Final week, I additionally ordered some precise gold leaf (properly, the imitation stuff) to make use of on the insides of the pendant lights that go over the countertop on the mural wall. I didn’t get these utterly completed, however right here’s a sneak peek of how these are wanting with the gold leaf. I additionally added a band of gold across the backside exterior edge, and it seems improbable!!
So there I used to be with all of this additional gold leaf, and a complete wall of cupboard doorways and drawers that I assumed wanted a bit extra shine. Naturally, I needed to strive it on one door to see the way it in comparison with the gold metallic marker. Effectively, with regards to gold leaf, there is no such thing as a comparability.
There are such a lot of paints and pens that attempt to mimic the look of gold leaf, however in actuality, nothing comes shut. If you would like the look of actual gold leaf, it’s a must to use actual gold leaf. Take a look at the one gold leafed door in comparison with the door and drawer fronts with marker accent. The distinction is fairly wonderful!
The marker, whereas it does have a metallic shine to it, seems general darker than the true steel leaf.
And the primary factor that offered me was that the true gold leaf (once more, I don’t imply to insinuate that it’s actual gold, however solely that it’s actual steel leaf in a gold shade) is seen from anyplace within the room, whereas the gold metallic marker accent disappears the additional away you get from the cupboards.
So, in fact, as soon as I noticed the distinction, I couldn’t return to the marker. I’m now within the means of gold leafing all the doorways and drawer fronts. It’s a way more time consuming course of, however I believe the payoff is so value it! Right here’s the method I used so as to add the gold leaf accent to my cupboard doorways and drawer fronts. (It is a course of I’ve performed earlier than on a unique model of cupboards. You possibly can see how added gold leaf accent to recessed panel cupboard doorways right here.)
Since these painted cupboard doorways haven’t been completed very lengthy, I used painters tape for delicate surfaces. I wished the gold leaf accent to cowl the outer fringe of the trim, and about 1/4 inch of the highest of the trim. So I began by taping all the way in which across the trim that I added to my IKEA Veddinge doorways.
Subsequent, I used some 1/4-inch painters tape to tape off the outer 1/4-inch of the trim. This tape was simply getting used as a spacer, and can be eliminated earlier than I added the gold leaf.
After which simply contained in the 1/4-inch tape spacer, I added extra of the painters tape for delicate surfaces.
To scrub up these inside corners, I used my utility knife and really fastidiously minimize at a diagonal, ensuring I didn’t minimize deep sufficient to attain the painted end.
After which I eliminated the additional items that I had minimize off, and was left with mitered painters tape corners.
I put a scrap piece of painters tape over the nook to carry it collectively. Since this tape is for delicate surfaces, it’s not as sticky as common painters tape, so corners like which have extra of a bent to maneuver or come up in the event that they’re not secured.
After that, I used to be in a position to take away the 1/4-inch painters tape that I had used as a spacer, which revealed the realm that I wished to cowl with gold leaf. I used a small artist paint brush to use the Speedball Mona Lisa Additional Thick Adhesive Measurement (affiliate hyperlink).
The final time I gold leafed cupboards doorways, I used the common Speedball Mona Lisa Adhesive Measurement. That stuff could be very watery, and had a bent to get beneath the painters tape. The tremendous thick adhesive remains to be skinny sufficient to brush on, nevertheless it’s thick sufficient that it received’t bleed beneath the painters tape.
I brushed on two coats of the tremendous thick adhesive, letting the primary coat dry utterly earlier than brushing on the second. The Speedball Adhesive Measurement goes on cloudy and dries clear and glossy. After making use of two coats, and letting the second coat dry totally, I utilized the gold leaf. That is the imitation gold leaf I purchased (affiliate hyperlink). I’ve used this a number of instances on varied initiatives, and I’m all the time very happy with the way it seems. It’s very messy, although! ?
After I had all the space lined with the gold leaf, I used a 1-inch artist brush to brush the entire space considerably vigorously with the intention to be sure all the gold leaf was safe and to take away any extra. The I used one other brush to brush on a coat of Common Finishes Excessive Efficiency Topcoat in a flat end (affiliate hyperlink). I used the flat end as a result of that’s what I all the time have readily available, however I don’t discover that it makes any distinction in any respect within the sheen of the gold leaf. Even with the flat end clear coat, the steel leaf remains to be has a really shiny metallic end.
After that prime coat dried, I eliminated the painters tape.
I used a big dry paint brush to brush away all the extra gold leaf, after which added yet another coat of the Common Finishes Topcoat to seal the sides of the gold leaf.
As soon as that was dry, I reinstalled the door and gazed upon the great thing about that attractive metallic shine. ?
I imply, there’s simply merely no comparability. Attempting to mimic the look of steel will all the time fall quick. Nothing shines like an actual steel leaf.
Final week was form of a dud for me so far as getting work performed within the studio. I began off the week with a chilly and felt horrible for a number of days, after which I shared my chilly with Matt. I used to be so afraid that he would find yourself within the hospital once more, as has occurred the final 3 times I’ve come down with one thing after which shared it with him. As a result of he has M.S., even one thing like a chilly will be so extreme for him as a result of it may possibly trigger excessive weak spot to the purpose that he can’t even drink water or communicate.
So the latter a part of final week, and over the weekend, my focus was on him and never my studio. Fortuitously, his chilly by no means turned extreme, we averted a hospital keep, and right this moment, we’re each feeling nice! So I can return to regular life this week, focus extra on the studio, and hopefully see some actual progress over the subsequent few days.
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and enhance the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You possibly can study extra about me right here.
