Crushing on color

So, this past Christmas, among other tools, I asked for paint. I was thrilled to get a little sample size of a color called Florence by Annie Sloan. Florence is a deep, eye catching turquoise; a popping color that cannot be ignored.

Lately, I have had a huge a crush on interiors that are soft, light, and airy in color and feel, but then completely shaken up by a bold, bright color. Whether in a piece of furniture, decorative pillows, or art, I think adding a stand-out color really loosens up a room so it's not so stuffy or serious. After seeing a handful of interiors with this sort of vibe going on I've been inspired to shop for some bolder colors lately! You'll be seeing some colorful pieces coming out of Chelsea's Garage here and there, (even if it's just a peek of boldness under a soft coat of white or gray, so yummy), starting today with Florence!

My Florence 'guinea pig' is a little table that I scored off of Craigslist a couple weeks ago.

I love the legs and the scalloped apron on the front side. This cutie is not too big, but tall enough to be versatile. I could see this working as an end table, night stand, entryway table, or even in a larger bathroom.

Loving how fresh this color is when surrounded by all neutrals!

{Available at the next Chelsea's Garage sale. Date tbd}

The low-down on this sweet little table:

1. It was already painted white when I got it so I just rolled with that as my base color. It wasn't a good paint job, though, so I had to do a lot of sanding to smooth out the rough parts.

2. Brush painted on a single coat of Florence

3. Used a medium sanding sponge to remove lots of the Florence for a heavily distressed and aged look.

4. Sealed in a glossy Polyurethane protective sealer. Annie Sloan sells her own line of clear and dark waxes to seal her chalk paint, but sometimes I like to use something with a bit more shine :)

What do you think? Does your home have a particular color that shakes things up a bit? I've mentioned it before, but I'm particularly drawn to shades of aqua and teal. What catches your eye?

Enjoy your weekend and thank you for reading!

~Chelsea