Beginner's Guide To Painting Furniture Part 3: Painting

Hey peeps,

Only one more day until my 

Paint Please link party! 

Swing by tomorrow from noon (GMT) to link up your paint-related posts:

favourite paint colours,

room redos,

painted furniture,

plus anything you'd like paint advice about....

I hope you liked the White Weathered Oak look I showed you yesterday. 

I love it on the dining table I've been sharing with you.

This is what we're doing today: 

painting!

Once I'd completed the table top, 

it was time for the very pleasurable task of 

choosing a colour for the table base.

A quick aside: 

I haven't bombarded you with a million products. 

Only the ones that I've tried out that not only work but work WELL.

As you get better and more confident then that's the time to branch out and try different things. But when I first started I wanted someone to hold my hand through the whole process.

And that's what I'm here for.

Hand holding.

I gave the table a base coat of Annie Sloan's Old White.

Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint DOESN'T NEED SANDING OR PRIMING so I was able to paint straight onto the varnished base, and the plastic-coated table collar.

So quick and so easy.

I painted quite thickly and with brush strokes in lots of different directions, creating texture, to which the top coat could cling.

Remember I said that Annie Sloan's Chateau Grey caught my eye?

This is how it looks unmixed, so you can see its components.

I mixed one third Château Grey with two thirds Old White. 

And then I added a dribble of Graphite to produce 

a GORGEOUS gentle grey-green.

Paint it on in a normal back and forth motion. 

It will pick up the texture of the base coat gorgeously.

{For a smoother finish water down your paint slightly.}

I LOVE it!

I gave the base a coat of clear wax, which will protect it, and enriches the colour slightly, as you can see in this photo where I am halfway through.

(Right half is waxed).

Isn't the colour incredibly beautiful?

Farrow and Ball eat your heart out!!

And with a full coat of clear wax:

I wanted a slightly rustic-looking top of the table with quite a clean looking table base so I kept the dark wax to a minimum.

A perfect mix of Modern and Country.

Once again, because I'd used clear wax first, 

any readjustments along the way were easy-peasy. 

Just wipe as you go to get the finish YOU want.

A bit too much dark wax?

A quick wipe and it's just right!

Don't feel that you have to go along the 

Shabby Chic method of painted furniture.

Painted furniture works for a whole range of looks: 

Modern, Eastern, Country, Scandinavian, Vintage, Classical.

And, of course, Modern Country...

See you tomorrow with 

all your paint-related goodness.

{Plus the full and delicious table reveal!}

Love

Sarahx