Let’s add a Splash of Color with Chalk Paint

Lately, I’ve started adding a little splash of color to my fairly muted color palette in our home. I tend to favor warm colors so many of my paint choices are in Fall tones. A couple of years ago, I started using teal as an accent color outside on our deck railing, flower pots, shutters. It really looks nice with the warm tones on the decking so I figured it would look nice inside too. I started with a couple of throw pillows in the family room. Now, I am ready to add more even more teal!

First time using chalk paint

YouTube Video

Step 1 – Choosing the project piece

After painting the wall unit, I also painted several smaller pieces of furniture around the house. When thinking about where to add more teal, I decided to start with a little side table in the family room that I had painted after the wall unit.

Step 2 – Choosing the color

As I said, I had paint on hand but I had two that were tealish in color. So I needed to decide which color I wanted for this space. I also wasn’t certain if I wanted the antique look or not so I needed to test that too.

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Well, once I had the wax on the paint, the left side (Home Decor – Grotto) looked a bit too green and the right side (Waverly – Agave) looked too blue. I decided to go with Agave though because, in the right light, it is the most tealish of the two. I also decided to antique it with the dark wax.

Step 3 – Applying the paint

You can paint over chalk paint that has been waxed with more chalk paint. However, if you are going to use a different type of paint, you’ll first want to wipe down the wax with a rag and some mineral spirits. I’ve not used that method before so be sure to research the details on just how to do that. I do have an enameled top table with the legs painted & waxed. I plan to repaint the legs with a latex paint & do not want to mess with mineral spirits. My plan is to use chalk paint as a primer, then use latex. I’ll let you know how that goes 🙂

Chalk paint is known for its one-coat coverage & that has been the case with several of my projects. You can see one of those projects here when I painted the bathroom vanity. However, when I painted the wall unit, I needed two coats. I thought that was because I was painting over white with burgundy. But, I did need two coats on this table too. I started with the legs & skirting then flipped the table right side up and started on the top. Since the top has grooves in it, I used a smaller paintbrush and filled those in first then painted the rest of the top. You can see in the pictures that the paint color looks different in different lighting. When the first coat was dry, I flipped it back over & repeated the process.

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Step 4 – Applying the wax

Another benefit of using chalk paint is that it dries very fast. When both coats were dry, it was time to wax. Before adding the dark wax, you need to apply a layer of clear wax. If you skip that step, the dark wax just ‘soaks’ into the paint and you can’t manipulate it. I applied the clear wax with a scrap of t-shirt, first to the legs & skirting. Once those areas were covered, I applied the dark wax also using a scrap of t-shirt. Important note: the dark wax goes A LONG WAY so you only need a little at a time. You can always go back and apply more but if you apply too much, it’s difficult to buff it out.

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Step 5 – Buffing the wax

As you apply the dark wax, remember to do so a little at a time. When I was applying it to the table top, to get it into the grooves, I used more than I normally would. Once it had a section done, I used a little clear wax to thin out the dark and then started buffing it. You can use a lint-free cloth like a t-shirt to buff the wax or a buffing brush. I use both. I start with a cloth and then do a final buff with the brush. If you are finding it hard to buff the wax to a sheen, you have too much wax on the piece. Take some clear wax and thin & apply it over the area that has too much dark was, then continue to buff. Your piece should be shiny and smooth when you are done.

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Finished Project

Below are the pictures of the new color. Both hubby and I really like it! What I didn’t like, though, was the color of the accent pieces. I thought the burgundy looked too harsh against the teal. I ended up removing the lampshade material and replacing it with jute twine that I bought at the $1 Store. I bought 3 packages so the update to the lampshade was $3! I also painted the TV remote holder – I’ll get a post out about that soon. You can find the lampshade post here.

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Let me know what you think

Have you used chalk paint before? Let me know in the Comment section below if you have and also what you think about this quick decor update!

Supply List

• Chalk paint
• Paintbrush – chalk paintbrush works best
• Buffing rag and/or buffing brush
• Clear wax
• Dark wax

If you need supplies

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