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Junk into Treasure
posted in furniture - 22-06-2010, 15:00
"Junk Into Treasure" - the sign caught the corner of my eye as I nearly fell down the hill past it, into the lovable village of Enniskerry. I was on my way to collect my daughter from an eleven year old's dinner party in a restaurant around the corner - how times have changed! Thankfully for once in my life I was early and could divert my attention to something clearly right up my alley way. Had I missed the sign for the course outside Galerie Lisette that day I would certainly not have missed the brightly painted old furniture in scrumptious shades of purple, blue and pink, reminiscent of the current trend in cupcakes.
Inside I met fashion and interior designer, Aida, mother of the Lennon duo running the shop. I did not meet daughter and architect Lucina until I returned just two weeks later to attend yet another of her workshops on turning Junk Into Treasure. Both are such lovely ladies you would be only too happy to sit and chat all day in their shop and in their company, especially since they serve tea and coffee with scones and biscuits during their workshops (and don't even advertise this wonderful added bonus!).
I arrived ready, or so I thought, in my old jeans and man's old shirt, but psychologically I had not prepared myself for taking a paint brush in hand and potentially desecrating an old piece of furniture that I'm sure they hoped to sell in the shop at a later stage. They were unaware of the fact that paint and I did not get on back in college and that we hadn't spoken to each other since - well not since the yellow gouache insisted on looking like egg yolk cooked onto the page! But this was blue, pale relaxing blue, a shade of blue which Lucina herself had whipped up before our very eyes with an egg whip and soup ladle in a measuring jug - yes, this was more familiar territory... kitchen utensils - DIY for Mum! Maybe I could handle this.
Lucina timed everything nicely so that we could have layers of paint drying on furniture while we added layers of other colours and substances to boards where we tried various painting techniques to achieve an old distressed look without actually having dirty old paint peeling off the surfaces and into your food.
It was a beautiful sunny day in Enniskerry, so thankfully windows and doors could be left ajar for the air to blow through and aid the drying process whilst giving us a blast of fresh air. It also meant we could enjoy a delicious lunch al fresco at the new delicatessen. Despite the fresh air and good planning one cannot always account for how long a particular paint might take to dry or how much we ladies can talk! So give yourself a bit of extra time to play with if planning a playful, creative, instructive, enjoyable day out at Galerie Lisette!
Lucina and Aida also give courses in Curtain Making, Creative Cushions and Paint Effects and if you're not ready to try the Junk into Treasure process yourself, you can choose from a selection of their own handiwork in the shop including furniture, original paintings and other artworks for your home.
Personally my day out in Enniskerry at Galerie Lisette reminded me of a kid's play date or party and I was the kid! It would make a great day out for a group of friends or even a birthday gift.
"Junk Into Treasure" - the sign caught the corner of my eye as I nearly fell down the hill past it, into the lovable village of Enniskerry. I was on my way to collect my daughter from an eleven year old's dinner party in a restaurant around the corner - how times have changed! Thankfully for once in my life I was early and could divert my attention to something clearly right up my alley way. Had I missed the sign for the course outside Galerie Lisette that day I would certainly not have missed the brightly painted old furniture in scrumptious shades of purple, blue and pink, reminiscent of the current trend in cupcakes.
Inside I met fashion and interior designer, Aida, mother of the Lennon duo running the shop. I did not meet daughter and architect Lucina until I returned just two weeks later to attend yet another of her workshops on turning Junk Into Treasure. Both are such lovely ladies you would be only too happy to sit and chat all day in their shop and in their company, especially since they serve tea and coffee with scones and biscuits during their workshops (and don't even advertise this wonderful added bonus!).
I arrived ready, or so I thought, in my old jeans and man's old shirt, but psychologically I had not prepared myself for taking a paint brush in hand and potentially desecrating an old piece of furniture that I'm sure they hoped to sell in the shop at a later stage. They were unaware of the fact that paint and I did not get on back in college and that we hadn't spoken to each other since - well not since the yellow gouache insisted on looking like egg yolk cooked onto the page! But this was blue, pale relaxing blue, a shade of blue which Lucina herself had whipped up before our very eyes with an egg whip and soup ladle in a measuring jug - yes, this was more familiar territory... kitchen utensils - DIY for Mum! Maybe I could handle this.
Lucina timed everything nicely so that we could have layers of paint drying on furniture while we added layers of other colours and substances to boards where we tried various painting techniques to achieve an old distressed look without actually having dirty old paint peeling off the surfaces and into your food.
It was a beautiful sunny day in Enniskerry, so thankfully windows and doors could be left ajar for the air to blow through and aid the drying process whilst giving us a blast of fresh air. It also meant we could enjoy a delicious lunch al fresco at the new delicatessen. Despite the fresh air and good planning one cannot always account for how long a particular paint might take to dry or how much we ladies can talk! So give yourself a bit of extra time to play with if planning a playful, creative, instructive, enjoyable day out at Galerie Lisette!
Lucina and Aida also give courses in Curtain Making, Creative Cushions and Paint Effects and if you're not ready to try the Junk into Treasure process yourself, you can choose from a selection of their own handiwork in the shop including furniture, original paintings and other artworks for your home.
Personally my day out in Enniskerry at Galerie Lisette reminded me of a kid's play date or party and I was the kid! It would make a great day out for a group of friends or even a birthday gift.
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