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How to use Gold Leaf

By Anita 31 Comments

I remember my mom talking to me about gold leaf back when I was a teenager. The talk went something like this –

“BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, gold leaf, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, use red paint under the gold leaf, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.”

Okay, I wasn’t actually paying attention. Who knew 30 years or more later I would find the information useful?

I have a vanity in my downstairs bath that I had custom-made for our house. I painted it with some gold paint when the house was built. When I attended a painting workshop held by Amy Howard last year, she showed us how to use gold leaf. I was smitten this time. I decided to go for it in this bathroom. The gold leaf was provided by Amy Howard at Home. For my full disclosure, click HERE.

This is what the vanity looked like before You can see that I used gold paint here and there.

vanity-before

First, I taped off the area where I did not want the gold leaf. Next I applied the Amy Howard at Home Gilding Size. You can find it HERE. Traditionally gold leaf has been applied over red paint. It probably would look better if you did that, but you don’t have to.

gilt-sizing-on-vanity

I let the gilding size come to tack, meaning I let it dry a bit. It was still sticky, but thicker than when I applied it. I used the gilding size everywhere I wanted the gold leaf to stick.

 

gilt-sizing

I then took 2 sheets of gold leaf everywhere I wanted the gold leaf and applied it to the vanity. Be sure to not touch the gold sheets with your hands. If you do, it will disintegrate. Use the tissue paper to hold the gold sheets in place as you apply them. This is something that takes some practice. I am very much a novice, so I can’t say I have a great technique. I pressed the gold into the furniture using my fingers and the tissue paper.

gilt-sheet

As you do this pressing, some of the gold is going to flake away. That’s okay. Press it into the piece as much as you can.

gold-leaf

When you remove the tape the piece is going to look like it has gold fuzz. I used a brush to gently knock off any loose gold leaf.

gold-leaf-on-furniture

 

I added a light layer of Amy’s light antique wax to the gold leaf. I stopped there, but you could go one step further and add Amy’s Dust of Ages. As you can see from the photos below, the gold now looks metallic and not just like paint.

gray-and-gold-vanity

So I just noticed I did not do the back legs of the vanity. Well that will just have to wait for another day.

gray-vanity

I’m quite pleased with the look. The gilding does not look perfect, but when you have antiques and you are going for an antique look, that works quite well. When people ask this is when I say that any imperfections were done on purpose. That’s when I get the head nod.

For those that want to know, the granite is white river, the mirror is antique, and the marble bowl is from stone outlet. The basket is an antique oyster basket. The faucet is from build.com.

 

marble-sink

I added a rug in here, and changed out the art too. The rug, basket and beam feel rustic, while many of the other touches are upscale. It all works together for a Farmhouse French feel.

powder-room-gold-leaf

This is part of my DIY TIPS AND TRICKS SERIES that I do once a month with my very talented friends.

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ON SUTTON PLACE

no sew lovebirds pillow cover diy

 

THISTLEWOOD FARM

How to Make a Faux Brick Wall Thistlewood

 

STONE GABLE

EASY DROPCLOTH SLIPCOVER-thumbnail-stonegableblog-2

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Filed Under: bathroom, paint, Paint Project, Project

Comments

  1. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    July 7, 2016 at 07:37

    Your bathroom is A-MAZING, Anita! I just love it! And the little touch of gold leafing is gorgeous on the legs of your table vanity! Beautifully done. I love Amy Howard’s gold leafing!

    Reply
    • Anita says

      July 7, 2016 at 13:55

      See I did pay attention in class at Amy Howard’s class!

      Reply
  2. Shannon@Belle Bleu Interiors says

    July 7, 2016 at 08:05

    Anita, your bathroom looks absolutely beautiful! I love the gold touches so much. It gives the perfect antique look!!!

    Reply
    • Anita says

      July 7, 2016 at 13:54

      Thank you Shannon!

      Reply
  3. Lory at Designthusiasm says

    July 7, 2016 at 08:44

    I’ve always wanted to do gold leaf! Looks great… 🙂 Thanks so much for the tips. Love the whole bathroom, especially the wings!!

    Reply
    • Anita says

      July 7, 2016 at 13:54

      You should try it Lory. It would look perfect in your home.

      Reply
  4. Judith Metheny says

    July 7, 2016 at 14:55

    Hi! My name is Judith Metheny. My daughter has a blog called Great Design Takes Time. Her name is Lisa Wills, and we are from Birmingham, AL. Both of us follow you on Facebook. We have hopes of setting up a booth where we have updated garage sale finds. We have begun collecting small pieces of furniture to paint. What paint do you recommend and do you have a post that tells the process you use for various techniques.

    Reply
    • Anita says

      July 7, 2016 at 15:10

      That sounds so exciting Judith. I think for furniture I would probably use a chalk based paint. I think this technique should work. https://cedarhillfarmhouse.com/2015/10/painted-french-bench.html

      Reply
  5. Becca says

    July 7, 2016 at 16:03

    Stunning bathroom & thanks for sharing this tip! I was wondering what paint color was on the wall, and what is that gorgeous blue on the bath tub?

    Reply
    • Anita says

      July 7, 2016 at 16:08

      Hi Becca, the wall color and many more of those questions are answered here.. https://cedarhillfarmhouse.com/2015/07/what-color-is-that-wall-and-more-questions-answered.html

      The tub is white. It just looks blue in the photo.

      Reply
  6. Michelle Mortensen says

    July 7, 2016 at 18:31

    You have one of the prettiest bathrooms! It looks so elegant. Frankly, you are much braver than I am. I wouldn’t have the nerve to try gold leaf in a bathroom – but the results are stunning.
    Best & Bisous,
    Michelle from Simply Santa Barbara

    Reply
  7. Ginni B says

    July 7, 2016 at 19:57

    Anita – I just love this! It gives it just the right touch. Thank you!

    Reply
  8. Angelina @ Peonies & Orange Blossoms says

    July 8, 2016 at 01:19

    Your bathroom is super duper cute!! I love the tub, how you have the shower curtain, the pretty gold on your vanity, the vessel sink and wall mounted faucet!! J’adore!!!

    Reply
  9. Ann says

    July 8, 2016 at 08:09

    This is the sort of special touch that takes a piece to the next level…and so easy. I love your bathroom…it perfectly fits your beautiful style. <3

    Reply
  10. Kathy Moreland says

    July 9, 2016 at 12:27

    What a gorgeous bath!! Love how you’ve done the shower curtain!

    Reply
    • Anita says

      July 9, 2016 at 12:31

      Thank you Kathy.

      Reply
  11. Deb says

    February 7, 2017 at 06:42

    Anita, I love what you did with the bathroom. I m in the midst of trying to find a way to make my bathroom prettier!! Thanks for the ideas.
    Deb

    Reply
  12. Bonnie says

    February 7, 2017 at 10:35

    The vanity is really pretty and I love the rustic beam above the tub. WOW!

    Reply
  13. Barbara says

    February 7, 2017 at 14:36

    Anitta great job your bathroom looks beautiful. I personally love everything and anything with a gold touch ?

    Reply
  14. Marcy Leonard says

    February 7, 2017 at 16:03

    I love the whimsey-ness of your bathroom, but I have to ask: Is the cowhide on the floor just for the photo or is it actually okay for stepping on with wet feet?

    Reply
  15. Jan says

    February 7, 2017 at 16:51

    Love the gold leaf post. Where did you get your bathroom rug that looks like a sheepskin rug?

    Reply
  16. barbara says

    February 7, 2017 at 22:39

    well at least your mom got in paint it red first lol my mom was not a fan of gold

    Reply
  17. Katherine says

    February 8, 2017 at 10:25

    Anita, I bought a paint by Martha Stewart a couple years ago at Michael’s that has a very similar look to the gold leafing without the angst of the application of gold leafing! That being said, Girl, that vanity is everything!!!! I’m impressed as usual!

    Reply
  18. Marilyn Curran says

    May 12, 2017 at 09:30

    Anita, I just love the look of you bathroom. It reminds me of the bathroom in the home I grew up in New York. Your vanity is beautiful. Make me want to remodel my bathroom. Thank you for gold leaf idea.

    Reply
  19. Cynthia says

    May 12, 2017 at 17:32

    It looks very upscale and classy…..

    Reply
  20. Nicole says

    August 28, 2017 at 10:52

    The gold leaf adds such a pretty accent to the table legs. Such a pretty bathroom! Stopping by from the #HomeMattersParty linky.

    Reply
  21. Courtney @ Pop It Up Girl says

    August 31, 2017 at 10:28

    Hey Anita! I love this so much, I featured it today on my round-up of farmhouse style DIY projects at http://www.PopItUpGirl.com

    Come take a look!

    Reply
  22. cheryl brazie says

    September 1, 2017 at 07:59

    I just thought I had to tell you, that little bathroom is soooooo cute! I want to move in and have a soak in that sweet little tub!!!!

    Reply
  23. Janet Armstrong says

    September 1, 2017 at 08:26

    I call imperfections ‘design features’ and no one is the wiser! The bathroom is gorgeous!

    Reply
  24. Linda says

    November 6, 2018 at 07:37

    Love your bath. At some point in history the French did put black on gold leaf because a king was killd exiled or something. I had a pine mirror- not an old frame painted it black. Still didn’t like it so I put gold leaf on it. Not very good at it. Somehow it just came out looking old and worn. People think it is old.

    Reply
  25. Jauquetta says

    November 7, 2018 at 07:20

    This is very elegant without being stuffy! I restore frames and use gold leaf quite a bit. When I was learning, my first husband joked that if he stood still long enough I’d leaf him! I’m sure you sealed it to prevent tarnish, unless you really were extravagant and bought real leaf!
    This added just the right amount of glam to this room. That rough beam w the lace is great, as well.

    Reply

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