Upcycling your own, unique masterpiece from old or new pieces of furniture is a breeze with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Only one coat of paint is normally required for an excellent finish and due to the paint’s strong sticking power and dense consistency, no priming or sanding is necessary! The range also features over 30 decorative colours which can be mixed together to create the perfect shade for your DIY project.
Below are a few upcycling ideas from Annie Sloan to get you started!
Chest of drawers with graduated colour
1. Find a chest to upcycle with close fitting drawers.
2. Paint the frame with a dark shade of Chalk Paint – Annie chose Graphite.
3. Choose two complementary colours for the bottom and top drawers – Annie chose Chalk Paint in Greek Blue for the bottom and Barcelona Orange for the top.
4. Starting with the bottom drawer, make gradual colour gradations using those two colours.
5. For the bottom drawer – Annie used Greek Blue on its own, for the next drawer up Annie mixed a small amount of Barcelona Orange in with Greek Blue, and so on, finishing with Barcelona Orange on its own for the top drawer.
Mid-century modern chairs
Annie found these chairs languishing in an attic before transforming them completely with a little love, paint, and fabric.
1. The upholstery had sunk with age and was looking dull and shabby in sage velvet, so Annie stripped it back.
2. The wood on the back of the chair was polished with a Danish oil to give it back its lustre. Annie then painted the legs with Graphite using a small flat brush and painting in one direction to get a smooth finish.
3. The existing seat pad was in relatively good condition so it was reused, adding a new piece of polyester wadding and fire retardant calico.
4. The seat was covered with gentleman fabric. Stapling it in place.
5. Using masking tape, Annie marked off the area she wanted to paint.
6. She then made a dye using Chalk Paint mixed with water (approx 10 parts water to 1 part paint) in a small container. Annie applied it to the seat using a small flat brush, working the dye into the fabric. Once dry, it’s good idea to heat seal the paint dye either using a hairdryer or an iron. This will lock the dye into the fabric. The fabric will feel just as soft as before – not crunchy with paint.
To find a local stockist click here.