Here it is, the most asked question I have received in recent time, "where did you get that chandelier?!" I know I have promised this blog post for sometime and I'm finally sitting down and writing it for ya'll!
First things first, this is the second time I have purchased this chandelier and I want to say that the first -and second- time it was purchased, it was not at the price its currently being sold for on Wayfair, found here. It's doubled since we purchased the 1st one back in 2019 for our previous California home and then again this time last year for the Potter House. It's called the Farnsworth 8 - Light Kitchen Island Geometric Pendant and it's by Ophelia & Co. I would take a look around the internet for a better price...
Featured in our CA Farmhouse
Last year I teased Joe & said I was going to take it down from the CA house and put it at the Potter House because I had fallen in love with its design and there was no way I wasn't going incorporate it again. It was sold out at the time and I was sure it would be awhile before it came back in stock. Then to my surprise, I saw it hanging up at the cutest home décor shop, Birds & Words, in downtown McKinney a few days before we got the keys to the Potter House. I took it as a sign.
Good news is I found it on the Birds & Words website for a much better price, found here. Not sure if they ship but if you're local to the area it's a great alternative!
Fast forward, we hung up the chandelier and while I was still in love with the design, I knew the white patina didn't match the aesthetic of the Potter House. I instantly felt sad and thought maybe I needed to resell it and just find something else. After about 5 months of living with it, I decided to take a leap of faith and told Joe my design plan: paint it black & use rub'n'buff to turn her into a brassy-gold tone.
I watched a few videos and read blogs on how to use rub'n'buff and I figured it couldn't be that hard. I decided to order a variety pack of the rub'n'buff off Amazon, found here. I did this because I wasn't sure which tone would best match the existing unlacquered brass hardware & fixtures. I picked up the recommended Rust-oleum Black spray paint in Satin, found here, and a generic set of make up brushes for the rub'n'buff.
To start, I decided the best way to determine what wax color would work best I spray painted the extra hanging chain I had black and made samples. I highly recommend doing this if you can! Although each wax look similar in the tube, they can turn out entirely different once on the product you refinishing. I landed on using European Gold, found here.
Next, Joe made a set up where we could hang it to spray it black and let it outgas for 48hrs. During this time he said, "I feel like I am contributing to the end of Shabby Chic..." - and he wasn't wrong. It was rough watching him paint over such a perfectly patina'd fixture. He did two light coats of the rust-oleum satin in black as to not loose the texture on chandelier. It's important to let the paint cure before you start the wax process. We waited about two days.
Initially we started the buff process outside and quickly realized it was too warm and the wax was beading and going on unevenly. We decided to reinstall the chandelier inside and started buffing again. This yielded much better results. We opted to put a large moving blanket on the floor underneath because some of the wax is bound to bead and fall off the brush.
Working in small sections, I did most of the body first and then called Joe to do the leaf's & small detail work as that is more his forte than mine. Unfortunately, when I thought the camera was recording, it wasn't so I only got mid-way photos and no technique footage.
When working with the rub'n'buff, I recommend using a fluffy but blunt edged make-up brush. I picked up a set at Walmart. You don't want to rub the product into the brush but instead tap, then lightly brush the wax onto the fixture. You have to be light-handed or else the product will adhere too much in one area on contact and create unevenness + product waste. Depending on how textured the area was, I also tapped the product on. While the wax does go along way, I did end up using exactly 2 tubes for the entire project.
I did two light coats, trying not to focus on any spot particularly because I wanted it to look and feel old, imperfect + worn. After I was done with the entire fixture, I took a clean brush and lightly buffed in circular motions all over the fixture to brush off & rub in any excess. Be sure not to do this too much because it will create a shine. I wanted a matte so I only did one pass. You can also use a old t-shirt if you don't have any extra brush.
I have reviewed tutorials where a brush isn't used but instead you use your finger to spread the wax. I would say this probably works great on smooth surfaces. I would personally wear gloves as it does stain. Since the chandelier has texture, a brush worked best.
At one point, I almost thought of leaving the chandelier two-toned, show above but ultimately decided it needed to be uniformed because the black kept drawing my eye to it. You can also see in this picture how the first coat covered. The wax gives you alot to play with, whether it be full coverage or just a light dusting. It's truly on how you apply it initially because once it's on, it's difficult to remove it.
In conclusion, the rub'n'buff took a total of 4 hours to complete and I wrapped up the project looking for other things I could paint! The possibilities are endless and I would say if you've been thinking about giving a exiting item a new look, do it! It's a cost effective alternative and you're able to reuse what you have but still give it a new look. Unlacquered brass is really taking the market right now and since rub'n'buff offers a variety of colors, you'll surely be able to recreate any look.
I also like this alternative to spray painting it gold / brass, which I had also thought of doing. But I determined the wax allows you to have more control over the finished look. If you want a weathered look, you apply less and let the black show through and vice versa.
What's even better is the chandelier now fits the overall aesthetic feel of the combined kitchen & dining room. The brassy-gold plays beautifully against the green hued cabinets and terracotta curtains that case the large window. And my favorite of all, it is now truly one of a kind.
If you have any questions or need help, please reach out! I'm happy to help.
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