Shades of an Armoire

Sometimes it is not so clear what color to choose when painting a special vintage piece of furniture. Colors, Tints, and Shades can look very different from one piece to the next.  Painting a large Armoire, like the one above, involves a fair amount of time and energy, not to mention the cost of paint.  Any tool you can use to eliminate, or even narrow down, your color choice before you start to paint can save you from painting something more than once. 

The image above is a virtual representation of an Armoire painted in 6 different colors and shades (shades = color + black) of Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ.  I didn't actually paint the Armoire 6 different colors.  Each armoire image was tinted with shades of one color. The color cards below each show the color I used. This is only meant to be a starting point, but sometimes having a comparison on an actual piece of furniture is helpful.

Here is the real Armoire and the colors I used when I painted it......

Bold and Bright

Mixing Yellow + Red + Blue

My last few posts have been about mixing English Yellow, Emperor's Silk and Napoleonic Blue, 2 at a time to make additional colors.You can also add Pure White in varying amounts to further extend your range of colors.This next chart will show my results of mixing all 3 colors together.

These variations are more muddied and organic than when only 2 colors are mixed. Here are few additional suggestions when mixing your own colors.

Start with the lightest color and add the stronger color to it. Emperor's Silk will easily become dominant to just about any other Chalk Paint color. It's best to add in small amounts, until you are satisfied. This helps avoid too much of a color.

Mix 2 colors thoroughly before adding a third color.

Start with small measurements and keep a record of your results. You can always make

more as long as you know the quantities. Best to make only the amount you will use.

Keep any extra paint in a securely closed container. I use Mason Jars, but you also can use plastic as long as it has a tight seal. There is a shelf life to Chalk Paint and I like to prolong it. Although you can add water if it becomes too thick, once it dries out completely there is little you can do. Never let it freeze- I store all my paints inside, not just Chalk Paint.

If you are considering painting one of your favorite pieces in a mix of English Yellow, Emperor's Silk, and Napoleonic Blue,  here are some Pinterest photos to inspire you.

Mixing standard colors in different amounts and combinations is a great way to create a diverse and unique color palette. To see some the custom colors you can make from Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®, see my posts, Mixing for Green,  and Mixing for Orange.

Mixing for Green

Mixing for green can be a little difficult. Blue and Yellow can theoretically mixed to make green, but the green that is the result of blending English Yellow and Napoleonic Blue will not be a clear deep green. It will be more muted and grayed. The chart below offers a concise record of the results.

I followed the same procedure as with red/blue and red/yellow. The middle column shows the results of adding pure white to the yellow/blue mix to create tints. At the bottom of the chart are actual Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors for comparison. Note that it is possible to come fairly close to being able to mix your own version of Versailles, Cream, Old Ochre, and surprisingly Aubusson Blue. Country Grey and Duck Egg Blue do not match as well.

And no mixture will create the clear Antibes Green, teal Florence, or  deep, dark Olive.

But mixing will create a range of yellow/greens and greyed blue/greens that will increase the colors available to you in Chalk Paint. Also adding a Florence or Antibes Green to the basic red/yellow/blue will give you an enhanced color palette of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Here are some inspirational photos found on Pinterest for ways to use the custom mixed greens made by mixing English Yellow, Napoleonic Blue, and Pure White. 

If green is your favorite color see more ideas Color Studies: Lime Green  WhileWe Are On Green.. and Custom Color Lime Green II

Mixing standard colors in different amounts and combinations is a great way to create a diverse and unique color palette. To see some the custom colors you can make from Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®, see my posts, Mixing for Purple, and Mixing for Orange.

I like Annie Sloan Chalk Paint  for my craft and furniture projects, but for walls nothing compares to Pure & Original Fresco Lime Paint. I love the natural variations of shades and tones the lime creates within one paint color. You have to see how gorgeous it is! Checkout my most recent interior design make overs with Fresco. It can be purchased online at www.502paint.com

P.S  Pure and Original also makes a chalk based paint called Classico in 140 colors! Its amazing too!

Mixing for Purple

Continuing on the theme of mixing primary colors, the chart above illustrates what happens when Emperor's Silk and Napoleonic Blue are combined together. A range of strong purple hues is the result.
At this time, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint does not offer a dark purple (or bright pink), pre-mixed, so knowing how to mix your own is the only way to add it to your color palette.

I used the same process that was used for the red-yellow color options, a 1/2 cup measurement  for equal parts. The middle column shows what happens when Pure White is added to each result. These are similar to the purples that are available pre-mixed from Chalk Paint.

If you are trying to match exactly any of the Chalk Paint colors, you may be disappointed. Annie Sloan's formulas for paint colors are more complex than merely mixing 2  of them. But, if you want to add a range of purples to your palette, this is an easy and inexpensive way to do it.

Here are some ideas found on Pinerest to use custom mixed purples.

  

                                             

Mixing standard colors in different amounts and combinations is a great way to create a diverse and unique color palette. To see some the custom colors you can make from Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®, see my posts, Mixing for Green,  and Mixing for Orange.

I like Annie Sloan Chalk Paint  for my craft and furniture projects, but for walls nothing compares to Pure & Original Fresco Lime Paint. I love the natural variations of shades and tones the lime creates within one paint color. You have to see how gorgeous it is! Checkout my most recent interior design make overs with Fresco. It can be purchased online at www.502paint.com

P.S  Pure and Original also makes a chalk based paint called Classico in 140 colors! Its amazing too!

Mix Your Own Annie Sloan Colors

This is a follow-up on yesterday's post. Although not an exact match,

a little mixing of Emperor's Silk + English Yellow + Pure White,

will result in adding 4 more colors to your Chalk Paint supplies. In addition,

white + single color, allows you to make these tints:

Tomorrow,  Emperor's Silk + Napoleonic Blue

French Blues

A charming stack of vintage French Bistro Chairs

display years of paint.

Combining and layering different hues can make your blue complex and interesting. For more blue inspiration, see my posts, Chinese Apothecary Cabinet, Modern Chalk Paint, and  Rococo Commode

I like Annie Sloan Chalk Paint  for my craft and furniture projects, but for walls nothing compares to Pure & Original Fresco Lime Paint. I love the natural variations of shades and tones the lime creates within one paint color. You have to see how gorgeous it is! Checkout my most recent interior design make overs with Fresco. It can be purchased online at www.502paint.com

P.S  Pure and Original also makes a chalk based paint called Classico in 140 colors! Its amazing too!

Modern on Vintage

A contemporary color palette for vintage

Vintage Chest in Hues of Louis Blue

Painted in separate layers, each coat is washed,

or rubbed back to create a time worn patina 

If you can't get enough of Louis Blue, check out my posts,  Duck Egg and Louis Blue,  Ralph Lauren Blue,  and  Chair of Many Colors

I like Annie Sloan Chalk Paint  for my craft and furniture projects, but for walls nothing compares to Pure & Original Fresco Lime Paint. I love the natural variations of shades and tones the lime creates within one paint color. You have to see how gorgeous it is! Checkout my most recent interior design make overs with Fresco. It can be purchased online at www.502paint.com

P.S  Pure and Original also makes a chalk based paint called Classico in 140 colors! Its amazing too!