excitement on getting started!

Here is one, after I removed it from the car by myself (I had to lay it on its back).
This is a lousy ‘before’ shot, but the pic I took of it standing upright is on my camera’s internal memory and I can’t find the cord! But you get the idea, pretty much the same but the wood applique is a little different (I removed the wood applique on both of them). This one also has cute curvy legs.

I already had ANOTHER dresser that I bought the week previous, with plans to do another traditional Union Jack design (red, white, and blue), so here I was ready to do 3 Union Jacks, which sounds crazy but I felt it would go quicker. I went and bought some knobs, bought a new projector (more on that later) and got to work on Saturday, with Bruno’s help.

Here is the 3rd one I had ready to go. It is a little larger and a lot heavier.

Yesterday I finished painting, today I finished distressing and waxing, attaching knobs, and staging/taking pictures.

Behold their beauty! (Sorry if this is picture overload! I had to be selective even, because I took a lot more!

This color combination was inspired from Miss Mustard Seed’s Union Jack ottoman
I used Country Gray on the body and Old White and Provence for the stripes. I only used clear wax after I did some distressing.
The knobs are from Hobby Lobby.
On to number 2!
This one is my new favorite! I used French Linen for the body, and Provence and Old White for the design, with some distressing and clear wax to finish it.
Check out those amazing legs!!
This bit of applique I allowed to stay… 🙂
More cool knobs I found at HobLob.
I love how the distressing really makes the details of the dresser stand out. And I really try to be conscience about natural wear when I distress. It also helps with durability!
Haha sorry, unfair amount of pictures of this one!
Last one! You’ve all seen this color combination before, but it’s still so lovely with it’s rich colors and gold accents! Colors are Naval by SW, Emperor’s Silk and Old White by ASCP, then clear and dark waxed.
LOVE those keyholes!
The original pulls on this dresser had a few that were broken, but luckily I had some salvaged from a previous dresser that I polished up with some Gold Leaf Rub n Buff.
While I was originally going to go with another dresser for this color combo, I chose this one because it had the cleanest lines, and I liked how boxy it was.
Speaking of boxy, are my boxwood topiaries awesome? 🙂 I got the boxwood balls from Home Goods and those vases I found at a resale shop, then painted them with Old White and dark waxed them.
Here’s a close shot of the distressing and how the dark wax really makes this one look like an aged, worn flag.
 All three, together, squished into the living room. Right now I have 5 dressers in my living room and I don’t have room for 4 of them! 🙂 I need to do some maneuvering before company comes in an hour!
Counting the days till the weekend!

Sharing at:
Coastal Charm
The Dedicated House
Shades of Amber
Two Yellow Birds Decor
Miss Mustard Seed
Life We Live 4
Silver Pennies

Comments

  6. Stephanie@New Again says

    Those are gorgeous!! I really love the country gray one – love a Union Jack in neutral colors. I am dying to do another one, but around here they seem to take forever to sell. Great job!! 🙂

    Reply

  8. Beth@Makemeprettyagain says

    Lol. Your living room sounds like mine! I had to spill over into the bedroom.
    Love all 3! What method did you use for taping? The old tried and true method w/the measurements
    from the real UJ flag?? I have done one prior, but it’s just so time consuming. I thought if you had some shortcuts,
    I’d love to hear them! Also, did you find the red “stained” the white while you were distressing at all? Just curious.
    Thanks again!

    Reply

    • Rachel and her Brasileiros says

      Beth, I used a Art Tracer Projector and projected the Union Jack onto the front of the dresser. Then I used chalk to draw the lines, then used Frog Tape to tape the different sections. The taping portion probably took the longest, but the whole process probably takes me about 2 hours total (not counting wait time for paint drying). I don’t do ANY exact measuring, that would drive me batty! lol 🙂 The Frog Tape also doesn’t pull off paint with freshly dried chalk paint. I’ve found regular blue painter’s tape DOES pull off bits. Also, I didn’t get the red “stained” issue on the white while distressing much, but more so when I wiped off all the dust with a wet rag. So I just was careful to wipe the red stripes down first, then the rest of it. Same thing with waxing. I just wax a drawer front, and if any of the red starts to bleed over into the white, then I just get a little fresh wax on a clean part of the cheesecloth rag and rub clean the white stripes. Hope that helps and you reconsider trying one again! 🙂

      Reply

  9. Amber and Brad says

    Your combination of colors and precision distressing showing of the details of the piece is perfection! Thank you so much for Linking Up with us. Hope you have a lovely week!

    Reply

  11. Donna Wilkes says

    The British are definitely coming to your house. Very creative use of color. I love them all. Great styling for the photography – I could have looked at more!

    Reply

  14. Danielle says

    All are so beautiful! I LOVE Union Flags as my hubby is English. I did one for our son’s room and also did a coffee table with French Linen, Louis Blue and Old White! Would love you to share this at Silver Pennies Sundays tomorrow. x

    Reply

  15. Kathryn Ferguson Griffin says

    Rachel! All three are spectacular! You will be one of the features at the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House tomorrow! Pop on in and grab a feature button for your blog. Hope to see your prettiness again at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

    Reply

  17. Sheilam57 says

    I love the last one…true colors of the UJ. My mother is from Scotland and I would be proud to paint on of these in honor of her country. Beautiful work!

    Reply

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