Hey Y’all!
I paint furniture for a local store, Down Yonder Depot in Pooler, GA. The owner, Jimmy, keeps me busy with his furniture finds, and I absolutely love it. Recently this old trunk came into his life, and then made it’s way into mine. There wasn’t anything particularly “special” about it. It was big, brown, and resembled a coffin. Some people might have turned their nose up to a piece like this. I can’t say that I was completely sold on the potential, but I have never given up on a piece of furniture, and I love a good challenge.
I usually know if I’m going to fall in love with a piece of furniture within the first stroke of my paint brush. This one was a little different. Much like my favorite pair of shoes, it took some time for me to be completely comfortable with the potential. It wasn’t LOVE until I pulled out my sander to start distressing. That’s when the magic happened. Suddenly this once big brown “coffin” started turning into the most beautiful blanket chest well suited for any “farmhouse” home!! Blanket chest, entryway bench, coffee table, or play room storage. The possibilities in my mind became endless.
No matter how many pieces of furniture I paint (well over 500 by now) I will never stop being amazed at how paint can transform something and give it new life. This guy will forever be one of my most memorable pieces and it just about broke my heart to see it walk out the door.
For this guy I used,
Home-made white chalk paint. (Lizzy did a tutorial on how we mix most of our chalk paints. You can watch it here.) And a brownish green chalk paint for the stenciled letters.
Orbital Sander for Distressing.
Flat Black Spray Paint for the Hardware
Standard Stencils (we call them “Army Stencils” around here, because that’s what the guys use to label all of their gear).
Johnson’s furniture paste wax to finish it out and seal the chalk paint.
For more detailed tutorials on how I get the result I want painting furniture, stay tuned to our blog and our Facebook Page!!
xoxo, Erin
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