I follow a lot of overseas furniture blogs and pinterest and had seen latex appliques and mouldings being used, which looked really interesting.
I hunted some down online, and found a supplier in Wellington, NZ and ordered a few.
That had a ton to choose from and they arrived very quickly. I got a broad selection, just to see what would work for me and what would not, they ranged in price from $3.80 to NZ$22.00 each.
On my first attempt at using them, I was an abject failure. I cleaned my mahogany headboard and followed the instructions on the all purpose cement, and waited for it to dry. The applique was not centered and was not budging, but was not solid. I eventually was able to scrap it off with a craft knife and re use it. Next time I will rough up the surface more if it is shiny so the cement has something to grab to, as you shouldn't be able to remove these as easily as I did.
Back to research a bit more.
This time I ensured I had measured the exact spot I wanted my applique and completely filled the moulding shell with the cement. I positioned and wiped it and pressed the edges down with a toothpick and clean cloth.
Success!!
The moulding was centered, solid ( as it was filled with cement) and wasn't going anywhere.
Once painted with chalk paint and then vintaged up with clear and dark wax, the applique looked just like a piece of the furniture.
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| After - dark waxed moulding close up |
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| Before - nice but boring |
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| Colours used on this piece - AS Old White, clear and dark wax |
I really think adding a moulding or applique to the right piece makes a huge difference to the outcome and it is definitely something I will try on other pieces of furniture as well.
Carla, pp villa design
