From Gold to Chalk...The Table

I’m not usually one who falls victim to every trend or must have of the moment…but….I keep reading about Annie Sloan’s chalk paint and all of the fabulous things you can do with it so…..

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old Ochre

A few months ago I gave it a try on my old “seen better days” bedside table (check it out here) and more recently gave my entryway built-in chest a face lift (check this out here) with a little rouge & wax.  Both were painted Provence blue and added just enough of a pop of color.

Well, last week with proof of my addiction taking hold I looked at a sweet little old table that my grandmother had painted gold and was forever in her bedroom and knew I had to go neutral and up the ante with a dark wax to give it some depth.

The Before...I just love the detail on this table

Yes, apparently chalk paint is merely a gateway DIY product meant only to suck you in to the hard stuff…wax & washes (yet to try but I do have a Martha Steward copper wash sitting on my project table just taunting me).

So down to the basement I went to dig my table out from under a plethora of paint accessories (yes, I’m one of those who can’t get out of Lowes without a new paint pad, roller, brush, ect).  I had just the perfect place for it.

The real before...yes this mess really did exist in my basement.

Up two flights it went to my office/project/hang out room (officially my 2nd guest room but since I hardly ever have 2 guests at once I've taken over) and off I went with the paint…yup you've heard right Annie Sloan’s chalk paint does not need a primer or any real prep other than making sure your object is clean.
Two coats of paint later and the table was looking pretty good.

In process - this is the first coat...look how great the coverage is.

Fully painted just waiting on me to get some time to add the wax

But in the spirit of never leaving well enough alone, I went at it with Annie Sloan’s dark wax…I had never used it before and really had not done much research on how to use it.  I’ve used enough wax products though to know to brush wax on, rub into the crevices, and rub excess off but this was definitely going to be a bit of an experiment.

It sort of looks like shoe polish when you first brush it on

Half waxed - rub as you go before the wax dries too much

I did give a test run on a board I had painted with the same color as my table just to get a feel of how much to add and how much to rub off.

It was a quick maybe an hour or so to finish this up.  Looks pretty good huh?

Finished product in it's new home in my livingroom

And a little closer...it doesn't look quite this dark in person but I do love how the dark wax highlights the
crevices in this piece

Meanwhile, this week I have been in Charlotte on business and was visiting a huge antique mall (more on that later) when I happened upon a booth full of Annie Sloan paint and a couple of half done projects (as well as several finished) with some “helpful hints” tacked to the WIP’s (work in process for those non-production folks out there) and one of her hints was to ALWAYS add a coat of clear wax before a coat of dark wax.

Hmmmm, I didn’t do that…now I’m wondering if maybe I missed a very important step…

I think I’ll have to settle for next time…I’m not starting over on this one.


Sharing this week at:  Savvy Southern Style, Cozy Little House, Beyond The Picket Fence, The Charm of Home, Coastal Charm, Jennifer Rizzo, Elizabeth & Co., Primp,The Cottage Market