Refinisher’s Reluctance & My French Headboard Makeover
This little beauty has been sitting in my garage all Winter, waiting patiently for her turn to be beautiful again. As soon as I spotted her that day in the thrift store, I knew she would be hard to part with. 
And now that she’s had a makeover, it’s true…I hate to see her go. She’s just so French and girly and so much like this Louis Headboard from Ballard that I love…
In fact, it was this bed that first came to mind when I found her. From the start, I planned to paint her a creamy white and finish with a gray glaze for a weathered look. But once I had sprayed on the Heirloom White, I came down with a case of what I call Refinisher’s Reluctance & started doubting my original plan. Does anyone else out there ever come down with this in the middle of a refinishing project? It’s that little shred of doubt that pops up & makes you wonder if it’s going to turn out like you hope. I know a lot of you feel it when you paint over a nice stained piece, leaving you to hope you don’t regret what you’ve done later. But, it happens to me a lot when I paint a nice, pristine coat of paint onto a piece that I’m planning to distress. It’s like I can hear a voice inside saying, “Are you sure about this?” Sometimes it’s hard to make yourself damage a nice finish.And sometimes the piece itself says to me “I don’t want to be distressed, just let me be!” So, I have to listen. I know it’s only paint & it can be re-done, but I like to be right the first time.And on this little bed, I just couldn’t bear to mess with the creamy goodness by adding the glaze. Besides, she actually said to me, “Permettez-moi d’être … Je suis beau comme je suis!”, which, in case you’re like me & only dream of speaking French, means- “Let me be…I am beautiful as I am!”And so I let her be. And soon I know she’ll find a great home where she can continue to be her beautiful self.
Have you ever had a case of Refinisher’s Reluctance? Tell us about it!I’m sharing my little headboard at a few of these sites…
March 22, 2011 @ 11:33 pm
I have, Julie, and sometimes I listen and other times I don't. : ) Funny that I do like the piece whichever way I go. Your headboard turned out beautifully. I have decided to look for something similar to this to put an end to my "do I go wood or upholstered?". If I find one like this I can have it both ways by putting some upholstery in the recessed panels.
March 22, 2011 @ 11:38 pm
Julie~ That is a sweet headboard. I have had a hard time parting with many of the pieces I have redone over the years. I love this piece that you did and would have a hard time parting with it too! xxoo Diana
March 23, 2011 @ 12:40 am
She's lovely! I'm glad you left her perfect. I had planned on distressing our china cabinet and didn't. And then our media cabinet… and didn't. I have a VERY hard time making something "shabby" on purpose…
March 23, 2011 @ 12:49 am
Oh, I've definitely got refinisher's reluctance regarding my coffee table trunk. I painted it army green weeks ago, and I've been intending to cover that with a really distressed colour…not sure which colour. But I still love the army green. And I've been surprised that it has no scratches yet, even with my two hooligans running around.
March 23, 2011 @ 1:00 am
yes, that one would be hard to party with- it is gorgeous! love the caning and the pretty details!
March 23, 2011 @ 1:20 am
What a beautiful headboard!! I have an antique buffet (velvet lined drawers and all) and it's all scratched up. I want to paint the beauty SO stinking bad… but I just can't bring myself to do it! I'm in the middle of painting my dining chairs that I ate on growing up… that was hard too!
March 23, 2011 @ 1:39 am
So pretty! I have the same issue when it comes time to distress or glaze. I am always glad in the end when I do, but sometimes I just don't. Your headboard looks great just as she is!
March 23, 2011 @ 3:28 am
love it! I'm working on a project right now that is super exciting. I'm bringing an old 70's stereo console back to life! Its been a challenge but super exciting to see how shes getting her sexy back:
http://raddesigning.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/i-love-to-strip/
(btw… dont be afraid of the link- its stripping furniture not clothes : )
March 23, 2011 @ 3:29 am
I am having refinishers reluctance right now on a buffet I got out of someone's trash. I have stained the top a dark ebony, and now I am just not sure what color to paint the bottom!! I know I can paint over it if I don't like whatever I choose, but I don't want to work that hard!
The headboard is beautiful. I also love that bed from Ballard. Caning is so pretty and feminine!
March 23, 2011 @ 3:31 am
PS. I would love for you to stop by my new blog if you have a minute:)
March 24, 2011 @ 1:07 am
Oooh. I love the headboard in white! It looks perfect, I would not have distressed either.
March 24, 2011 @ 1:39 am
Absolutely beautiful! I love it and I would be reluctant to do anything else too. I had the same issue with a headboard I did a few months ago and I still haven't done anything more to it.
March 24, 2011 @ 1:43 am
Gorgeous! It's perfect! I've been looking for a headboard like this to refinish for our guest bedroom. I can't wait for the garage sales to start up! 🙂
March 24, 2011 @ 3:15 am
Beautiful! I love the caning! 🙂
March 24, 2011 @ 5:02 am
Visiting from Shabby Chic Cottage. Your headboard turned out great! Second guessing refinishing decisions is part of the creative process. I do it a lot. If I really can't decide, then I will live with it and re-evaluate after some time has passed.
March 24, 2011 @ 2:51 pm
Looks great!
March 24, 2011 @ 5:16 pm
Yes, I have this almost every time I paint something. It's so hard for me to distress!
March 24, 2011 @ 5:17 pm
By the way, it turned out beautifully!
March 24, 2011 @ 7:31 pm
so pretty…it never ceases to amaze me that a simple coat (or two) of paint can utterly transform a piece like this.
blessings,
alison
March 24, 2011 @ 11:16 pm
I like her the way she is now too. super cute!
March 25, 2011 @ 7:10 pm
Refinishers Reluctance? All the time! I'm still new to painting furniture but you'd think painting at least one item a week for almost a year would cure any apprehension. I do the shabby thing pretty good. I would love to try a glaze but I start shuffling my feet and meander to another project before I can 'wreck' my hard work. It's alway, "Maybe next time."
-Bethanie
March 26, 2011 @ 12:23 pm
Love the white..nice job.
http://pam-lifethroughmyeyes.blogspot.com/
March 28, 2011 @ 12:30 am
Very pretty headboard. I have refinisher's reluctance eacxh and every time I go to distress something. And it is magnified by my husband that always tells me it looks awesome after I have painted it. So then I second guess my plan to go through with the distressing. I just have to learn not to show it to my husband until it is 100% done.
March 28, 2011 @ 12:33 am
You're right! Some things don't need the distress…they are perfect as they are! I agree with your decision on this one, it looks fantastic!