We adore this little wine cabinet that our customer, Leanne, refinished using Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan in the color Svenska Blue. She also added Transfers by Iron Orchid Designs to give the piece a little something extra!

We always start by cleaning a piece of furniture with either Odorless Mineral Spirits or Krud Kutter! Then, we will do a fresh water rinse to remove any left over chemicals from the cleaners. Sometimes…you can get away with just one coat of Chalk Paint®, but we typically recommend 2 coats to achieve full coverage.

Next, I would apply the IOD Transfer. Leanne chose to use the transfer called Wild Flower Botanical. You can view our post HERE which gives step-by-step instructions on how to apply transfers. After that application, I would distress – I will even distress the transfer very lightly sometimes! Not everything is set in stone….some people may prefer to distress prior to applying their transfer – that part is up to your discretion!

Last, would be the topcoat application. Personally, I LOVE Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint Wax as a topcoat. Clear Wax gives such a nice, smooth finish….and I also like the fact that you are able to get a higher sheen by buffing if that is what you prefer! We actually have a video on how to apply Clear Wax HERE. Some people may prefer to use a brush on topcoat (like Clear Topcoat Sealer) over a piece they have applied a transfer to because they feel it is delicate, which is TOTALLY fine…but you can absolutely use Clear Wax without damaging your transfers!

TIPS FROM LEANNE:

Leanne shared with us that when it comes to transfers….patience is key! Gather all of your information first – watch videos, read instructions, and get inspired! Leanne prefers to use a brush-on topcoat over her transfer, but like I mentioned before…wax is great, too!

It is almost Valentine’s Day – and since I am an alien from outer space and do not like chocolate….that makes me think of jewelry……and then that makes me think about gold…which brings me to of course, ……. Gold Foils, Metallic Gilding and Metallic Foils! LOL!

VIDEO LINK TO METALLIC GILDING AND GOLD LEAF APPLICATION (skip to the 29 minute mark for leaf application)

The look of silver leaf or gold leaf can totally revolutionize your finished piece. In fact, here is one of the best examples, in my humble opinion of how to use Gold Leaf with a modern day twist! This piece was completed by Chic and Shabby Furniture by Rebecca. I love perfectly placed and carefully balanced placement of the gold leaf on this piece. To me, it is perfection!

Gold Leaf, Metallic Foils and Gilding are all ways to make your furniture or frames look amazing! The approach though on how to use these products and at what point do you apply them, is something to understand before just attempting.

Here is a link to a past video we made showcasing how to apply all of the above. Feel free to jump to the 29 minute mark if you just want to see the gold foil application!

LEAF:

Gold Leaf or any leafing ….is the look that I think of when it comes to the renaissance period. It has an authentic aged look to it! With any “leaf” …like Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf or Copper Leaf……you must use some type of “sizing” adhesive for it to stick to your piece. Be careful on where you apply the sizing because this stuff really works! Also, always use your leafing products inside and where that is NOT a breeze. The leaf products are like feathers- extremely light and it will easily float in the air if you have a breeze. We carry both Annie Sloan’s and Artisan Enhancements. And the foil application MUST happen before you apply your wax or brush on top coat.

GILDING:

Gilding is a wonderful way to easily add a little sparkle on to the edges of you frames, cabinets or furniture. Gilding is a creamy substance that you spread on with your finger or an artist brush. You can use the most minimal amount and very lightly kiss the edge of a piece or , apply it more boldly. We love to use a little metallic gilding to freshen up aged hardware where maybe the patina has become too dark.

It has been a year since I shared this kitchen transformation that was done in the middle of 2017 and …….I still think about it. And actually – I dream about it too! Alyssa at Little Moon Clothing is an extremely gifted artist and stylist and clothing creator – talented beyond her years, in my opinion.

Alyssa has a beautiful Instagram page that you should be following- she shares her family’s adventures renovating an old 1890’s NY farmstead with a bohemian flare and ……photos of her business, @littlemoon_clothing of funky children’s apparel that will make your jaw drop.

But back to Alyssa’s amazing kitchen transformation she did using Pure White Chalk Paint®️ by Annie Sloan and Annie’s Chalk Paint Clear Wax. We are still swooning! Take a peek at this BEFORE & AFTER!

I see this and feel the heavens open and hear angels sing. And look closely at that farmhouse sink in the “after” photo…because one of those little angels is in it!

Alyssa cleaned with tsp, sanded, primed with zinnsler water based primer, used Annie Sloan chalk paint® in Pure and then sealed with three coats of wax – that she applied over a weeks time.

At The Purple Painted Lady, we recommend using Krud Kutter to clean your cabinets prior to painting and then- follow up with wiping your doors with fresh water to remove any residual cleaner that could repel your paint.

Alyssa shared, “it’s been 1.5 years and they are still washing and holding up great. No chips at all even in the high traffic spots like garbage and near the dishwasher. They look factory finished I used a foam roller.”

The Purple Painted Lady recommends that if you are using a
foam roller that you should:

1. thin your Chalk Paint® with some water. I would do this in small batches and not exceed 20%. I would recommend that you find a consistency that works best for you based on the local humidity and temperature where you are at- and your ability to manipulate the paint.
2. Be careful and make sure you do not leave heavy lap lines behind.

Okay- well now I must share with you also Alyssa’s extremely stylish clothing line that has a global flare to it! So , please go check out more of her SOCIAL platforms and tell her that The Purple Painted Lady sent you!

INSTAGRAM: @littlemoon_clothing

ETSY: CLOUD9JEWELS

ETSY: LITTLEMOON

FACEBOOK: littlemoonclothing

PINTEREST Littlemoonco

HOW TO MAINTAIN AND CLEAN YOUR PAINTED CABINETS:

Visit this website post to read in detail!

About The Purple Painted Lady– Stay in the “Know” with our Text Messaging Service To get notifications of when a new color or product from Annie Sloan is going to drop, or be alerted to when TPPL are about to do a Facebook LIVE on a new technique or product releases ….Text 74121 the word the chalkpaint (ALL ONE WORD and lowercase) to get notices of new colors and exciting changes!

Our Level of Customer Service: If you are a customer of ours…..when it comes to customer service- The Purple Painted Lady will go above and beyond. That means if you have a question in the middle of your project, something is not turning out the way you expected it to or are looking for some advice on how to approach your project- all you need to do is call me! Yep, that’s right! By purchasing from The Purple Painted Lady- you get a “Chalk Paint® Concierge” if you will! Or- if you are using any other product that we sell- do not hesitate to contact me for help.

Just type my digits into your phone- and voila- you get a real person to talk to. (And yes- it will probably be me, Trish ~ The Purple Painted Lady!) 585.750.6056 My phone number is also noted on every piece of paper that accompanies your package to make it easy for you to find my contact information. (did you ever order something from a place and then you get it- and there is no contact information included, on anything? That so annoys me. Thus why my phone number is on everything!) 

If you have a local stockist for Chalk Paint® – GO SEE THEM AND BUY LOCAL! But if you do not, keep in mind, when it comes to SHIPPING…we will ship your order out our doors the THE SAME DAY AS YOUR ORDER IS PLACED. If you place an order- be confident in knowing that The Purple Painted Lady has everything in stock! What does this mean in the end? With the team we have in place- your order ships out our doors the same day you place it – Monday through Friday as long as we received it before 3pm EASTERN TIME, because our UPS driver, Mike ….picks up our packages around 3:30pm.

WATCH THIS VIDEO! (<= Click on that) Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan is an amazing paint. Revolutionary in fact in regards to the painting movement that happen globally, but in our little part of the world here in the USA – over the last 10 years. 99.9% of the time, there is no need to strip, sand or prime the piece you would like to paint. (We do recommend cleaning before painting however)

Chalk Paint® is a heavier bodied paint. And with the change to the global alignment of packaging – you may have noticed that the paint is even thicker. The coverage ability is superior and the durability, bar none the best I have experienced, However, it is not a miracle. And for some, because it is thicker- they may find they struggle.

If I am describing you (or even if you are a pro using Chalk Paint®) – please take a look at this video that Annie created. The video delivers seriously useful information versus being a high level commercial.

Please take the time to watch it – I think it will help you with your projects

And remember- when you purchase through The Purple Painted Lady- we are always here to help you!