Ok, so here we go! I finally went to Home Depot, and even to Lowe's, and got everything I needed for my table. It took a while to figure out what color should go with the red, but we decided on a deep purple. Surprise, surprise. I also bought a beautiful new little Black & Decker sander, which I have a feeling might become my new best friend! I got everything I needed, and we headed home. Oh course since I am very impulsive I had to start working right away! Here is everything I bought, sitting on my canvas.
As you can kind of see in the picture there are a good amount of dings and little chips on the table, and the varnish was really worn down on areas on the top. So, the first step was to bust out my new beautiful sander! This is the first thing I have ever sanded in my life. Regardless of if I did it correct or not, it got the job done. All but this next picture were taken with my Nikon, this one was with my iPhone, you can see that it's starting to get fairly dark outside. For some reason, I guess maybe because I'm an insomniac, I work hardest at night, even if that means very little lighting. I had to put on my little patio light, and open the blinds to the living room for extra light. Here it is almost completely sanded.
The legs on the table were the hardest to do. Since my sander is pointed at the top, I could get into smaller spaces, but I ended up using just a piece of sandpaper, and getting in the smaller grooves by hand.
I then taped off the top because I was only spray painting the bottom and the legs.
Like I said the lighting was horrible, so when I was outside, I thought I had come up with an awesome technique, similar to what you do for the glazing. I would spray the paint on, then wipe it off. It looked awesome in low lighting, because it just added a tint of purple but you could still fully see the gains. Unfortunately, when I brought it in it looked all splotchy, but I figured it could be a light first coat.
I took it back outside, and sprayed an even, light layer all over, and this time I didn't wipe it off. It still looks slightly splotchy, but the glaze will cover that up. It came out much more purpley!
Once it was dry, it was time for the glaze! I have come to love the whole glazing idea, and technique. You can do it to anything, and it just gives it so much more character and texture. I started with the rim of the top. You can see how it is pretty much just a bright, solid purple.
I added the glaze over the whole area, really making sure to focus and get deep in the creases of the wood.
Now before the paint started to dry, I used a strong (Viva) paper towel, and wiped it off. If you are going to try this, make sure you just wipe across quickly so that you keep that paint in the creases. I love it, it makes it so the furniture isn't just that solid, flat color.
I then worked on the sides with the same technique. You can see that some areas aren't as evenly covered with the purple, but still it is just a solid bright purple.
Then I did the same thing everywhere else. It's easiest to work in smaller sections, that way it doesn't dry to fast on you (especially is you have a ceiling fan). Sorry, this one is kind of blurry...
This is how it turned out when most of it was finished with the glaze. Personally, I love the difference that it makes. It's subtle, yet defining.
After this was all dry, it was time to tape off the top again, only this time around the rim, and then bust out the chalkboard paint! They had so many different kinds of paint like this at Home Depot, I was shocked. They have different chalkboard paints that are tintable, magnetic paint, and dry erase paint. I have a feeling, I am going to have to think up a new project just so I can have the excuse to buy and use some of them. The little ladies were so excited for this step. They were both hanging off the foot end of their beds, watching me get this ready.
I was slightly worried when I first started painting it on, it had a midnight blueish hue to it. As I thickened the layers and it dried a bit under our ceiling fan it got darker. Here is the first coat.
Once I got two more coats on there, I took of the painter tape! Here is my new beautiful table drying. The hardest thing for my ladies is going to be the fact that the instructions say not to write on it for three days. Yea, we'll see how that works out.
I just found a 'before' picture on my phone that I figured I would share for comparison before revealing my finished project!!!
After working hard for nine hours, my beautiful table is now complete, and I think we are probably all slightly high from paint fumes. Drum roll please....
Personally, I am in love. I am so excited. In the pictures the purple really stands out because of the angles and the flash. Just looking at it in person though I think it looks even better. It's dark and subtle, but definitely adds a bit more color to the room.
I really wanted to do this step by step, to show you how easy it is. I have never done this much work to a piece of furniture before, and to be honest, I was slightly nervous. Now I am ready to conquer so much more, but definitely not today. I think I have tackled enough for today, and I am now going to pass out!
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