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 –
- It can paint over any surface without major sanding and prepwork. I, for one, have no time or patience for such measures.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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! 🙂
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.
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