Front Porch Decor – $35 Hall Tree (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint)
So, as you know by now, I frequent my local thrift stores….regularly.
Sometimes I’ll come across a piece of furniture I’d love to have but the price is too high.
No worries, most stores lower the price on these items each week or so.
So I wait and stalk…and pray no one buys it before it can be lowered to a price that I feel is worthwhile considering the work I know I will put into it.
Which hasn’t gone so well in the last 6 months or so…prices have been up, up lately.
It’s been a bit harder in recent months to come across those deals I used to come across easily.
Thankfully, I’ve noticed a little bit of a shift recently.
Either way, it’s always fun to “hunt”!
This lovely hall tree was priced at over $100 when I first saw it.
I was semi interested but not so much that I made a point to stalk the piece weekly. I did, however, take a look at the tag each time I came in.
(****By the way, this is NOT an antique piece of furniture for those who might be wondering…hence the price. It is a repro, most likely from the late 70’s/early 80’s)
Next visit, down to $85. Still no.
Next visit….$65. No. (I was thinking it was going to become a permanent fixture at this store…which is unusual for this place!)
And yet on another visit (after what seemed like forever) they had removed the old tag and replaced it with a new one starting at $50.
Hmmm.
I almost bought it ….but didn’t.
Honestly, $50 was more than fair but I had lost interest.
BUT as luck would have it, I came back in a week later and it was still there.
I thought for sure it would sell at $50. Nope, it had just been marked down to $35.
So, yep, $35 was a deal…..and SOLD!
I knew I could do something with it. Sell it in the shop or use it somewhere in my home.
For $35, why not?
But in the end, it found it’s way…. to my front porch….and I love it there.
I used Old White and Duck Egg Blue..
Please disregard the mess in this room (the Study).
It’s a large room that ends up being my “work” room when the garage is full.
Which it always seems to be.
(Oh! And I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it in another post but I’ve painted this room again…wait til you see it. It is no longer yellow and I love it so much. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve already seen it. ;) )
I did 2 coats of paint…..and then distressed the edges. I almost always sand before sealing.
It’s just my way. You can sand after too, if you like.
Since it was going to be outside (on my covered front porch), I decided seal it with poly.
The hooks got spray painted in an off white primer and then painted with the same Old White.
The side pieces got spray painted in Brushed Nickel. (both were brass to begin with)
And the details, up close……
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Hazy shot….(still trying to learn this new camera)
For some reason I could not get a shot from back here without the haze? I’m thinking it was because it had rained and was humid, maybe?
Clearly I am not a whiz with the new equipment….yet. ;) But I still thought the shot was sort of cool looking so am including it.
So yes, I do have a “hall” tree on my front porch.
Not the usual place for one, I know.
But I like it….for now anyway. Everything is subject to change around here. ;)
PIN this hall tree to save it for later!
I am also loving the touch of blue up there too. Everything has been all white for too long.
Time for a little color. :)
It’s a work in progress.
As is the back screened porch. There will be much more to come for both. :) So stay tuned….. (edited…see the back porch here)
Be sure to check in next week when I share what I did with this!
UPDATE!!! See it now, here!
So pretty Nancy – what a difference! And hey, can’t complain about that price. I think it looks great on your front porch – I would never have thought to put it there. Beautiful!
Thank you Marie :) I actually hadn’t planned to put it out there but I love it there. But so do the birds! Or actually they don’t (during mating season). I have ferns hanging up across the front of my porch and the birds like to try to make nests there so the aggressive males think the mirror is another bird…and they attack it. So, I’ve had to hang an outdoor flag over the front to cover the mirror for right now to keep them front hurting themselves. ;)
Hi Nancy, such a nice project! Jealous of your awesome porch!
Aw thanks Debbie! :) It is in the middle of a (much needed) overhaul but I’m am loving the splash of color the Duck Egg adds..now I just need more! ;)
Extremely cute! Great vision!
Thanks Sherrie! The vision is slow coming sometimes…and then it just falls in place. Most of the time anyway! ;) thanks so much for visiting!
Nancy – great job!! It looks great on the front porch.
Thanks Katy! :)
You did a great job! I love my thrift stores for furniture too!
Thank you Suzie :) Oh yea, they are the best!
It looks great on the porch!! How inviting! Great buy!!
Hey Lorraine ! Thank you. I’m trying to make the whole porch a little more welcoming and cozy so that is good to hear!
Beautiful. Looks like a bargain even at $50 :)
Thanks Janet! I agree on the $50! ;)
It looks incredible on the porch!!!! Awesome job. :)
-andi
Hey Andi :) Thanks so much!
The halltree does look very nice on the porch. My first thought was, “Man, she must live where they never get hail storms with winds that can drive the hail into a horizontal position. I never thought about the mating birds loving the mirror, but our regular, unwashed windows are like magnets to mating birds, so I can only imagine what a mirror would make them think. It appears your porch has enough of an overhang that you don’t have the problem of the sun striking the mirror and then blinding passer-by drivers. Good Heavens!! How do I ever think of all these things??!!
Hi Linda, No we don’t get hail storms too often here. And, nope, we have 2 very large oak trees that shade the front yard mostly so not too much sun shines directly on the mirror (if at all, actually!)..plus we live in a very small neighborhood so not too many cars driving by! ;)
Thanks so much for stopping by! :)
Nancy
Gorgeous makeover and I love that you have it on the front porch!
Hi Sandi :)
Thank you so much! I know, it is a different spot for it, for sure! But I am loving it too, but I love doing things out of the norm. ;)
You are persistent – what a deal! I just found part of an antique hall tree – it’s missing the bench. I plan on giving it a paint makeover and hope it turns out as fabulous as yours!
Kelly
Thanks Kelly! I sure can be! ;) Oh, can’t wait to see what you do with yours!!
Nancy
Oh dear goodness is that just flipping gorgeous friend! OMG!!! I mean…that..paired with everything else on the front porch….. looks like a dream! Your colors are spot on and the piece is perfect their! I need to come back to this post so that I can appropriately refinish pieces for our porch. I just love this look!! Great work! Wish I could drink some lemonade with ya there!
Thanks Nicole! You are welcome anytime! ;)
I love it! Your patience sure paid off in a big way! Thrift store prices have skyrocketed at home too!
Thanks Christy! :)
Gorgeous piece (awsome price by the way) and beautiful job! Looks pretty up there on your porch, very inviting:)
Thanks so much Veronica! :)
Oh it looks so cute! I really like it on the front porch. It kind of speaks of another era. You did a great job!
Thanks so much Kim! I do love it up there too. It’s different but that’s why I like it! ;)
Cute! Wish we had porches here it looks great there
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Hey Mandy! No porches? Aw darn! We love our porches around here!! ;) Thanks!!!
$35?! That’s a steal! It looks so great, as always! You are seriously talented, friend!
~Abby =)
Yep it really was!! ;) Thanks so much Abby!!!
I LOVE it on the porch – what a great idea! Don’t sell it!! :)
Hi Marie! I don’t think I will! ;) Thanks!, I really like it up there too. Nancy
Lessons in patience are not my forte, but you are so right. I should be doing a better job of waiting for cheaper pieces. Probably because our house is practically empty and was too anxious to start filling our empty spaces. But I LOVE your blog and your furniture choices are to die for. Love your work, Nancy. I pop in now and again and always (and gladly) stuck her for awhile :)
Hi Jeanette :) Thank you so much for the sweet words :) Nancy
Just found out about chalk paint and your posts are very inspiring. I have tons of cherry/mahogany antique furniture that I want to play with. All of your work’s beautiful.
Thanks so much!!
Thank you so much :) Chalk Paint is fun to use…I love it!
I love it and I’ll need to paint my hall tree. Do you worry about rain blowing on it ? I ask because I had a screen porch but my furniture did occassionally get wet,
Hi Pam,
Only maybe occasionally will it get wet. But I sealed it with poly (instead of wax) and it’s holding up well. I probably wouldn’t put it in direct weather.
Hope that helps!
Nancy
Just a guess, but it looks like the hazy picture might be caused by bringing the air conditioned camera out into the warm moist air – makes the lens fog up and you get a hazy picture. I’ve done this many times, especially at the beach.
Also, love the hall tree on the porch.
You are probably right. Although, it wasn’t very hot yet but with it having just rained I think there was quite a bit of humidity in the air!
And thank you so much, by the way! :)
Happy weekend to you!
Nancy
I just moved and have no place for a similar piece of furniture. I actually thought about putting it on my front porch…it has a bench on it so it would be extra seating. It also has 4 small rectangular mirrors-I am going to paint it, and paint the mirrors with black chalkboard paint. Your idea has inspired me so I am going to do it!! Thank you!!!
Oh yay, yes!! That would be perfect! :) Have fun! xo
I had almost the exact same hall tree (from the early 90’s) and I gave it away …. bummer
Aw bummer! I was lucky to come across this one at this price!