Give Your Furniture a Chic Makeover With Chalk Paint!

I'm in love with the vintage feel of chalk paint.

Step 1: Choose a Piece to Refinish

Antique pieces are great and often have a lot of interesting details. But you can start with anything, a chair or picture frame.

I chose an Ikea Hemnes bedroom suite, just to prove that you can give any piece that vintage feel of country chic that is all the rage right now! I've had it for quite a while, and wanted to give my spare room a makeover.

Step 2: Supplies

1)Rust-oleum Chalked Paint
2)Minwax Paste wax
3)Small paint roller & tray
4)Paint brushes, foam or bristles to get in corners and groves.
5)Sanding blocks - fine grit
6)Dust free rags, cut up t-shirts work great!
7)Painters tape
8)New hardware (optional)

Chalk paint is a water based matte paint that is very easy to use and the clean up is a breeze. There is no prep work, you don't need to sand before you paint or use a primer. Water is all you need to clean your brushes & rollers. The paint I got on my clothes washed right out! Best part is there is little to no odour!

I know there are a lot of boutique chalk paints on the market right now, but I wanted to try something that is inexpensive and available to everyone. So I went down to Home Depot to see what I could find. There wasn't as wide a selection of colours as the boutiques, but it is available to tint in a few colours. I chose aged grey.

Step 3: Prep

Although the instruction said you don't need to sand I chose to just because it was such a flat and glossy surface. Just barely, to rough up the surface a little. If you choose to do this step be sure to clean with a damp cloth afterwards. All the research I have done, on various brands, says that you don't need to to sand, it covers oil and latex paint.

Take off the hardware, tape off inside drawers etc. I didn't take it completely apart, just took the drawers out and mirror out of the frame.

Step 4: Paint

Do yourself a favour and use a small paint roller. Start by painting with a brush inside the corners and grooves that are hard to reach with a roller. This is easier if you let the paint dry a little (about an hour) before the roller so you don't rub off the paint.

I started with all the corners and brushwork, and by the time I was on my last piece, the first was ready for the roller.

Simply roll on the rest of the paint. Don't worry too much about imperfections as you will distress the paint in the next step. A dried drip of paint can be sanded away later.

I did two coats of paint. One can of paint goes a long way. I did the dresser and two night stands (two coats) with one can of paint. I used every last drop, but it was enough. If you wanted more of a whitewashed look you could thin out the paint with a little water.

Step 5: Distress

This is the easiest and most rewarding part of the project. The part where you have the creative freedom to make a piece that is uniquely yours!

I've watched a of videos with various opinions of whether to wax before or after you distress the paint.

I tried both ways and I suggest distressing first, and here's why; it's much more work to sand after it is waxed and I went through more sanding blocks. Then I ended up waxing it a second time because I wanted a smooth finish. Who needs the extra work when the outcome is the same!

Now start sanding! Keep in mind the places the paint would naturally wear like the edges, raised surfaces and around the hardware. Have fun with it. You can sand a little or a lot, depending on the look you would like!

Step 6: Wax

This step requires a little elbow grease, but it's an important step as it will protect the paint. Most boutique waxes come in a light and a dark option. The darker wax will enhance the natural grooves in the wood giving it a more weathered look.

Start by applying the wax with a lint free rag (old t-shirt) in a circular motion to get in all the groves. The paint will darken slightly where you have applied the wax, so you can see if you missed a spot.

Now here comes the hard part. Once you have applied the wax you will need to use a different piece of the t-shirt to remove the excess wax and buff to a shine. You can use a circular motion, or long smooth strokes. Both work, I tried! It may take a while, but you will notice the wax isn't as sticky and has a nice sheen once it is done. I used about 1/2 a can on all 3 pieces. It needs to cure for about 48 hours before it is safe to put anything on it.

Step 7: Add New Hardware

I found these cute drawer pulls at anthropology! They had such a big selection it was hard to choose. I chose these because the compliment my favourite bedding and had a vintage look.

Step 8: That's It! You're Done!

Re-assemble if you need to, and you're done! Easy wasn't it!

Don't forget to take some before and after pictures. You will be surprised at what a difference a little bit of paint can make!

My visitors will love the charming new guest room I have created!

Happy Painting!
I hope this was helpful!