Yesterday I sat out on my back deck enjoying the warmth of the sun shining down upon my skin and warming me all the way to the bone. I love it when the weather is in the 70’s and all of the trees and bushes in my neighborhood are bursting into bloom. It really is the most beautiful time of the year here in South Carolina. I knew I had things to do but I couldn’t get myself up and motivated until I began to feel the burn on my fair arms. Alas, I am “pigmentally challenged” (my hubby’s name for very white) and I can only stay a short time in the sun without sunscreen.
I got a call from one of my doctors this morning and it turns out I’m Vitamin D deficient. So much so that she is starting me on prescription strength Vitamin D! Hallelujah! This might be just the excuse I need to spend more time lounging in the sun – with my sunscreen of course 🙂
So this is one of my French Country style bar stools and this is how they looked before. The wood color was kind of orangey and didn’t go with the look I’m trying to achieve in my kitchen. The wood is hard but not anything special SOOO . . . chalk paint to the rescue!
I started by painting the chairs a light color first and then trimmed them out with a darker color. I had Home Depot color match Annie Sloan Chalk Paint’s Country Grey and French Linen (I have an ASCP color card and I take that to the store whenever I want to get a color match). I purchased sample size containers and used my favorite homemade Chalk Paint Recipe.
After the base and trim were painted I used a small brush to dab darker color into the crevices of the chairs . . .
. . . and lightly dry brushed over the Country Grey with French Linen.
I wasn’t at all careful about how I applied it because I knew it would all come out just the way I wanted it to look in the end.
I used a sanding sponge to sand back back any unwanted dark color.
I finished up with my new favorite wax mixed with stain for added color (this gives it the same look as a dark wax and, like dark wax, any excess color can be removed by rubbing clear wax over it). Can you see the sheen on the chairs? They also have a very smooth feeling finish which I like better than the finish I get with soft wax.
A “real” furniture builder friend recommended Minwax Paste Finishing Wax. It contains carnuba wax which apparently creates a very hard finish.
By the way, I may have heated it just a tad to make it a little softer for mixing and applying. Shhh . . . this may be a dangerous thing to do . . . at least as dangerous as things get in my world 🙂
I did use some soft wax though, on the leather chair seats. Unfortunately, I splattered the seats with paint when I was painting the caned backs. The seat surfaces became dull when I cleaned off the paint so I decided to see what a little soft wax would do.
I waxed, let them dry for about 15 minutes, and polished. I love the sheen and even after a few months they are still shining bright!
I thought of making ruffled drop cloth seat covers but it would be a shame to hide such pretty legs. Maybe in the future.
Now – the wall color – the yellow in this room is still bothering me and I’ve been picking up paint swatches with thoughts toward a future change. I’m leaning toward Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams. Sigh – not until I whittle down my long list of to-do’s though. Priorities you know 🙂
Now it is on to outdoor projects. Filling planters with flowers, cleaning patio furniture, scheduling a lunchean on my deck. What Spring projects are you up to where you live? Is your weather warming too or are you still in a winter chill? Time flies so quickly and we will be feeling the heat of Summer in no time at all.
Blessings friends,
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