Kitchen Table Makeover with Chalky Finish Paint
My kitchen table was in desperate need of an refresh. It was a consignment store find and originally had a green top. I painted it white which looked ok for a while but after some time, the white top just got more and more stained. If you don’t have kids, maybe you can keep your white furniture white but I sure can’t. Messy spills at the dinner table and art projects where the table is “accidentally” painted to match the masterpiece pretty much are a daily occurrence in my house. Which is ok and kids will be kids but for a Type A clean freak like me, I cringe inside. It was very much time for a change.
I was debating between aqua and black mainly so the dirt wouldn’t show as much. If you have followed me for a while, you know one of my favorite colors is aqua. It’s in pretty much every room of my house. And since this table lives right in front of my bay window curtains, I chose a kitchen table makeover in aqua to tie everything together.
I like the rustic type of farmhouse look so I chose Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint in for this project. I used Treasure for the table top and Yesteryear (aff links) for the chairs and base of the table. These colors were a the perfect complement to my decor.
What I like about chalky finish paint is that there is no prep work required. No sanding or priming needed. This paint sticks to anything, even laminate! Since my table and chairs had a glossy finish, this paint was perfect. If you are going for the very rustic look and have a dark base coat, you will only need one coat of paint. However, I used 2 coats since I did not want the white to show through.
You can see in this photo that the chairs are kind of disgusting. Don’t judge.
Here is one of the chairs after a couple coats of paint and some varnish. I went a bit heavy on the paint and it pooled up in some areas. You’ll want to avoid this by making sure you use light coats.
Here’s the table after painting. The right side has varnish and the left side does not. The varnish looks glossy because it is wet. It dries with a matte finish.
Here you can see the matte finish.
This was my first time using chalky finish paint on anything other than mason jars and wooden signs so here are a few tips when using this paint on furniture:
- Use long, even strokes to minimize brush strokes
- It is better to use 2 thin coats than 1 heavy coat
- If your piece will get heavy use (table, shelf) or will be used outdoors, add a coat of varnish
- Let the varnish cure for 24 hours before using the item
The varnish that I used is called Americana Decor Ultra Matte Finish Varnish. (aff. link) It gives your furniture a durable coating with a matte finish. You can also use Soft Touch Varnish or Creme Wax (aff. link) to seal your piece. However, if you will be using the piece outdoors, make sure to use the varnish. This varnish takes a day or so to cure so if you are painting a table, you will need to find other places to eat for a few meals. My kids always love a picnic on the living room floor. Throw down a blanket and dinner gets way more exciting!
Now my table is refreshed and ready for Spring!
Thank you to DecoArt for sponsoring this post. Visit the DecoArt Chalky Finish website for more chalk paint ideas and inspiration.
More of my chalky finish paint projects:
The tabletop looks awesome!
Thanks,Amy!
AMAZING! Such a great transformation!
I love the color that you selected! It looks great! Love the curtains too!
I love the blue and grey combo. I’ve been thinking about painting a bar cart that I picked up. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks Susan!