The Challenge: Could we change a cute little bench with a boring finish into a Swedish style delight using Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan?
The inspiration: A sweet antique console with a gorgeous old creamy-colored finish that has just hints of color.
Taking a tip from Annie Sloan, I got out my trusty Workbook and played with the paint to find the colors that felt right. Old Ochre, Coco, Duck Egg Blue and Scandinavian Pink……. no mixing needed at all. Annie’s historical colors would work perfectly right out of the can.
I started with all-over coverage using Old Ochre, creating texture as I went by pushing the paint, stippling, dabbing, and brushing in several directions.
Next came Coco, dry brushed in some areas and washed in others. Because this little bench didn’t have the wonderful carvings of the original console, and I wanted just a hint of color and not really a colorful bench, I opted to highlight only the Lyre shape insets, seat edges, and small turnings with a wash of color using the Duck Egg Blue and Scandinavian Pink.
I finished up with two coats of Annie Sloan Clear Soft Wax and a stingy bit of Dark Wax. Total makeover time: a little over 2 hours over 2 days. (I let the base coats dry overnight before using the wash techniques because the underlying base colors can easily soften if not fully dried and you overwork the wash.)
The result: A charming little bench with an old-world Swedish style flare.
If I did it again, would I do anything differently? Yes. I should have given this little beauty a quick going over with fine sandpaper before starting. As you can see in the images, the original finish is quite shiny. I should have broken that finish just a bit. Not doing it has cause my finish to be somewhat fragile, and I noticed when waxing that there were a couple tiny areas of paint loss.
(Update May 2015: The little bench cured just fine and the paint didn’t chip off without sanding first.)
Before and After – The Duck Egg Blue and Scandinavian Pink highlights show better in person.
Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan is the bomb! I continue to be amazed at just how easy it is to get terrific results.
As always, if you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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