Vintage Modern Home
I have to admit I do love black furniture, it seems so chic and elegant. I had this Drexel french provincial buffet {so heavy!} that needed some new life so I dressed her in balck. Here are the before & afters:-)
I just placed her in the shop in Falls Church for sale. She is a steal at $275!
I’ll give you all the details on the paint I used next week:-) All I have to say is that the finish is a true black {the pics don’t show it} and it was super easy to use! LOVED IT.
I am super excited to announce that I have taken on more space at Stifel & Capra in Falls Church! There is an adorable little sunroom upstairs in our old house in Falls Church and it recently came available so now it’s going to be filled with Stylish Patina. Here is the before picture..you will have to wait for the afters!
This Friday is “First Friday” in Falls Church and the shop will be open late {until 7pm}, come and check out the new space and….another surprise but I’m not announcing that just yet!
So I used be obsessed with chairs now I think it’s end tables, especially ones with lots of curves! I of course did not take before pictures because I’m a dork but here are the afters. I used Aubusson blue {my fav} and french linen {my new fav}. I used dark wax on both projects. I hope you like them!
I am adding a few new refreshing accessories to the shop in Falls Church {Stifel & Capra}. If they are popular there then I will add them to the website. These accessories are designed to make refreshing furniture a bit more enjoyable. I’d love to hear your feedback after you try them!
This Wax Buffing Brush was specifically designed for buffing wax in tight corners and on chair legs but works great on any surface. Soft, high-quality natural bristles will not scratch finished surfaces. Ideal for buffing the furniture you just waxed. Similar brushes retail for over $60, but this brush is only $30. The brush is a comfortable size to hold with tapered sides; made of finely sanded wood.
This Wax Polishing Brush has longer bristles making it extra nice for polishing those small carved details. It also works especially well when working on open grain woods — hard or soft — such as a limewash or cerused oak finish. Made of soft, high-quality pure bristles that will not scratch finished surfaces. A comparable brush on the market retails for over $55, while this Wax Polishing Brush is only $30. It is comfortable to hold, made with a fingerhold grip and finely sanded wood.
I found a better Paint Brush that I am trying out as well. I have bundled them in sets of 2 for $10.
I also have found some great cotton towels that I have found really helpful with wiping down wax, etc. I have bundled these up and am selling them for $6/bundle. You can throw them in the wash after you are done.
I have also added gold leaf & silver leaf. They are sold it sets of 25 squares for $19/each.
I am placing these in Stifel & Capra Saturday evening in limited quantities so if you are interested go and snatch them up tomorrow from 12-5pm.
FYI — RESTOCK
Wax Brushes are due into Stifel & Capra on Tues/Wed
Paint Restock will happen Wed Night available Thurs morning
** Call the shop before you come just to make sure the shipment was not delayed or email me at Kelly@Stylishpatina.com.
Kelly Millspaugh Thompson the owner of Stylish Patina was selected to be the exclusive distributor of Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan in the Northern Virginia and DC region. She is highly recognized as a leader in the furniture transformation industry. Buy chalk paint online or at our shop, Stylish Patina in Falls Church, Virginia! – See more FAQ’s here.
Learn more about Chalk Paint product and classes on the website and in the shop.
Here are a few commonly asked questions!
Do you use a special brush to paint with chalk paint?
Nope. Regular old brush I like Purdy medium grade from Home Depot BUT if you want a fabulous finish I do recommend our Annie Sloan brushes they are to die for!
Tips!
1. Before using- flip it upside down and shake good! The pigment is at the bottom of the can.
2. Store the paint at room temperature.
3. Use the paint and wax at room temperature and make sure the furniture piece you are painting are at room temp ideally {although I have tested this myself when desperate}.
4. Make sure the lid is on tightly after using and do not leave the can open for extended periods the paint will thicken. You can add a little bit of water if needed.
How many colors are available?
TONS! There are give or take 29+ colors, but when you account for mixing and playing with variations of hues- you can think of it as 1,000′s. I love mixing old white and old ochre with coco.
What kind of finish does the paint have?
Without a protective coat, the paint has a very matte/chalky (hence the name) finish but still smooth. If you don’t apply wax it will age with time and be more “shabby chic”.
What kind of protective finish do you use?
I use Annie Sloan clear wax. It doesn’t change the paint color just deepens it. You can also use dark wax as well if you are looking for a more antique or aged look. Be careful with the application it can be tricky.
To create more luster or shine, use a soft cloth to buff the wax after it’s dried for about an hour. I believe the wax finish creates a very luxurious finish….it should feel like velvet when done correctly!
Do you use a special brush for applying the wax?
Well, that depends. You can use a lint free cloth, cheese cloth or an old paint brush however; If you plan on doing more than one Annie Sloan Chalk Paint project- or a big piece – you may want to consider a wax brush. They are not inexpensive- but make the wax application so much easier. They retail at $36 for the big ones and $31 for the smaller ones {good for smaller items}! If you plan on doing a lot of furniture- you should have one for clear wax and one for dark. If you have a tight budget – just use a lint free rag.
Do you do anything special to apply the wax?
Apply it lightly. Annie says work in small areas and lightly wipe off extra wax with a clean soft rag or towel. Let the wax dry till it is touchable and not tacky- usually about an hour. Then you can buff it with a clean – lint free rag. The more you buff- the smoother the finish will feel to the touch and shinier the effect. If you are applying multiple coats of wax…lightly rub out each coat- but only buff the last coat if you are going for a shinier finish.
Basic Suggestions for a 2 tone effect:
1. Choose a base coat. Often Old White or Pure White. Apply lightly. Coat the whole piece, and don’t worry about total coverage. Let dry for an hour or so.
2. Apply your second coat the level of thickness is up to you and the look you are going for. Remember much of this is personal preference. Have fun with it!
3. Brush on a coat of Annie Sloan Clear Wax using a wax brush/tint free rag or cheese cloth. Your piece will get darker and smoother, taking on a new look. Let dry at least 30 minutes to an hour so that the wax is no longer tacky to the touch. Then using sandpaper (Annie prefers NO steel wool), rub and distress it until it has an aged, worn look. Concentrate on corners, edges and legs, etc. basically anything that would naturally get worn.
4. Brush on Annie Sloan Dark Wax if you so choose {not required}. It is recommended to have a second wax brush/or cloth to apply the dark wax. This wax gives a smooth, satin finish and highlights details. Be careful not to use too much Dark Wax a little goes a long way. You can use a cloth and even a little clear wax on a rag to help even out the dark wax finish.
Read the blog and our Facebook page for more helpful tips!
So sorry it has been such a long time since my last post!!! Things are busy and so I need to just carve out time each day to do my blogging since I love it so much. I’m torn between showing you pictures of our potential new barn (very exciting!) or pictures of a custom job I finished not to long ago….hmmm…I’ll do the custom project.
My client wanted to paint her master bedroom furniture to give a more french farmhouse feel and provide a brighter feeling in the room. She has beautiful furniture so there was no need to replace it it just needed a refresh. The walls were a cream color, the trim was white and the ceiling was blue. We decided on a Paris Gray lightly distressed and finished with clear wax for the bed frame.
Please excuse the pictures I didn’t have the fancy camera with me. These are from my phone, I’ll post additional “pretty” pictures when we finish the other items in the room. It’s amazing what a little paint can do!
My dear friend Jen who you may also know from her photography business, www.jenniferburnsphotography.com, was looking for a 1st desk for her young daughter. She fell in love with this vintage desk. (And no that is NOT my Range Rover in the back round I wish!)
So she bought the desk and then I painted it with Annie Sloan Pure White and distressed it…then applied clear wax. Here is the final product. We will share some additional pictures of the desk “in use” once it is all set up in her room. I love being apart of such cool events in peoples lives such as purchasing your daughters 1st school desk, nursery room set up, etc. Just love it!
FYI — I am considering doing a furniture painting Basics class at the end of October in the DC Metro area. Email me if you are interested so I can see what the interest level is … kelly@stylishpatina.com. I’ll do a post just on this topic in the couple days.
Hi! I don’t know about you but when I am juggling a hundred projects/tasks and start feeling over whelmed nothing helps like getting organized! If you have been reading for a while you know that storage is limited in my house so many times we will have furniture and projects piled up all over the house including (especially) in my office.
The last couple weeks have been crazy busy, which is great! I am not complaining but does require that I get organized so I feel better about everything. When we renovated our house a couple years ago we moved a closet in the office/guest room and never hung any shelves so I asked my husband if he would help by installing some Home Depot shelves so I could put away some of the “stuff” hanging around my office all the time. he said yes!! Yahoo!
I of course forgot to do a before picture but here are a couple afters.
So the other glorious project my husband helped with was putting casters (wheels) on these two vintage boxes. I have been just dying to do this and they turned out amazing. Just think instead of all those plastic containers you can have some “green” storage by refurbishing these cool old wood boxes. How cute is this storage, great for pillows, toys, dry foods, laundry detergent, just about anything!
I can even see these holding sodas or other items in the bottom of a pantry or laundry supplies in a laundry room. So many options for these fun guys, this is an easy DIY project that gives you storage with a little patina!
A good friend of mine wanted to change up her built in and so we decided to get a little crazy and do it in Annie Sloan’s Graphite colored Chalk Paint. This has become one of my favorite colors and “J” the client is obsessed with grey so it was a match made in heaven! Here is the before picture:
