ASCP French Linen Gilded Side Table

I wanted to share a few photos from the before and after stages of my side table re-do.  If you are interested in learning more about using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, I would encourage you to take a few minutes to view my video tutorial.

So, here's the standard "before" shot--there is nothing wrong with the table per se--I was just ready to make a change.

I painted it with Benjamin Moore's "Marshmallow" about four years ago and some of the paint had chipped off from gentle usage.

I didn't really know what I was doing when I painted this piece and just used basic latex--it has not held up very well.

Annie Sloan to the rescue!

I chose French Linen, a cool khaki grey that was neutral while still having some punch and character.  It looked great with my Duck Egg Blue desk top and my bedroom rug.

This is after one coat - sometimes the piece can still look a bit spotty. 

Don't worry!  It dries quickly and you can be on to your next coat within twenty minutes.

 

Onto the second coat.  I love how quickly I can paint a piece with ASCP.

I love the color!

Once the paint has dried, it's time to wax!  This was the most nerve-wracking part for me when I was first learning how to work with Chalk Paint.  In fact, I did a whole tutorial on waxing along, which you can find here if you have questions.

It can look a bit scary at first, but you have to keep working with the dark wax to tone it down and you can remove parts of it with a cloth if it becomes too dark for your taste.

See? I've toned it down and basically left the dark wax in the crevices and areas I want highlighted.

This is my final product with paint and wax: the paint is now sealed safely inside a layer of wax.  It is best to leave your piece untouched for at least 24 hours to let the wax cure.

NOW...the most fun part...GILDING!

This was my first experience with gilding wax.  I bought some at Paint in Fondren when I was in Mississippi in August.  I used my finger to add a touch of Empire Gold - not with a pattern or template, but just as I felt necessary.  I wanted the piece to have an "old" look - like there had once been more gilding but it had rubbed off over the years.

This was the most fun part!

So now...the AFTER reveal:

What do you think?  Would you consider using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for a project?

If you want to see more of my pieces, please visit my CREATE page for inspiration!