Article by Sophie Morris

As doilies weren’t enough for you in November’s issue, we’re going Granny Chic all over again, entailing a renewal of all things old. Oversized florals, classic lampshades and knitwear are all making a come back for the run up to spring.

Think: Fairy Tale furniture; Think: high-society glamour of a bygone age; Think: Gilt.
“coating of gold, or what looks like gold”
Do it yourself with gold leaf – antique your piece by adding glamour and weight with a coating of gold leaf. Its ridiculously easy – here’s how:

One:

Paint or spray on your sizing medium. Size is a brush or spray-on product that makes an area tacky or sticky, and prepares a surface to which the gold leaf will stick. Leave the size to cure until it goes from wet to tacky-sticky.

Two:

Pick up your leaf with your fingers or your brush, and lay over the prepared tacky surface. A brush can be used to lay out the gold in a process called “burnishing,” using gentle strokes or slight pouncing into crevices. Leave to dry overnight.

Three:

Paint a protective sealer over the gold—look for product’s made especially for leafing. You want a product that does not yellow or dull the metallic finish.
For an antiqued look, you can paint a special colored glaze over the gold finish. This will creep into any dings or cracks, adding an aged appearance. The surface can also be lightly distressed to bring more of the base color up. Wipe off glaze until you achieve the effect you want, but don’t let it sit too long or overwork it—you still want a glowing end product.

Enjoy x