A Texas Gypsy Style Project: Moroccan Inspired Armoire

Posted by Krista Mulkey on December 9, 2019

Hello World!

It's been a while since I have written about a piece...okay...maybe a long time! But! This moroccan armoire piece is going to make up for it!

How many of you have had or actually own one of these Big Bulky Rustic Cabinets in your home?

I can honestly say that I had one when were in Texas and now here in Virginia! These are great pieces and solid wood! You may hear this style being called "Rustic Pine" or "Texas Pine" Furniture. This style of pine furniture is actually imported from Mexico. It has a "Mission" Style look to it and very popular in the Southern States. With that being said...they make for a great canvas! A furniture artists dream! Haha! Well...maybe it's just me...but, I love them and I was super excited when my new customer, who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, requested an armoire to be custom painted!

My customers inspiration was a dream! Colorful...She even mentioned a "Rainbow" at one time during one of our conversations. She is French and expressed her love for "Poppies" as well. She love Moroccan Style furniture as well. Each of her walls were going to be a different color and to top it off...she purchased one of my Original pieces I had listed for sale, which was a Cobalt Blue Dresser! And! To top that off.....ready?....She wanted everyones favorite buffet I painted as a Dixie Belle Project I had advertised on my Etsy Shop! And! They will all be featured in the same dining room in their new home that was being built in New Mexico. Oh My! Lol! Talk about a "WOW" Moment!

So, while I was super excited... I was insanely nervous....I mean...all 3 pieces in 1 room? And different color walls?

Okay....and then she tells me to do whatever I want with this rustic cabinet....Lol! As if I didn't have enough to worry about already!

I will call this piece....A Layer of Love!

So here is my list of inspirations for this piece:

Rainbow, Colorful

Poppies

Moroccan

Are you with me people?????

To start, I want to bring in some architectural additions...like metal art, framing...to give it a "Stately" presence that takes you to a different part of the world.

So my friend and I looked high and low one day in our local area to find my vision. Finally, over lunch at our favorite Mexican food restaurant, she said...let's hit up the Home Store! And there we found the perfect metal scrolls to fit on the 2 top cabinet doors! The Only 2! Yes! Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!

So here was my little mock up of what was to come!

Once I had that down and in my back pocket...I was ready to PAINT!

I decided that the color behind the beautiful scrolls in the center rectangle of the cabinet doors would need to be bright and vibrant. Something enchanting, that stood out in the piece.

Dixie Belle Paint Company's Cobalt Blue has now become my "Go to Cobalt Blue"! It gave me the gorgeous depth of blue I was wanting...Totally Eye Catching!

After the Cobalt Blue...

I ran through multiple layers of colors that framed out the Cobalt Blue. Turquoise, Honky Tonk Red, Emerald Green, Gold, Plum Crazy.....ohhhh my lands!!!!!

Hence the "Layers of Love" Lol!

So....while I was playing with those colors and trying to figure out my next step...I decided to take a break and work on the 2 bottom cabinets.

Poppies were on my mind and I really wanted to incorporate them into this piece for my customer.

I did a little internet recon on what style of painting I wanted to do for these dainty little buds and gathered my thoughts as to how they would look best but not overpower the cabinet. So, I came up with a simple, folk style poppy. They are painted in Dixie Belle's Honky Tonk Red, with long black stems. They really "Pop" on that Gorgeous Cobalt Blue! Don't they?

I did this on both bottom doors but in different arrangements.

But, there was still not enough happening here with the color combos. I even tried framing out the bottom doors in Gold....but.....hated it!

Oh geez....this was beginning to be a nightmare. In addition, I was starting to be pressed for time! Did I mention that I had a shipping deadline in like 2 days at this point?? Can I get an antacid?? Anyone??

Okay...so now I have decided to totally throw in a wrench and create a blast of......nope....wait for it......okay....White? It's like the only color I hadn't used yet! So why the heck not.....?? I have to do something dramatic! Hello? It has so much color and so much going on that it's boring now. Umm...Can I get a glass...or just give me the bottle of wine.

At this point....I am questioning...EVERYTHING! Should I call my customer? Send her photos of this? Hell No! I am going to own it! I am going to finish it and bring it home!

So, I march myself to get a ReDesign by Prima Stencil....and if they don't have one that resembles little poppies ready for me to purchase! It was perfect!!!

I couldn't wait to get back and work on it!

Painting the frames of all cabinet doors was already brining this baby to life! The stencils are self sticking so they were easy to place and then with a small foam applicator.

My customer loved Cobalt Blue, so this is what I painted on the sides of the cabinet and brought in .....