The good people from Annie Sloan sent me paint and wax* to sample as part of their launch of chalk paint into the Australian market. I had heard about the new paint...however I had only ever seen it used in that distressed antique-style finish...
And as regular readers would know, that's not the sort of finish I normally favour. I wanted to use the paint in a clean, mod-style and had the perfect piece of furniture to rejuvenate.
In 1993, as a young unemployed graduate, I committed crimes against furniture when I decoupaged a perfectly innocent milking stool. Yes, the horror!
But it was the 90s and I had a perm...Decoupaging seemed like a good DIY hobby while trekking between dead-end job interviews and the dole office...
This poor old milking stool is so handy - it's used as a ladder, spare chair, side table and play surface. I set about rectifying the sins of the past and sanded the stool back to its vintage goodness. It deserved another chance at life.
Think belt sander with a very coarse grit to remove the Victorian-era inspired decoupage and then hand-sanding the hard to reach areas around the legs.
I painted the milking stool in graphite chalk paint. I didn't want to paint it entirely in one colour and decided to try my hand at that paint-dipped look which is so fashionable.
All you need is good painter's tape and a ruler to get everything level and at the right height. I didn't primer the stool and just painted straight onto the wood. This particular stool needed three coats of chalk paint.
The Annie Sloan chalk paint dries to a matte finish, which you can then lightly sand with fine sandpaper. After it is dusted clean, apply a couple of coats of clear wax to make the finish more durable - it has a lovely satin sheen. I applied the wax onto the unpainted legs too.
It turned out much better than I had expected...but I think anything was going to be an improvement. Ha!
I just hope I won't be recoiling in horror in 20 years time, wondering what possessed me to paint dip the milking stool...Anyway, I like it now, so that just will have to do.
And as regular readers would know, that's not the sort of finish I normally favour. I wanted to use the paint in a clean, mod-style and had the perfect piece of furniture to rejuvenate.
In 1993, as a young unemployed graduate, I committed crimes against furniture when I decoupaged a perfectly innocent milking stool. Yes, the horror!
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| DIY decoupaged stool. Believe it or not, I was so proud of my efforts...clearly as I 've kept it intact since 1993! |
But it was the 90s and I had a perm...Decoupaging seemed like a good DIY hobby while trekking between dead-end job interviews and the dole office...
This poor old milking stool is so handy - it's used as a ladder, spare chair, side table and play surface. I set about rectifying the sins of the past and sanded the stool back to its vintage goodness. It deserved another chance at life.
Think belt sander with a very coarse grit to remove the Victorian-era inspired decoupage and then hand-sanding the hard to reach areas around the legs.
 |
| The milking stool sanded right back |
I painted the milking stool in graphite chalk paint. I didn't want to paint it entirely in one colour and decided to try my hand at that paint-dipped look which is so fashionable.
 |
| J Crew ad with fluoro (neon) paint dipped stools |
All you need is good painter's tape and a ruler to get everything level and at the right height. I didn't primer the stool and just painted straight onto the wood. This particular stool needed three coats of chalk paint.
 |
| Going for that paint-dipped look with chalk paint |
The Annie Sloan chalk paint dries to a matte finish, which you can then lightly sand with fine sandpaper. After it is dusted clean, apply a couple of coats of clear wax to make the finish more durable - it has a lovely satin sheen. I applied the wax onto the unpainted legs too.
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| Chalk paint dipped stool. It almost has that minimalist designer look |
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| black dipped stool |
I just hope I won't be recoiling in horror in 20 years time, wondering what possessed me to paint dip the milking stool...Anyway, I like it now, so that just will have to do.
*disclaimer I was given a tin of graphite paint and wax to sample by Annie Sloan
Hey - good job on your stool! I was expecting you to do a post on Pottery Barn - it seems every man and his dog, err I mean every woman and her blog got an invite. It seems that the Yanks know all about the power of the blog! xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for liking my stool makeover Caroline. I know what you mean about pottery barn...an op-shop opening is probably more my style...and budget at the moment. lol! xx
DeleteI really, really like it!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear the Annie Sloan chalk paint's coming here...at last!
Thanks Lesley! And yes, I'm happy to have discovered a great new paint for all the DIYs we do around here. xx
DeleteI love the new look! It's sleek and cool...and doesn't even resemble its former decoupaged self! Great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dana! xx
DeleteSorry to be pedantic Bris, but all milking-stools have 3 legs. Yours is just a stool.
ReplyDeleteTom! Milking stool sounds a little more important than just a stool...let's call it a non-traditional milking stool...
ReplyDeleteAnd I just knew you were going to leave a comment on this post...my ESP could feel your presence...!
Ok, then. A very rare, 4-legged milking stool it is. There used to be a WW2 army saying amongst conscripts - "If it moves, shoot it. If it doesn't move, paint it white".
DeleteDecoupage! So funny! That's something I always wanted to try back in the 90's when it was in. Instead I did try unsuccessfully at painted glass & jewellery making. It's all long gone to the bin. Great that the milking stool could get a new lease on life.
ReplyDeleteI thought you'd get a kick out of the decoupage business...especially my poor attempt at it! Thanks for the nice comments about the stool. xx
DeleteYour stool looks amazing!! I really love it, what a great makeover!!
ReplyDeleteI do like that paint dipped look. It looks great in the bright colours too. xx
DeleteLooks great-huge improvement!! I doubt you will ever regret that choice! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Ness. I hope I won't regret it but it will probably take me 20 years to change it... xx
DeleteI totally love what you have done with that stool Anita. Very cool!xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Pam. The paint was a winner too. xx
DeleteLooks great Anita! Modern and clean.
ReplyDeleteNow you just know I love to paint a stool or two. With my stool penchant out of hand the husband has managed to misplace a couple of them. I can think of twenty things to do with that paint and wish I'd had it for the kitchen cabinet over Christmas. Fear not, Anita. We are all guilty of crimes against furniture in the nineties. I hand painted an entire kitchen floor in lemon swirls and a teal glaze. It was a crumbly rental and the paint probably kept it standing.
ReplyDeleteWow,the stool looks so fab! What a makeover. I had been noticing this "dipped" painting look in the mags, so it's great to see it done DIY too. Lou x
ReplyDelete