I have my hands in a million projects. It’s just ridiculous. I just want to get a room finished! Anyway, I thought I would take a break and share the treatment I used on my newly painted dining room chairs.
You can see where I’m going with the slipcovered seats… I’m bleaching some more drop cloths right now, so I can work on them this week. It’s really starting to come together.
So, first of all, I primed and painted the chairs in my favorite shade of white, Creamy by Sherwin Williams. I allowed the paint to dry and then hit the edges with an electric palm sander to distress the finish. I’m not about distressing everything in my house, but I love the idea of distressing pieces that are going to take a lot of hits. I don’t have to worry if my kids decide to play a rhythm on an armrest with their fork.
How much you distress is a personal taste issue. You take it as far as you want.
For the glaze, I wanted something a little softer than the dark walnut stain I generally use. I mixed a little bit of burnt umber universal tint with some water to use for the glaze. Universal tint is what paint stores use to color the paints you purchase. You can buy a quart at your local paint store for $15-20 depending on the tint. A little bit goes a long way, so a quart will last forever. You can mix tints with other paint, glazes, or water.
This glaze mixture of burnt umber and water is very thin and easy to work with. Working in small areas, apply the glaze with a brush…
…and wipe it off with a damp rag.
That’s it! It gives the piece a soft, antique look.
I can’t wait to show you the entire dining room when it’s done. I really love how it’s coming together.
I am also working on a chalkboard with a gilded frame for the dining room wall. It keeps things formal with the gold leaf, but it’s a little playful as well. It’s a perfect place to write out a dinner menu or a blessing over guests who are dining with us. Anyway, I ran out of adhesive for the gold leaf, so I only completed two sides. It’s just killing me…
One last little project…I found this gorgeous wood frame at a yard sale this weekend for $5.00. It had a mirror in it, but I knew it would be perfect for a chalkboard in my kitchen. It’s in a prime spot to be a weekly calendar at-a-glance.
To make the chalkboard, I simply cut a piece of hardboard to size and painted it with two coats of chalkboard paint. Remember to “season” your chalkboard by rubbing a piece of chalk over the entire surface. This prevents lettering from being “burned into” the surface.
So, keep checking in to see how my millions of projects turn out.
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22 Responses
Is the burnt umber that you get in the little bottles of craft paint or in the tube the same thing? I have used the craft paint watered down before to glaze. The one in the tube I would think would be thicker.
Oh my… look at those chairs! Love the amount of distressing you did on them. And your trademark seatcovers look fabulous! Cool tip on bleaching the dropcloths. Can't wait to see the entire room. 🙂
Donna
The more glimpses I see of your dining room set the more anxious I am to see the rest.
Oh and I know how you feel about a gazillion unfinished projects. I have one in the works that I have been working on for weeks, still not nearly finished. Ah well, w'll get there.
So great makeovers you have made!!! I so like!
Anu
Gorgeous… I am in love with the seat cover on that… you are such an inspiration to us all… can't wait to see the final result. I think I have to go and pick up some dropcloths now.
Hugs, Deb
love, love, LOVE the chairs…i'm envious!! 🙂
I love it all and thank you for giving us a tutorial.
What color is a drop cloth when you buy it??? Is it white and the bleach makes it less white. Been wanting to use some on my deck, but haven't gotten to a store that sells them yet.
thanks again.
katie
I just recently discovered your blog and now I'm hooked. I recently started buying and selling antiques and collectibles and I've been reading through many of your posts. I haven't done any furniture projects yet but I have a few waiting in the wings.
Thanks for the great tips, tutorials and inspiration.
Susan
I'm glad you're still using gold. I have it around, too, and really like it.
Absolutely gorgeous! I can't wiat to see it all in it's happy finished state. I'm the same way, 50 different projects going on at once. Why is this?
Am loving the chairs!! Can't wait to see the entire room….!!! And a gold leafed chalkboard sounds perfect!
Hugs
SueAnn
Wow your chair is lovely! Thanks for the tutorial, it's so inspiring. I also love the seat. And thanks for the tip about seasoning the chalkboard, I'd never heard of it!
Have a splendid week!
Love your chairs! Thanks for the glazing instructions. If I do go ahead with painting my cabinets white, I'll want to have that info handy.
Oh wow..another beautiful chair! I was so inspired by your "A Rocker and A Caddy" post that I primed and painted my bentwood rocker this weekend! SW "Creamy" of course 🙂
Now I will distress and glaze. Was the rocker glazed with walnut stain or the burnt umber? I have both and think I like the rocker color. Dying to finish and send you a photo. Thanks for all of your great ideas!
Nancy
Nancy, I used the dark walnut stain on the rocker, but very sparingly and used a wet rag to keep it from getting too heavy. I'm so glad I inspired you!
Furniture murcia Your furniture glazing tutorial is doing nice. Thanks for Keeping us informed .
Your glazing tips could not come at a better time. After attempting to glaze a bed frame and not gettting the results I wanted, I resorted to using watered down paint instead. I am better at getting perfect stain or paint finishes but I like your idea of distressing pieces you know will probably take a beating. I think I will consider doing that on my next dininig room table. Also, my dining room chairs have been painted and ready for fabric upholstery for months. Maybe I will upholster them with dropcloth fabric instead. I can always sew some chair slipcovers like you did when I find the right fabric. I apologize for the long comment but I wanted you to know that you inspire me. Thank you for that.
Thanks for your tutorials! I did walls and a swag curtain in my booth with drop cloths my husband got me. It was better than painting the walls. Just stapled to the walls. I had a big window front I wanted to curtain. Did a big swag across,then one down each side. Turned out great.
I have started a project very similar to this and was pretty jazzed to see your technique as I got everything painted white and then was stuck. The top of the table was pretty messed up so I had to paint it. How do you recommend sealing the table? It will be our kitchen table (and have three messy children and husband….make that just one husband) and wanted to know what I should seal the top with. The wax you mention? Thanks for your time!
Natalie (an avid MMS stalker now)
Sometimes I do an oil based glaze with linseed oil which gives an aged mottled look
sawasdee ka
i come to visit you blog naka
lily
Good morning,
My name is Tina Marie, I’m a huge fan of you, I think your brilliant! Im decorating obsessed and I was so excited to find your blog! Anyway, I know your busy so I will be quick. Where can I find GLAZE? I can’t find it at lowes or home depot? I would greatly appreciate some advice.
Thank you,
TM