The Colorways Swing

Wow, you guys are incredibly observant! So many emails have come my way asking about the image we used in the..... Read More

Decisions, Decisions....

I have a Chinese apothecary cabinet that looks almost identical to this one and I can't decide what to do with it. It doesn't quite fit with the rest of the house, so at this point it is inhabiting our basement and serving as storage for all our Christmas ornaments. Painting may help. Or it might be better to let it move on to a new home where it is better appreciated as is.

Sometimes when I am immobilized by indecision, I will try out ideas on a smaller, less intimidating piece. Which leads me to my post for today.

Although hard to see, the scale of this apothecary cabinet is quite different. It is a tabletop size, something you might use as a jewelry cabinet. It was painted with a combination of Old White and Old Ochre. A little Louis Blue was added to the Duck Egg and used on the face of the drawers. I used more Dark Wax than I usually do. It adds the shading and shadows and gives it more dimension. I like it on this, but I still don't know what to do with the large chest. Any ideas?

Opposites Attract

Opposites on the color wheel (Blue and Orange) not only attract but are stunning when paired together. This old pine pie safe, notice the vents for cooling, is a perfect example.  Mix and layer a little Emperor's Silk with Barcelona Orange over Greek Blue. Old White lightens each of the colors and is dabbed on for texture and highlights. Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ makes this an incredibly easy technique for a vintage, distressed style.

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!

Chinoiserie Chalk Paint

One of the techniques I have been working on lately is using Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ to create a Chinoiserie style paint finish. A shiny lacquered surface is usually made by spraying several light coats of lacquer based paint. It is almost impossible (for me) to brush on lacquer correctly, it must be sprayed on for a smooth finish, meaning several cans of Spray Lacquer (limited colors) or  High Gloss Spray Paint. Because this must be done outdoors, when the temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, for me it is only an option about 6 months out of the year. There are also numerous environmental reasons to find other alternatives.

The mahogany chest above had never been painted and the finish was in excellent condition. My client chose emerald green for the color and was willing to allow me to experiment with Chalk Paint. It took a little mixing and layering of the colors above to create this rich green. Graphite was used to finish the hardware and add the striping. It was topcoated and buffed with clear wax. It was an easy process for me and my client is delighted with the result.

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!

Country Cabinet

A country cabinet proudly wears its age. Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ color palette.

Here Comes the Sun

Gradations and tints of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Emperor's Silk, Barcelona Orange, and Arles on an old pine cabinet.

A Slice of Lime

An old sideboard painted with Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ in a custom mixed Lime Green.

French Chair

This beautiful photo was found on Pinterest and is the inspiration for today's post.

French Provincial chairs, like the one above, are plentiful in vintage and antique shops in singles and in pairs. To create a similar look with Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ, use Coco, and Old Violet. You can make additional strengths of each color by combining with Graphite (shades) or Old White (tints). Add a bouquet of Roses, Lilacs, and Hydrangeas, (sadly, mine never bloom at the same time), for the perfect photo op.

* I am working on Color Cards for shades: mixing each color with varying amount of Graphite. I hope they will be finished and ready to post soon.

Companion Colors

In nature, green is abundant, while purple is relatively rare. Yet when paired they make a striking combination as seen in this inspirational photo found on Pinterest.  Consider adding touches of Emile to your next Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ, Antibes Green project.

Violets and Daffodils

To achieve shiny lacquer finish with Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ use a high gloss polyurethane spray instead of wax.

Pine Ombre Cabinet

This pine cabinet is for toy storage in a children's playroom. It was purposefully painted to have a very distressed, chippy finish, with a fun ombre color effect. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is definitely the way to go on a piece that will have heavy use, wear and tear.  It is also a great example of expanding your range of green.

I have a few more green color studies to share These focus on mixing Florence with English Yellow, and Florence with Arles.

                                   

 It is helpful to have a comparison of the difference of green when using English Yellow as opposed to Arles. There is a typo in the last sample card. The correct proportion should read 1 part Florence to 2 parts English Yellow.

Red, White and Greek Blue

Heavy distressing in combination with the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors above, will result in a finish like the one on this pine cabinet.

You Make Me Blush

I love this rosey blend of pinks, not too juvenile, not too sophisticated. Knowing that it is not one solid color, but a mix of a few is the most important part in recreating this finish. It reminds me of a watercolor painting, the way the shades blend and separate. The easiest way to get this look is to use the four colors of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and create layers. But you could also cheat a bit if you didn't have all these colors, by mixing different strengths of Primer Red and Old White and layering the tints. 

Shamrock Step Stool

These old little step stools are easy to find for a few dollars and can be used in so many ways. My green one, shown above, is very primitive and delightfully imperfect. It has been used as a side table stacked with books, a tray, a foot stool, and a step to reach a higher shelf. It was pink when I found it. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, starting with a coat of Aubusson Blue, followed by some Florence. Antibes Green was mixed with Old White in various strengths for the top coat.

Here is another view:

I have had many questions about my "layering" technique.  I may do a post with step by step photos, but honestly, there are so many great tutorials already available on painting techniques.  Layering is just a word I  use to describe the process of painting on coats of different colors, to achieve depth and texture. It is the the finish that comes naturally on many vintage pieces and antiques.  I am trying to create that look of age and wear on pieces that may or may not be old. 

Before Annie Sloan Chalk Paint became available in the U.S., I used mostly oil-based paints, along with various stains,  dyes, glazes, shellacs, lacquers, and varnish. It works well, but it is labor intensive, takes a long time to dry, and you must use solvents. I have tried creating this, for lack of a better word, distressed finish, with latex and acrylics and was not satisfied with the results.  Annie Sloan Chalk Paint has made it possible  create a vintage looking finish, easily, quickly, and on a variety of surfaces.

I will continue to detail and explain my process in later posts. You can also leave comments and questions in the comment section, or contact me by email. I will respond as quickly as I can. 
Thanks for reading and following,

Leslie
lesliest4@gmail.com


For more little stools and benches see these posts you may have missed:  On the Bench,  Upholstered Bench,  and  Pretty in Pink.

Light it Up

Even brass chandeliers can be given a new life with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. A coat of  Graphite will usually cover the brass ( I have never needed  a primer), followed by a quick coat of Coco, and Paris Grey. It is not necessary to completely cover each of the preceding  layers of paint. Purposefully  leaving gaps in the colors enhances the look of vintage patina.  Dry brushing Old White, and Pure White  on  selectively will highlight the raised portions.

Dark into Light

Sometimes you will find a vintage piece of furniture that has great structure and lines but the finish is very dark. It used to be a very long, messy and difficult process of stripping, sanding, bleaching and liming. Even then, the results could be disappointing.

Dark Walnut Finish

Here is one way to get that light, whitewashed, limed, Restoration Hardware look, that I used on my

old Stepback Cupboard shown in the above photo. Although Graphite is included, it was only used on the hardware to create a rustic zinc color and not on the wood. My first coat was Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White. French Linen and Coco were lightly brushed on in long strokes following the direction of the wood grain. It takes a little practice, but you can always add a little more of any of the colors to create the look of wood grain. After a coat of clear wax, you can also use the dark wax for a grain effect. Just remember to continue to brush in one direction. The old pulls were were painted with Graphite and Old White.

This is a very easy finish to create with Chalk Paint. I used French Linen and Coco because I like the depth created by adding additional colors.  But really you could easily create a similar look with just Old White and a second color, or Old White plus the clear and dark wax. 

Painting the inside is a matter of personal preference. In this cupboard I used Provence mixed with water, for a wash effect. 

Gustavian Secretaire

My latest project is painting a vintage mahogany secretary that is similar in construction to the beautiful one pictured above. My client has requested that I use this photo as inspiration for a finish of blues, greys, and white to create a Gustavian look for her piece.

Here is how I intend to duplicate this look. Using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, my first coat will be Graphite. Next a light  coat of Louis Blue for the areas of blue. French Linen for the upper cabinet. After that is dry I will mix some old white in French Linen and lightly paint over areas previously painted top. I will also mix Louis Blue with Old White to make some areas lighter on the blue drawers and an even whiter/blue mix for the interior. The purpose of these additional layers is to create depth and texture. I usually go back after it is dry and add to certain areas, until I'm satisfied. I do very little sanding, preferring to add paint to lighten, darken, or modify color.

I've had several requests for more details about the painting process so I am including a brief explanation of my techniques. Some days more than others. Please let me know in the comment section or by email if you have additional questions.

Thanks for following and commenting,

Leslie

English Lavender

Create a lovely English Lavender by layering Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in these muted tones of purple.

 Reminds me of this photo...

Downderry Lavender Nursery

English Garden Magazine 

photo by Susie Gibbons 

Lavender is a soothing accent color. For more ways to add lavender to your decor see my posts,  Lovely Lavender,   Lavender in Provence,  and  Modern Gustavian by Wisteria

Take One Stepback

Called Stepback Cupboards because the top shelving piece sits "back" from the front edge of the separate lower cabinet, they are most often made of pine or oak. It is not unusual to find one where the top and bottom were not made at the same time as one complete piece, but have been put together, sometimes referred to as "married".

This one has wonderful age and patina in its deep blues and greens. If you are lucky enough to have a stepback cupboard, layering the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors shown above, would give you a similar finish.

In Kentucky, antique step backs are easy to find and reasonably priced. To see more of these delicious cupboards check out my posts, Another Stepback,  Dark into Light, and Colorful Storage.

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!

Nordic Blue

The layering of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for a Nordic Blue.

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!