My Secretary and Chalk Paint

THIS POST WAS WRITTEN ABOUT THE FIRST TIME I EVER USED CHALK PAINT® ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO~

NO ONE WAS WRITING BLOGS ABOUT IT BACK THEN

SO I HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT AS I WENT ALONG~

NOW OF COURSE I HAVE BECOME A STOCKIST AND 

UNDERSTAND ALL THE COMPLEXITIES AND TRICKS

TO PAINTING WITH CHALK PAINT®.

COME ALONG WITH ME THROUGH MY HEAD SCRATCHING 

MOMENTS AS I BEGIN MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH CHALK PAINT!

 This was an interesting process, using chalk paint and waxes.

But first, there she sits, in all of her frenchy glory.

I used Annie Sloan Paris Grey and 

Hemnants's wax in clear and antique brown.

If you are interested in trying these products I am 

going to share the trials and tribulations I discovered using them.

This is the secretary with one coat of the chalk paint in Paris Grey.

It covers completely and easily.

However, it is the flattest paint I have ever used, 

which I guess is appropriate for chalk paint.

It looks a lot darker in all grey, doesn't it?

 My plan was to paint the panels in Old White chalk paint.

Oops, look~ I slobbed it over the edges...I better wipe it off.

 One little swipe with a damp cloth 

and it took some of the grey paint off! Yikes!

 Tested it again..another swipe and it just comes off with rubbing. 

I am scratching my head now...

this stuff is supposed to stick to anything without prep work, right?

Blurry action photo...here is the grey chalk paint after trying to clean off the white paint.

New plan: I decide to rub it all off and pretend it is gold leaf.

I will paint the rest of the panels white.
But when I paint the old white over the paris grey it goes on rough.
Not smoothly like it does over the virgin cabinet finish. 
Maybe chalk over chalk gets "grabby".
I can't quite get it to go on smoothly, and you can see the brush marks.

 I decide I don't like the look of the white with the grey.

Too much contrast. But I am liking the gold color which is the

original finish underneath the chalk paint.

 This looks very french too me...the simple grey and gold together.

 I keep rubbing off the grey chalk paint.

 This paint was applied 3 days ago, and it comes right off.
If the paint comes off with a damp rag, 
I can't think this is how it is supposed to be, but any how...
*(Updated note: after the wax is applied and has cured,
the paint is secure to the furniture and does not wipe off)

 Now, I am quite sure I don't want white panels.

I'll have to paint grey over the white again.

 Liking this look very much.

You can see the grey is still drying on the dropleaf door.

It looks better to me this way...

but I know I have to take on the next step: WAX

And I am nervous.

 Here are the two waxes.

 First I use this cheap brush and 

I just brush this soft wax all over the whole thing.

I don't want it to look so flat and it is looking nice.

However I am nervous about applying the antique brown wax.

This is the clear wax, and it makes the chalky paint somewhat darker. 

I think it lightens as it drys.

Here goes the antique brown wax. 

It is very soft like a sour cream dip.

It has a greenish cast. 

I am trying my best not to be nervous.

 The middle panel has been wiped off. 

The bottom has not been waxed.

 The top panel is in the process.
Yes, it is a greenish color...
maybe in combination with the blue undertones of the Paris Grey?

I ended up liking it and added more wax to make it a bit darker.

Apparently you can add more clear wax to remove it if it is too heavy.

Which I may do, in the pictures it seems more busy looking than in the room.

It has pale greens and blues.

In the context of the room it looks softer.

Hi everyone~I do like this cabinet painted this way 

so much more than what it used to look like.

However I admit I loved it plain grey and gold!

The original store finish then, a little dark and dated.

And now:

A tale of chalk paint and wax and how it transformed this cabinet~

Into this little french number.


To purchase Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan
visit our online shop at www.shopmaisondecor.com