I was excited for my Mom to come visit because she usually gets me motivated to decorate or paint something. She makes things seem super easy too. So when I told her about a coffee table that was on it's way out the door to Goodwill, she brought up the idea of painting it. Well call me lazy but these were my issues:
-the long process (sanding, deglossing, priming, sealing blah blah)
-paint smelling up my house
-having to paint outside in the hot humidity
Then my Mom showed me
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I was able to paint in my house and I couldn't believe how fast the process went!
Get your piece of furniture and make sure it is clean and ready to paint on. That is really all the prep you need to do so just start painting! It's a fast process because the chalk paint dries so quickly. I read many tips online saying that you don't want to use repetitive brush strokes. Instead use long fluid strokes. Try not to go back and forth over your same paint strokes {that took a little bit for me to get used to}.
Your first coat should be super light and you may even see the wood coming through. Once the first coat dries {I think mine took seriously fifteen minutes} go ahead and put on the second coat. The tip that I read online was to
"kiss" the tips of the brush in a little water to help the second coat glide on smoothly.
After your second coat dries, that is when you want to distress your piece if you are wanting to. Once your piece is painted and distressed (or not) it is time for some waxing! A lot of people online used Annie Sloan's waxing brush for this step but some used a thin cloth or even a ripped t-shirt. Apply a small amount of wax onto the cloth (or brush) and then apply to the surface of the furniture. As you are applying it, you are also brushing it
into the piece of furniture with a good amount of pressure.
Online they advise you to cover a two foot area, then take another cloth and lightly rub it down to remove any residual wax {extra wax does not make it dry the way you want it to}. Repeat this process over the whole table. Twenty-four hours after the waxing, take another cloth and buff it to bring out the smooth luster the wax can give it.
We are going with an ivory, red, and black color theme to my living room so I went with an ivory for my table
(which actually looks more white in the photo). Still trying to find the perfect drawer knob for it. I am already in the process of doing the same thing to two of my new nightstands because of how easy and fast it is. The wax makes the table feel so smooth and clean! I am now addicted to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.
Here are some of my other favorite Pintrest pieces of people using the chalk paint:
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| Lamps, mirrors, chairs |
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| Kitchen cabinets |
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| Headboard, walls, & nightstands |
