Chalk paint is known for its ability to turn any repurposed old furniture into something that is shabby chic. However, chalk paint does have some considerations that are a bit outside of its normal usage. Below we’ll have some chalk paint furniture ideas anyone can put to use.
Modern bedrooms and farmhouse kitchens are now incorporating chalk paint into their designs. Homeowners love its effect as it provides a lived-in textured look over the usual gloss or semi-gloss paint options. Chalk paint allows either furniture pieces or walls to have a little more character and can establish the mood of a room.
Things to Consider Before Using Chalk Paint
Practice using chalk paint on a scrap piece of paper before applying it to your project. Chalk paint is very different from other paint, and you don’t want to make mistakes on your furniture that you may have to fix later.
Chalk paint also dries quicker than normal paint, so you will have to move quickly before it dries altogether.
Painting With Chalk Paint
To create a solid color
- Use a solid color and apply it with your brush.
- Be sure to cover all the cracks and crevices in the piece of furniture.
- Once it has dried, return with a second coat.
- Make sure that it is applied uniformly through the entire piece.
- Allow to dry.
For a distressed or antique look, you need two different colors
- Apply a base coat to the entire area of your furniture.
- Dip a brush into the second color. Dab it into a cloth so that it is almost dry. This coat will visually create depth.
- Dry brush your second color over the first. Brush it over only the raised areas.
- Once both coats are fully dry, use sandpaper or a scrubbing brush to gently sand the corners and raised edges.
- Complete the look by sealing it in with paste wax to protect it.
Here are a few suggestions as to how to transform your room with chalk paint
Dress(er) it Up!
The misnomer is that chalk paint adds more of a vintage look to any piece of furniture. Not so! To dress up a dresser, chest of drawers, or armoire, give it a coat of chalk paint. Chalk paint doesn’t always have to provide a distressed look.
All you have to do is use a moody blue and add new handles. Then, you have updated the look of your dresser. Chalk paint furniture ideas sometimes aren’t what you expect, this is a great example of that.
Small, Yet Mighty!
For small pieces of furniture with drawers or a flat surface, chalk paint can make the piece very playful. This approach works on items that go in dining rooms, entryways, living rooms, or anywhere where you are looking to fill space.
Chalk paint adds that extra pop of color to the room without being too bold or overpowering. It creates that soft, subtle look without being overly noticeable. Conversely, it can add a bit of color to a neutral room without being overstated.
To create an even more dramatic look, if your table has drawers, people have placed faux vines, ivy, or greenery along with the drawer and had it hanging out a bit. This is a beautiful look for an entryway into a house. Since the only thing that people use the table for is usually keys and small items, the drawer will serve no direct purpose aside from decoration.
Built-in Beauty
You can add chalk paint to armoires, but differently than mentioned above. If you paint it the same color as the walls, or a close shade, it can appear as if you have high-end custom-built cabinets installed into your bedroom. This is an easy “cheat” visually.
This look provides a shabby elegance. It is not overly fancy but still elevates the look of the room. Chalk paint furniture ideas such as this one, are easy to apply when done correctly.
Captain of the Chalk Paint
If you have a captain’s bed in your house that needs an update, consider using chalk paint. Captain’s beds are a great way to increase storage space in a room. Creating a nautical room can be a natural progression with a bed such as this one.
To update the bed, use bluish-grey chalk paint for a nautical appearance. Add clear wax and brushed silver handles to complete the look.
Ombre Dresser
Giving a new life to a dresser can be both fun and exciting. All it takes is a little outside of the box thinking!
Ombre has been a hot item for several years now and is tying into the tie-dye movement currently being resurrected. To create an Ombre dresser, complete the following set of instructions:
- How many dresser drawers does the item have? This is how many shades of paint you will require to complete this look.
- Select the darkest color you like, then go up in incremental shades of the same color palate. Most ombre designs begin with a medium shade and end up in one that is close to white.
- Another way to do this is to find a paint color that you like and a bucket of white paint. Pour a bit of your main color into a plastic cup. Add white to each cup to make the color lighter.
- The first cup should be the main color plus 1 tbsp. of white, the second should have 2 tbsp. of white, and so on.
- The amount of white paint may need some adjusting depending on how much is required to cover the drawer. The contrast between the doors also comes into play.
- Test each color and allow it to dry before painting the entire area.
- Once the colors are mixed (or purchased, as the case may be), pull out all the drawers. Paint the front of each one.
- Once completed, paint the frame. Most people select white just to add contrast, but it can be any color you desire.
- Allow the dresser to dry, and you are done!
Historic Hutch
Give your hutch a retro makeover by incorporating these steps
- Take off the back of the hutch.
- Sand the front and top of the hutch to give it that distressed look.
- Apply your lightest color of paint to the front, sides, and top of the hutch. Avoid painting the trim.
- Remove the drawers and paint them a darker color. For a dramatic effect, add black hardware to the drawers.
- Once the main area has dried, paint the trim a dark color to highlight it and to visually create depth. You can reverse this as well by incorporating the distressing methods described above.
- Apply pasting wax to the front to seal in the effect.
- You can do the back in one of two ways. Some homeowners have removed the back and glued fabric to one side, then reattached it to the front. This is a wonderful way to play with texture. Others have painted it a dark solid color to add depth.
- For an additional flare, you can replace the glass with a patterned texture or add a texture over top of the glass to create a vintage look.
- Add a light at the top and marvel at the beauty of your new hutch.
Coco Country Grey Rustic Table
To create that farmhouse look with chalk painting, purchase a Country Grey and Coco chalk paint.
- The first coat should be Coco.
- After it dries, brush a layer of Country Grey diluted with water. The levels should be half and half.
- Once dried, use a medium grit sander to reveal most of the wood- mostly at the tabletop.
- To give a smooth appearance to the top of the table, follow up with a fine sanding block. Take it to the point of virtually burnishing the paint directing into the wood. It should shine even before applying wax.
- Seal with two coats of soft, clear wax. Then buff.
These are some very creative ways to use chalk paint furniture ideas in your home. The paint itself does not need to be boring at all. Chalk paint allows you more flexibility to do what you want with your furniture.
The great thing about chalk paint is that it doesn’t have a high or semi-gloss finish. Therefore, it works well when you want to give your furniture a distressed or antique look. The vibrancy is more muted, yet it adds a stunning effect to any room.
Painting a solid color adds a more muted feel to the furniture. It is a tone down from the walls but adds a subdued yet bold appeal. A great way to add fun to any piece is also to do an ombre. This is so easy and quick to do with chalk paint.
Creating that shabby chic or vintage look is incredibly easy with these chalk paint furniture ideas. It is as simple as adding two coats, sanding, and waxing. Plus, the benefit of chalk paint is that it dries quickly.
So, where will your imagination take you?
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