Do it yourself: Chalk paint & distress

I mentioned a couple of months ago about my trip to my grandmothers to rummage around in her house  and take things that I was interested in. Well, when my aunt pointed out the old, yet ornate mirror hanging on the wall I saw potential.

I took one look at it and knew it would be perfect if it was painted white. I also probably only saw that potential because I knew my mom possessed the ability to chalk paint furniture and make it beautiful again. So Fourth of July weekend, that's exactly what we did.

This was a pretty simple and inexpensive DIY project that we completed in a day. It would honestly have taken less time if it hadn't been raining and the paint would've been able to dry faster. The best part about this kind of project is that the supplies needed are minimal and easy to find.

You will need:

1. White paint to use as the base of the chalk paint recipe
2. Paintbrush(es)
3. Sandpaper
4. Paste finishing wax

My mom won't let me tell her secret recipe for the chalk paint, but you can find a similar one here.

Step one. Tape any area of the furniture that you don't want to paint. For me, it was the edges of the mirror, but if you are painting a dresser or something similar, you may want to remove handles or just cover them with tape.

Step two. Simply wipe down the furniture with a cloth to remove dirt and dust. If you have an air compressor, use it to blow away any particles on the surface.

Step three. After you have mixed together a chalk paint recipe, use it to paint the first coat with a larger paint brush, going in the direction of the wood grain. You will need to paint at least two coats.

Step four. Use a smaller brush to paint any crevice or open ornate piece.

Step five. Once your piece is dry, distress the painted furniture by using a piece of sandpaper to lightly scratch off paint, particularly on the top ridges.

Step six (photo not available). After you have distressed the furniture as much (or as little) as you would like, use a cloth to apply a finishing wax. Note: this will change the color of the paint slightly.


That's it! Now you've got a brand new piece of furniture that was easy and cheap to create.

(before and after photos, sadly taken with an iphone, so the quality isn't the best.)