My most unusual custom furniture client request yet! Request to make a pirate bed...
I was asked to recreate the pirate bed from the movie AND the ride…. Pirates of the Caribbean. My client sent this photo as inspiration. Hmmmmmmmm…??
I'm not kidding…
I accepted the task (and refrained from asking too many questions… like WHY?…. LOL!) and set out to locate a bed that would allow me to fulfill the request.
Let me tell you something…. just when I think something is impossible or unobtainable….. I am proven wrong.
THIS bed… the one pictured below…. was listed on Craigslist within days of beginning the search. AND… it was affordable. And I bought it! ( I still can't believe it!)
The soon to be pirate-bed-owner wanted to supply the cherubs and skull and cross bones herself. The cherubs below were sent to me in a plain white plaster finish. I coated them in Caviar…. and dry brushed a decent coat of Olympic Gold for a rich yet vintage look.
My client actually commissioned Ron Pardini of CIFX Studios, to re-create the skull and cross bones for the pirate bed. He is the artist that created the original castings on the ride at Disney! I'm telling y'all…. this girl meant business!!! She and her husband had dreamt of owning a bed like this for years… and they were not going to cut any corners!
I did NOT want to disappoint!
I began by covering the entire bed in Caviar to give the depth necessary for the gold to take on an aged feel.I then applied Barn Red with a rag for a multi-textured appearance. I obviously did this just in the center of the headboard…the area that the skull and crossbones would be attached to. I was SO pleased with the look so far!
And in the same way that I painted the cherubs…I painted the trim in my go-to gold paint Gold Gilding Wax. I use this gold on many of my furniture pieces.
I added a single Victorian Damask Stencil placed haphazardly across the center painted space. I first stenciled with the Caviar. After this dried… I placed the stencil directly over the "painted stencil" and lightly dabbed along the edges…or a single size… no two alike…. with a sponge that I had lightly tapped into the Gold Gilding Wax. It was exactly the look I was after! I love when that happens!!!
The skeleton pieces were cast with the screws in place. Ron was very particular with his work… and had me send measurements of the height/width and depth of the space. He needed depth for perfect placement of the screws. This made it really easy for Mr. Fancy to secure the pieces of art to the pirate bed. You can see him in the photos below carefully marking exactly where to drill the holes in the headboard. He also applied a layer of Tite Bond to the back of the skull prior to bolting it into place. We don't need any loose skulls falling onto sleeping faces! (ugh… the thought!) The exact process was repeated for the cross bones.
The cherubs were simply glued and clamped to set overnight. They are tiny and can almost be overlooked…. but they add just a touch of detail…. and I LIKE DETAIL!
We hauled this ginormous crazy gaudy pirate bed out to an old barn for photos…. and it was not until then…. that I actually NOTICED it!
I saw its beauty for the first time! It eminated strength and power! It was demanding attention! And it is just flat out WEIRD!!!!!
I seriously doubt I will ever get another request as bizarre as this!
This is what I LOVE about this career choice of mine! I meet all kinds! I hear all sorts of stories! Nothing really surprises me….. but I am certainly entertained!
If you want to replicate this fancy pirate bed, remember to purchase your paints from Dixie Belle Paint. Your purchases, using my affiliate link help support my blog and creative painting endeavors (without any additional cost to you)....maybe even involving more skulls.
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If you want to replicate this fancy pirate bed, remember to purchase your paints from Dixie Belle Paint. Your purchases, using my affiliate link help support my blog and creative painting endeavors (without any additional cost to you). Just click on any of the products shown below! You can also find my favorite products and tools in my Amazon influencer list here.
XOXO,
Tracey
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