Even though these two pieces didn’t match, I
liked how they both had similar curves. They
also have the unique details that I mentioned,
which help give my home a one-of-a-kind
feel. Remember –it doesn’t have to match–
your furniture can simply complement each
other in style. Of course, a great way to tie
mismatched pieces together is with paint.
I recently purchased a new kitchen table
and chairs, and I loved the way the white,
distressed chairs contrasted with the dark
wood stained table top. Since I have an open
concept home, I thought that it would be nice
to paint these pieces in a similar fashion to tie
the spaces together.
coats of a dark brown color to the tops of
each table. After the brown dried, I applied
a very dark, almost black, topcoat to create
richness.
Keri’s Quick Tip!
When painting furniture, and
especially with lighter paint colors,
it’s a good idea to keep a tube of
paintable caulk handy.
On occasion, a gap will appear
between two parts of the piece, and
it can ruin the
entire look.
I exclusively use Shabby Paints Chalk-Acrylic
Paint, which is non-toxic. One of the benefits
of using chalk paint is that you normally don’t
have to sand your surface before painting. (I’ll
go into more detail about types of paint and
finishing techniques next month.)
If this happens,
squeeze a bead
of the caulk into
the gap and
smooth out with
your finger.
I decided to sand down the top of the end
table to smooth out the finish. Once I was
done, I moved on to the most important
step, which is making sure the furniture is
clean. It doesn’t matter what paint you use
– if your surface has grease or grime, it will
prevent adhesion. I like to use a 50/50 mix of
water and white vinegar to scrub down the
furniture, and then I make sure to rinse well.
Once it dries,
put on the last
coat of paint,
and it will look
great!
I started with a color called Worn White,
which has a warm feel without any yellow
undertones. Keep in mind that whites tend
to need several coats for good coverage. My
tables took four coats before I was happy
with the result, but