Refinishing Kitchen Table with Chalk Paint and Stain - Farmhouse Table Video Tutorial

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Hi friends! A lot has happened since I last posted on here. First things firsts, the Muscaris are now Tennesseans! We sold our house in Illinois in June and moved to Franklin, Tenn. Needless to say, things have been a bit crazy for me unpacking and settling into a new home. 

I finally had a little down time and was able to wrap up a video tutorial of the last project I did in our old house. My husband scored this amazing dumpster dive find back in April, a Pottery Barn table! I gave it a farmhouse spin, and it's now our new kitchen table.

I'll give you a few details down below, but check out the my video to see how to create this look for yourself.

Paris Grey Hutch Makeover

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It's been a while since I shared a client piece on here, but I had to share the latest client piece I finished. This thing is massive and was in such rough shape when I got it. I just love the way it turned out!

This hutch had been in a storage unit for some time and smelled pretty funky, so I started off by sealing the entire piece in Zinsser Shellac. This product along with neutralizing smells helps seal water stains and bleed through. It is always a great idea to coat a piece in Shellac if you don't know its history. I took an old sock and applied it over the entire piece before painting.

Off to Market

Spring is in the air, and this is my favorite time of the year to paint. Drawing up the garage door and taking in the fresh air while sipping on an iced coffee from my Keurig was the place where Pretty Distressed was born. It soothes my soul. It is also a great time of year for moving and garage sales, and I just scored two beautiful pieces from such a sale. Today, I will be sharing the first reveal from my haul. And the most exciting news is she is looking for a new home.

Goodwill Dresser Video Tutorial Part 2

The second part of my Goodwill dresser video tutorial is here. Last time, I covered painting the piece and hardware. Today, I will show you how to distress and clear wax the piece using sandpaper and Annie Sloan Clear Wax.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Tutorial - Heavy Distressing (Part 2)

If you need a little more help on either distressing or clear waxing check out my other video tutorials. I have one for distressing and one for clear waxing.

Here are links to all the products used in this tutorial:

Wax brush

Tack Cloth 

Sand Paper 

Sanding Block

Purdy Clearcut Glide brush

Annie Sloan Clear Wax

Originally, I thought I could break this tutorial into two parts, but I wanted to make sure they are thorough enough for the novice to average painter. Part three will come next week and will cover the most daunting part in my opinion- dark wax. But seriously, it isn't that scary. Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel to be one of the first to see the final video once it goes live.

Walmart Kitchen Table Makeover

I am so pregnant, but I managed to sneak in one more client job before we welcome this baby to the fold. Today, we will be looking at a makeover I did for a client who just bought her first home. She is looking to make it her own without breaking the bank and wanted to start with this table and benches she got from Walmart.com. I know some of you might be skeptical about buying furniture from Walmart, but this set is really well made and all wood at an affordable price. Honestly, it is a great set as is, but she wanted to give it a little more character, so we decided to lighten and distress it up. The result is a cozy, little farmhouse table.

Another Goodwill Makeover...Drexel Heritage Shelf

Goodwill is one of my favorite spots to find furniture rescues. Their furniture is usually pretty reasonably priced, and they even help you load it in your car. I try to hit up Goodwill every other week even if I am not looking for something specific. Frequent trips give you the best chance of finding that diamond in the rough.

I found this shelf while my daughter and I were waiting on our van to get its scheduled maintenance at our local Toyota dealer. I paid $15 for it, and from what I researched my best guess is that this is a Drexel-Heritage piece from the 1950s or 1960s which is around the time Drexel purchased Heritage, since it only has a Heritage stamp.  The company changed its name to Drexel-Heritage in 1968. I haven't been able to pinpoint its exact value, but I know it is well over $15.

Using a Polycrylic Sealer with Chalk Paint®

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Update: I recently filmed a video comparing wax and General Finishes High Performance Top Coat that is comparable to Polycrylic. Check it out. 

I have another client reveal to share with you today. This is the second job I have completed for her, and again she brought me a gorgeous family heirloom. She grew up eating at this table. Now, she gets to gather around it with her own little ones and make some new memories.

Like I mentioned, this table has already lived a long life. So, the top was pretty beat up, and its finish was peeling in spots. Normally, I don't sand before painting, but I wanted the paint to go on smoothly since I was using white and it is a table top. I got my orbital sander out and used a medium sandpaper, 80 grit, to smooth it out.

The client selected Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® in Old White which I know you see a lot of on my site, but it truly goes with anything. It has so much more depth than your average pure white, and also really helps dark wood shine through when you are distressing.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® Video Tutorial #2 - 2nd Coat of Paint

In today's video, I am showing you how to paint your second coat of paint when refinishing a piece with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®. It was a really windy day, so I hope you can hear me.

Over the River and Through the Woods to Carter's Cottage

Last week, my husband gave me the day off. Yes, you heard me, an entire day without having to dress, bathe, feed or transport anyone but myself. Glorious. So what did I decide to do...hop in the car and drive out to the heart of downtown DeKalb, Ill. to visit my local Annie Sloan stockist, Carter's Cottage.

Previously, I had bought my paint from a local store that shipped to my home and at a store in Tennessee when I went to visit my parents, but from now on I am making the drive out to DeKalb to see Christie. 

Don't Lose It, Reuse It - Mirror Refinish

I believe whole heartedly these days that you shouldn't donate or throw out any decor until you try to reimagine it. This iron mirror is a prime example of this. It was one of my favorite pieces in our black and white kitchen in Minnesota, but now that we have a main level with cool grays and whites, it just seemed too dark.

Not just for wood, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can be used on metal, glass or even outside on pots and garden decorations. This was a really quick transformation that my mom helped me with. She was watching me paint and had to get her hands on some Annie Sloan.

Work in Progress...

So, I am currently working on my hutch that coordinates with my dining table. I took a quick video with my iPhone on Friday just to give you a glimpse at how Annie Sloan Chalk Paint goes on and covers.

Cane You Dig It - Dining Set Sneak Peek

I know I promised you my last post on the kitchen today, but I thought I would take a break from all the kitchen fanfare and give you a sneak peek at my latest painting project.

I am currently in the process of refinishing my husband's grandma's dining table, chairs and hutch. This set just fell into my lap after a cousin needed to downsize. I have been working on this for a couple of weeks now. I am no where near being done, but I did manage to finish one of the chairs this weekend.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint- I Die

I have been dreaming of using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint since I first started researching it in August. This stuff is pretty pricey (one pint runs around $38 and the clear and dark waxes go for $28), and you will also need to invest in some good brushes and other essentials. 

I finally bit the bullet and bought some in early December. In the words of my girl Rachel Zoe- I die. This stuff is truly amazing. I am having a blast reimagining things all over my house.  

There are tons of great bloggers and small business owners that have great tips and tutorials on using Chalk Paint. Some of my favorites are Blue Egg Brown Nest, Simply Reinvented, and The Purple Painted Lady. There is a bit of a learning curve on how to use the paints and waxes, but I really think there are tons of ways to achieve the look you want. I have pulled inspiration and tips from all these websites to Chalk Paint my way.

Here are some pieces I upcycled from around my house using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Project #1: End table

Before

After

I painted my first coat with Paris Grey and a lighter second coat with Old White. 

I applied clear wax and heavily distressed it with a 100 grit sandpaper. 

Project #2: Nightstand

Before

After

Here I used two coats of Paris Grey followed by a coat of clear wax and heavy distressing. 

Then I finished it off with a mixture of clear and dark wax to give it that aged look.

Project #3: Floor Lamp

Before and After

I used one coat of Old White on the base of the lamp and lightly distressed it. I then did a coat of clear and dark wax. The lamp shade look was created with painter's tape and spray paint. Read more about this lamp upcycle.

What about you? Are you dying to try ASCP?

Disclaimer: At the time of this original post, this blog and this post are not sponsored by Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I received no product or compensation for this review.

Extra: Behind the Scenes

Photo shoots don't always go as planned. My little J.S. and S.J. wanted to join in on the fun.

Putting down the phone and breaking out the big boy.