We have customers in regularly who want a “wood look” top to their dresser or table, but they’d prefer not to strip and sand the existing finish. I don’t blame them! Aside from the tedious process, using stripper is messy and sometimes toxic plus who knows what kind of finish is on it to begin with. Enter Annie Sloan’s Honfleur: a milk-chocolatey brown that, when directly waxed with Black & Dark waxes, mimics the look of wood grain.
This particular table was hand-painted 20+ years ago and starting to show its age. (The left is the Before and the right is the After below.)
Based on the photos of her living room’s existing furnishings and decor palette our client sent, I thought a blue base and warm wood top would be perfect for her space!
Here’s how we did it:
Wipe down the piece of furniture you are painting.
Paint the top first (tape it off if needed) using Honfleur and an Annie Sloan Natural Bristle Brush (we used the Small). We did two light coats, allowing for 30 minutes to dry between coats.
Paint the base next using Giverny for your base coat and Napoleonic Blue as the top coat, allowing for 30 minutes to dry between coats.
Using the FINE Sanding Sponge, lightly sand the edges (of the base only) to distress.
Optional step: Using Old White, stencil a decorative pattern on to your piece (like we did with the drawers.)
Time to wax! Wax the base, painted in blue, with Clear Wax. Brush on a light coat of wax in a small section at a time, then immediately wipe off with a lint free cloth (like Scott Shop Towels.)
Using Annie Sloan Black Wax, create a linear wood grain on the top of your Honfleur. Then using the Annie Sloan Dark Wax, coat the entire table top or dresser top. Immediately wipe off with a lint free cloth. Buff to a shine using (0000) Super Fine Steel Wool. I have a super quick and very helpful time-lapse video on Instagram here that demonstrates the steps. Scroll through to the second video to see!
Dark wax the base (which you previously Clear Waxed) to add a little more depth and dimension plus to tie in the antiquing of the top, wipe off wax.
Stand back and admire your handiwork! It seems like a lot of steps when it’s written out but the reality is, it’s quick and easy, forgiving and beautiful — plus trust us, it’s a lot less toxic and frustrating than sanding and staining! You will feel such a sense of accomplishment when it’s done and you have personally beautified and customized your home. <3 It’s the best! Plus, you can gloat which is an added bonus.
If you try this, please tag us in your posts!!
*Chalk Paint® is a non-toxic decorative paint that dries quickly and requires little to no prep (sanding or priming) so it’s the perfect option for home DIY projects! Annie Sloan knew what she was doing when she invented the recipe almost 30 years ago. It is tried and true, the original decorative paint, and we have tested the finish in both residential and commercial spaces.
If you’d like to try Chalk Paint® , shop online here or better yet, come see us in our shop and get a free in person tutorial on how to use it! We are located at 182 Glenridge Ave in Montclair, NJ, just 12 miles west of Manhattan NYC. Visit our Facebook page here for shop updates. Follow us on Pinterest for more Before & After posts or on YouTube for video tutorials. To have us custom paint your furniture (for locals in North New jersey or New York City) please contact us at azie@verdigreenhome dot com with photos and dimensions for a quote.
Happy Painting!
azie
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