Today’s project is this beautiful old mirror and wall hung table. I saw this in a second hand shop and fell in love with it. It was not in good shape and was a little expensive with the thought of how much work was needed to get it lovable again!
BUT I couldn’t help myself, it was lovely and a little unusual.
Plus some pieces just speak to you! And this one was telling me it wanted a makeover, and it wanted to be French.
List of items needed:
- Misting bottle
- Sand paper
- Square molds
- White, light brown, light rose chalk paint
- Annie Sloan Clear and Dark wax
- Chip brushes
- Lint free cloths
This piece turned out better than expected!
This technique was so fun and so easy to do, I will definitely be doing this again. I LOVED the effect created.
It looks as though this has been around for a long time.
That is exactly what i wanted.
- Step 1. Cleaning
I gave the mirror and table a good cleaning. Luckily, it was relatively clean.
I used a product similar to TSP. Over the years grime and dirt build up and need to be removed before it is possible to sand or degloss the piece well.
- Step 2. Deglossed
This project would have been hard to sand as it was delicate and there were hard to reach parts so i used a deglosser to remove the shine and add some bite for the paint to adhere to.
Step 3. 1st Layer of paint
I went in with the color Antique Rose by a company called Vintage. I liked the color but the consistency was not quite as thick and pigmented as Annie Sloans paints which i love.
I did two coats of the Antique Rose.
- Step 4. 2nd Layer of paint
I then went in and used a Vintage light brown chalk paint in color Coco.
For this layer I applied it to all edges, details and a little here and there, just to highlight them so that when I would sand through the layers later I would have that gorgeous color show through.
- Step 5. 3rd layer of paint
The next layer was White by Rustoelum which I applied in a haphazard manner, all a little messy. I wanted texture. I wanted areas that the dark wax would sink into and create depth. This was followed by using a hairdryer on the wet paint to create cracks and to move the paint in ways that can not be achieved with a brush.
This created a very natural effect. It seems old. It looks like it is actually OLD…..
And this is what you want, you want to create something that looks like it has aged naturally over the years.
I did two coats to really have something to sand away and in turn created more depth, you will have more white areas that are raised and lower levels that go down to the light brown and antique rose underneath.
- Step 6. Sanding
Now comes the fun part!
Sometimes sanding can be fun!
There is something so satisfying about sanding back the layers of paint.
Revealing all the beautiful colors.
This stage is very individual, I always move slowly forward. You can always remove more but it is harder to add the layers back.
I concentrate the sanding on edges, details and some random areas to make it look natural.
This is a process which can take a little time, it is best to do it slowly and keep taking a step back and having a look at the overall project, as you sand.
Once I was finished I dusted off all the dust. This is better done outside or whilst using your vacuum as it creates a lot of dust.
What do you think of the effect created? Would you like to give this a go.
- Step 7. Waxing
Once this was finished I began waxing the project with clear wax.
You do this before the dark wax so that you have more control over the dark wax.
Dark wax will sink deeply into the white paint overwise and create a very dark effect.
For this project I wanted to keep the white but highlight areas with the dark wax and I also wanted to create an antique effect to the white paint.
Once the clear wax is added it makes the dark wax more controllable. Meaning you can remove it in areas if you wish.
- For this project I used a cheap chip brush to apply the clear wax into all the details and across the surface.
- I work in small sections at a time. Massaging the wax in, in circular motions and then backwards and forwards motions, this means you are sure you have applied the wax properly so it sinks in everywhere and also to not create streaks in the finish. This however isn’t so necessary with such a haphazard project which almost looks better the more unevenness you create.
- Using a lint free cloth to remove any excess wax.
- I am careful to make sure there is no residual wax left over as this can leave a tacky layer on your project which can be difficult to remove later.
- I then feel that adding the dark wax soon after has worked best. The dark wax has been easier to spread.
- I use the same chip brush to apply the dark wax. I then remove it with the same lint free cloth.
- I then wipe away any excess wax. It is important to remove the excess to avoid a tacky surface. I often use a few cloths at a time working from the dirtiest to the cleanest.
- Step 8. Waxing the sanded down wooden table top
For this part i had sanded down the table top and was unsure what i was going to do, i gave it a white wash first and then tried a little dark wax in a hidden spot just to see what it would be like. I liked the effect created so decided to continue.
I massaged the dark wax into the surface in circular motions and then straight over the surface from one end to the other.
You then wipe off any excess wax across the surface, paying attention to wiping from one end to the other.
This will help you to avoid streaks in the wax.
I hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any questions just leave a comment down below.
Hope you all have a great day.
Anna x
