This is actually a table and chair teaser. I have decided at long last to part with my dining room table and chairs you see to the left (sigh). I fell in love with them when we met four years ago. To me they were perfect. Great colors, country butcher block look I love and they all fit neatly in my dining room at my house in Columbia.
When I moved to Charleston, I was intent on making them work in my current dining room. Alas, I have had to come to terms with the fact that the table and chairs are just a tad too big for my current dining room area. In addition, we don’t have quite the influx of visitors necessitating a table that can seat up to eight people comfortably.
So, earlier in the summer I spied a table that someone had tossed out on the curb. I was determined to make it mine and make it fit in my car. For a few moments I thought that was not to be as I struggled to fit it into my four-door sedan.
Fortunately for me, this nice young man saw me struggling and after attempting to help me fit it into my car offered to drive it to my house in his SUV – and that is what he did. People are so nice in the South! He is an actor and has appeared as an extra on that show, Army Wives. I have no doubt he will make it big some day!
Anyway, once it was home, I washed and sanded on it some and then painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP) “Emperor’s Silk and . . .
“Old White.” I will spare you the saga of my painting adventure with this table. Suffice it to say, I learned a lot on this piece. The dresser was simpler.
Here is the skinny on what I learned:
1.) Add water to ASCP. It is easier to work with and your can of paint will last longer.
2.) ASCP will look a little different on raw wood and a wood veneer.
3.) Sand before you judge. Use 150 or finer sand paper and you will be amazed how soft and pretty your piece feels afterward.
4.) When you wax, it is true what they say, less is more.
After a couple different coats of paint and some fine tuning, this was the result.
Don’t you just love red?
As for the two spindle-back chairs, I got them for $5 a piece while I was Saturday Sale-ing.
After a good washing and a dousing with some really watered down ASCP “Emperor’s Silk” . . . ,
quick leg shot, . . .
I decided that these chairs needed a little something extra.
Stencil! I got the DecoArt stencil, Bella Acrylic Paint (in black) and stencil paintbrush from Home Depot.
As with waxing I relearned that less is more with the amount of acrylic paint you put in your Skippy Peanut Butter jar and then apply to your stencil paintbrush. A little dab will do you here and some tap, tap, tapping with your brush in an up and down manner. No side to side! This will cause it to bleed under the stencil.
To see how I resolved this bleeding (a little distressing and waxing) and how the three pieces look in my dining room, please stay tuned.
Until that time, do you have any tips or thoughts on working with ASCP, stencils, distressing or waxing? If so, please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!
Southern Adventuress 