SHAKER-STYLE PEG RAIL

This idea pairs utility and beauty. You can create two finishes – an aged stain or a painted two-colour effect.

YOU WILL NEED

Large Shaker pegs with screw fittings Untreated wooden baton (6.8cm x 1.2cm) from a timber yard or DIY store, cut to your chosen length For the aged stain

Apple-cider vinegar Jam jar (empty and washed) Wire wool For the two-colour aged paint

Medium-grade sandpaper Verde and Olive Vintage Paint by Grand Illusions Abrasive sanding block Wet wipes Simply Varnish by Grand Illusions Paintbrush

1 Make the Shaker rail by screwing the pegs into the baton at chosen intervals. 2 For the stain finish, pour 125ml of the apple-cider vinegar into a jam jar. You can also experiment with clear malt or white-wine vinegars, but apple gives an authentic appearance of aged hardwood. Submerge a ball of wire wool (around 5cm in diameter) into the vinegar (the larger the piece of wire wool, the stronger the solution will be) and leave for 24 hours with the jar uncovered. 3 Lift the wire wool from the vinegar and rub it over the peg rail. You should notice an almost immediate change, but it is best to wait at least another 24 hours to see how well it has worked. It can take up to seven days to achieve the full effect – exposure to sunlight will aid the process. 4 For the two-colour finish (which can be applied to pre-painted and varnished woods), lightly sand the surface to help the paint adhere. Cover the rail with a base coat (we used Verde), allowing it to dry before applying another in the same colour. Leave to dry and apply one coat of Simply Varnish. 5 Once dry, apply an even coat of paint in a different but coordinating tone (we used Olive), making sure the colour underneath is completely covered. Leave to dry. 6 Use a combination of the sandpaper, abrasive sanding block and wet wipes to distress the paint gently. Work on the areas where ageing would naturally occur – along the edges, corners and the ends of the pegs, for example. 7 Wipe with a dry cloth and apply a coat of Simply Varnish to finish.

Chest of drawers in a unique mix of Linen with a small amount of Fossil, over a base coat of Hurricane; top of chest in Fossil; top peg rail in Olive over a base coat of Verde; walls in Linen: all Vintage Paint range by Grand Illusions. Chest, zinc jugs, glassware, tea towel and lanterns, from a selection, Grand Illusions. Bowl and metal hare ornament, antiques market finds