Indigo Blue Painted Bookshelf

It’s not the first time this has happened…

…where I’ve sold a piece of furniture right out of my garage.

And it’s always to the same customer, my friend and neighbor, Michelle, who has deemed me her own personal picker. Should I be flattered or afraid that I’m veering too far into Sanford & Son territory?

I do have the red truck, after all. I came home from the ultimate picker’s yard sale with the back of my truck loaded full — twice — and lots of keepers for me and project pieces for my antique store booth.

This pretty little mahogany shelf, which was looking a little scratched up and beat up when I brought it home, was one of my favorite finds. Despite its rough shape, it’s still a pretty piece with lots of character. And good bones. I knew it would have a fabulous second life as a painted bookshelf.

My neighbor happened to catch me out in the driveway painting, and she immediately claimed this beauty. (OK, maybe I called her and told her I’d found a piece I thought she would like!)

She fell in love with the color on another piece I was painting and decided the bookshelf need the same treatment.

So that’s just what she got. After a good cleaning and sanding, I brushed on two coats of Sherwin-Williams flat latex in Indigo Batik, a highly pigmented dark blue.

I dry brushed the raised details in white (specifically DecoArt Chalky Finish Paint in Everlasting.)

The bookshelf was missing its finials, so I replaced them with some wood dowel caps I found at the craft store.

To finish, a few coats of DecoArt Soft Touch Varnish.

And another garage furniture deal completed.

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