I wanted elaborate a bit on the bed and dresser I painted using chalk paint. I love this product because it’s relaxing to use, in that it’s so easy to use. The leisurely weekend projects I come up with actually happen. Here’s why I like chalk paint –

1. It can paint over any surface without major sanding and prepwork. I, for one, have no time or patience for such measures.
2. You don’t need 4,000 coats. For those of us who have thought spray-painting or “regular”-painting a dresser would turn out well, chalk paint accomplishes what you were picturing in your head versus the lumpy, spotty failure you may have encountered.
3. Annie Sloan, original chalk paint queen, charges $30/tub for hers and you have to order it online, but the knock-off Americana Decor brand sold at Home Depot worked just great. One small tub is less than $10 and typically yields enough to do 2-3 coats on one piece of furniture. This keeps project costs down.
4. Glazing is not nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be and, especially if you buy the wax brush, is simpler to apply than other paint sealers.

Scroll down for pictures! 🙂

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Here’s what I used for the dresser project. The materials cost around $30 and I applied the winter white paint on day one and the black stripe and glaze on day two.

BEFORE – a Craigslist find for $20:

AFTER PAINT/BEFORE GLAZE:

AFTER!

For this project, I didn’t buy the wax brush for the glaze, and instead applied it with a rag. But I now have the brush and it makes the process faster and easier, while helping make sure the right amount of glaze is applied. I will need to re-apply glaze to the dresser at some point, since the rag kind of wiped off some of the glaze I was trying to apply and it’s wearing through in areas where there’s more wear and tear.

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Our traditional sleigh bed was transformed into a gilded statement piece thanks to black chalk paint and gold leaf paint by Martha Stewart. I used the same black paint and glaze as in the previous project (new containers) and again was able to finish the project in one weekend.

BEFORE:

AFTER PAINT/BEFORE GLAZE:

AFTER:

I’m still a tad intimidated to do the rustic application of chalk paint, using brown glaze instead of clear glaze. For instance, I believe the inspiration for my dresser is sealed in a brown glaze:

Anyway, though I am craftily inclined and detail oriented, I am impatient with projects. Once inspiration strikes, I want my vision to become reality, like, yesterday. If you’re like me, chalk paint will be your new best friend!

-t&T