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French Memories (Before & After)

Parisian Piano Bench (After)

There is a wonderful French patisserie in Cohasset Village called French Memories.  I love going there and I thought of it while working on my latest furniture before and after.  With thoughts of buttery croisants, fruit tarts, cappuccinos and petit fours swirling around in my head, I began to paint with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen.

You may want to see what the little piano bench looked like before:

Piano Bench (Before)

Nothing wrong with the bench, but she just didn’t make any statement.

I found this fantastic Paris postal graphic at my friend Heather’s Etsy shop – Antique Graphique.  She has so many great vintage graphics.  My good friend, Fiona, over at Just Paint it White told me about a transfer technique using carbon paper.

Carbon Paper and Antique Graphique graphic

I picked some carbon paper up at Staples.  It was really quite an easy method.  I placed the carbon paper under the graphic (graphic facing up) and traced the image with a pen.  This is what it looked like after:

Transfer outline

I painted over the graphic outline with ASCP in Graphite to get this:

Paris Postal Graphic
Then I distressed the entire piece and did two coats of wax and some dark wax to highlight the details.  Like on the carved legs:
But that isn’t all.  There is a little surprise inside:
Parisian Sheet Music
Carrying out the French theme I included, some antique French sheet music and an old post card.  I found all of these at The Graphic’s Fairy.  Annie Sloan suggested making the paper damp in her book, Quick and Easy Paint Transformations, so I did that. Then I put a coat of mod podge on the area I wanted to place the sheet music down and smoothed it and then did one coat of mod podge on top. Then another once it was dry.
Inside Piano Bench

The sheet music was affixed in quite a haphazard way.  I wanted it to look like it was just thrown in:

I smoothed down there paper, but there was some bubbling (despite my efforts), but it dried flat.
What do you think of my Parisian Piano Bench? Are you enjoying some French Memories?  I’ll be taking this little lovely down to the boutique today along with some of the other items I shared with you on Friday.  I think it would look fantastic as a piano bench but also as a small coffee table.  Keep your fingers crossed that my first boutique goes well.  I’ll share all the photos with you later this week!
Parisian Piano Bench (After)

I also wanted to let you know that my good friend, Nancy, at the Sea Rose Cottage will be carrying Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in August.  Isn’t that exciting?  In celebration I will be doing a special giveway with her to make it twice as fun.  Stay tuned for the Giveaway and more news!  I know how much you all are dying to get your hands on some MMS Milk Paint (I know I am!)

Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Giveaway Coming Soon!

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Full Circle Creations
11 years ago

Love it! Good luck on the Boutique! Giveaways are always exciting!

Holly

Sacred Heart Design
11 years ago

New follower popping by to say hello!! That is adorable! I love the sheet music inside!
Diane

Danielle
11 years ago

Diane,
Thank you so much for you kind comment! I love the sheet music too. Thanks for following along!
Danielle x

Stacy Curran
11 years ago

Best wishes on the boutique!! The bench is AMAZING
Stacy

Vintage Street Designs
11 years ago

I just LOVE this! I’ve been keeping my eye open for an old piano (and bench) to purchase and paint. I may be stealing your idea in the near future. lol Have a great week! Judy

Revi
11 years ago

Love it. 🙂
-revi

Jeannine
11 years ago

I. LOVE. IT. Wow, fantastic job!! And can’t wait to use some of MMS’s paint too.
Found you from Elizabeth & Co.

Jeannine @ The Concrete Cottage

fiona anderson
11 years ago

It’s fantastic Danielle, love the graphic and the placement, and the way you painted it. I also love the inside – it really does look like you just threw a few music sheets in !
I hope the boutique went well ? !
Thanks for the shout out xx

~ Liz ~
11 years ago

You took such an ordinary bench and made it quite beautiful. I especially love the pages tossed in. Can’t wait to see your giveaway about the paint. Fun stuff.
Liz

Kathy
11 years ago

Oh my gosh I love your blog, just found you from The Dedicated Houses party and I am so in love with your project…I’m your newest follower!

Julie
11 years ago

I love this table. It’s so cute and I love the stencil that you used on it. Thanks so much for sharing on Marvelous Mondays! 🙂

Julie

Leslie Harris
11 years ago

what an adorable project, it turned out so wonderful. And I think I learned how to use graphite paper. I can’t wait to try. Never knew paper should be damp before mod podge step.
I’m Leslie from Gwen Moss blog

Donna Wilkes
11 years ago

Came over from Primp to see your piano bench. I can’t decide if the classy legs or the inside surprise is my favorite. I think the sheet music wins. Just a nice touch.

Distressed Donna Down Home

Amy Kinser
11 years ago

Love it! What a great job!!!

Athena at Minerva's Garden

What a beautiful idea for a piano bench–now I am going to have to be on the lookout for an extra bench at the thrift store so I can try it out! Nice extra storage in the piece and great extra seating that could fit in most any small space.

Danielle
11 years ago

Thanks, Athena. Yes, I think it would provide plenty of storage and could be used in all different ways. I hope you find a spare bench.

Honey at 2805
11 years ago

Maybe I should remake my piano bench to look like yours! Love it!
Thanks for sharing at Potpourri Friday!

Kathryn Ferguson Griffin

Well, that is just practically perfect! Thank you for sharing this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Hope to see your prettiness again on Monday. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

The Golden Sycamore
11 years ago

This is so cute! And I absolutely love your use of the graphic. I have seen graphics used, but still haven’t built up the courage to try them out! Visiting from Today’s Creative Blog.

Allison

Angie Ouellette-Tower
11 years ago

This is beautiful – so classy! I’m your newest follower from “Days of Chalk & Chocolate” blog hop. If you get a chance I would love a follow-back: godsgrowinggarden.com
Thanks
Angie

Printabelle
11 years ago

Wow~! I’ve never seen such a cool piano bench, you are super talented. Love it!

Julie
11 years ago

Beautiful! I need to try that transfer technique 🙂

Tammy
11 years ago

So Pretty! Love the little surprise in the bench! You did a fantastic job! I hope you sell lots of things in your boutique! Thank you so much for linking this up to Rustic Restorations Weekend!

Dori Stowell
11 years ago

Love this! I’ve wanted to do this with mine, but then wonder what to do witht he rest of the piano. Not too craxy about a miss matched piano, but definately don’t want to do the piano! I keep pondering….Thanks for the inspiration.

Danielle
11 years ago
Reply to  Dori Stowell

Thanks, Dori!

Heather Kinnaird
11 years ago

what a gorgeous bench!

Danielle
11 years ago

Thank you, Heather!

karen@somewhatquirky
11 years ago

This is gorgeous. The graphic is perfect – but the inside is my favorite. Wonderful job. Thanks for sharing at our party!

Little Miss Maggie
11 years ago

Great project. Thanks for the source of your postal graphic. I have been looking for one myself. A special thanks for linking up to Hot Fun in the Summertime.

miss flibbertigibbet
11 years ago

So pretty….great touch to add the sheet music inside!

High Heeled Life
11 years ago

Visiting from Sunday Show off !! What a brilliant idea to do over a piano bench. Love the touch of the French sheet music. HHL

Danielle
11 years ago

Thank you so much for you kind comment!

Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co.

This is really pretty – inside and out!

Jess @ Spool and Spoon
11 years ago

This is gorgeous! I need to get that color of ASCP. Love it so much 🙂

~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~
11 years ago

Love the bench and the carbon paper idea. Brilliant. The postmark is so sweet. I am a new follower.
~ ~Ahrisha~ ~