I am so excited to show you some of my chalk paint furniture!  Have you ever painted with chalk paint?  Wondering what chalk paint is exactly?

Chalk paint requires no sanding or priming!  Two of the things I hate to do the most!  Below are some fun before and after photos I hope you enjoy!

Chalk Paint Furniture Using Rust-Oleum

Have you ever used Rust-Oleum chalk paint before?  This was my first time, and I have to say I was very happy with the results!  I love playing with paint!.  If you will notice the drawers on the piece below are darker and aged. I have an easy technique using acrylic paint.  Here is my video on “How to Chalk Paint and Distress Furniture”. 

Painting with Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint

Annie Sloan’s paint was the first time that I had ever heard of this kind of paint.  She sells tons of different chalk paint colors on-line.

Chalk paint gives furniture a unique vintage look.  You can add a dark paste wax that will really give your furniture a distressed and antique look.

Kitchen Island Makeover

I gently asked my client if they have ever given consideration to painting their island.  Why?  This kitchen is luxurious and high-end, but the island just blended right into the wood floor.  It is a huge island with detailed woodwork, so I was careful suggesting painting it.  Sometimes, it really bothers clients to paint over beautiful wood.  I totally understand why!

The art of distressing furniture

I used a sanding block to sand off the chalk paint in different areas.  I could have used a sander, and it would have been easier on my hands, shoulders and neck, but it is easy to sand too much of the paint off.  When you distress a piece of furniture, you want to take off paint where is would naturally rub off during time.  Distress all the edges and outer corners that would get bumped and scratched with normal wear and tear.

I used Annie Sloan soft dark wax.  It is amazing!  I began applying it in circular motions.  The black paint came alive!  And the places where I sanded down to the wood, became darker and more pronounced.

This project turned out great, and my client was super happy!  The bar stools came from Overstock.com.  I loved them!  The burlap seats and upholstered tack edges completed the entire look!

Garage Sale Find

This is a table I purchased at a garage sale for $20.  It is a solid and heavy piece, but the stained finish was not my style.

With chalk paint, I did not have to sand or prime this stained piece.  I just started painting.  I love it.

NOTE:  Chalk paint requires a top coat of sealer.  Either a polyurethane sealer, or a wax sealer.  You can purchase clear wax, or a tinted wax.

To add some detail and character to your painted furniture, don’t paint the top of a table.  Stain it in a dark color.  If possible, paint your knobs or drawer pulls a different color.

This is one of my favorite chalk paint ideas.  I love the color green! I even used chalk paint to paint the drawer pulls.  Although I painted the design onto the doors free-hand, you can also purchase a stencil and make a really unique hand-painted look on your furniture.

 This piece turned out really cool!  I used black chalk paint and also sanded some of the paint off so that the stain would show through.  The top of this piece is actually fabric!  I used Mod Podge to attach the fabric to the top of this table.  For a tutorial on how to create this look, visit my Furniture Makeovers post.

Tip:

If you want your chalk paint furniture to have a distressed look, sand off the edges where it would naturally get worn.  By that, I mean the corners and edges.  By doing this your furniture doesn’t look like you just painted it!  It looks distressed and time-worn.

How to Make Chalk Paint

If you would like to try making your own chalk paint, below is the easy recipe.

You can save a lot of money by painting your own furniture.  Buying an inexpensive piece and giving it your own personal touch makes it that much more special!