I’ve decided on a design style for my dollhouse, French Country Cottage.  With it’s muted color palette of creamy white and warm earthy neutrals, it’s right up my alley.  I may also throw in a few pale French blues, and maybe even a hint of gold here and there.

Of course I’ll be using my favorite warm white, Dixie Belle’s Drop Cloth, throughout.  But I also plan to throw in some French Linen, Dried Sage, and Gravel Road.  Maybe a little Sawmill Gravy too.

I’d like to use Miss Mustard Seed’s Aviary for the blue, but I don’t have any of that on hand so I may just try to mix something custom.  We’ll see.

With my style choice in mind, I’ve completed my first mini furniture makeover.

I purchased this dining set from Hobby Lobby for a mere $9.99.

After doing just a little bit of gentle hand sanding around the edges of the chair backs to clean them up a bit, I gave the chairs and the base of the table a coat of Dixie Belle’s Dried Sage.

This is one of my favorite neutral shades from Dixie Belle.  It’s a warm greenish gray, and it always dries a little darker than I think it will.

While the base coat of Dried Sage was drying, I created a wash using Dixie Belle’s Drop Cloth paint and some water.  I’m not sure of the precise ratios, maybe 75% water to 25% paint or so.  I then painted the upholstered seats that came with the set using that wash.

They were just a tad too white for my taste.

Once the fabric was dry, I taped off some grain sack lines and dried brushed them with the Dried Sage.  I didn’t get all fancy with measuring or anything, I just eye-balled them.  I painted the middle line first, then once dry, I taped off and painted the two outer lines.

Once that was dry I added the re-design with prima knob transfers from the French Maison set.  I followed that up with a light coat of Dixie Belle’s clear wax.

Before gluing the cushions onto the chairs, I gave the chairs a quick dry brush with the Drop Cloth paint to lighten them up a bit and add some depth.

I also added a dry brushed coat of Drop Cloth over the Dried Sage on the table base.

As for the table top, I went back to that watered down Drop Cloth and applied it as a wash by brushing it on, and then wiping most of it away with a rag before it dried.

I finished that off with a coat of clear wax as well.

Although I do think the table turned out quite nice, I’m not sure I want an oval table in the dining room of my dollhouse.  I also don’t think this table has the right ‘country’ feel.  So for that reason, I also purchased a 2nd dining room set at Hobby Lobby.

This one was only $7.99.  It came with the perfect farmhouse table,

but I don’t love the chairs.

But for less than $20 I could buy both sets, so I did.

I will likely find somewhere else to use those chairs, maybe in the kitchen.

In the meantime I’m going to paint up the farmhouse table following the same recipe I used on the oval table.  You’ll just have to stay tuned to find out which one I eventually use in the dining room.

As I’ve mentioned previously, this weekend my sister, niece and I are heading off to visit my mom.  We’re also throwing in a side trip to Disneyland in California.  I really thought we’d be safe going to Mom’s in early October, but last I checked, the high on Saturday is supposed to be 104°, I am not looking forward to that.  Fortunately the pool in her townhome complex will be open.

I decided to take a bit of a blog break and not schedule any posts while I’m gone.  But while I’m away, here’s a question for you.  Do you think there is a market for these hand-painted/styled dollhouse pieces?  They would be easier to ship most other items I paint.  What do you think?

Leave a comment and let me know, and then come back in a couple of weeks to see what I’m up to next!