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1 Give your cabinet a good wipe to remove any dust or dirt, and let it dry. Working in manageable sections, apply a diluted coat of your custom navy mix. Use a large flat brush as you need to work quickly. 4 Remove more of the paint by scrunching up the paper and dabbing. Use new paper each time to repeat steps 1 to 4 over the entire cabinet. Work quickly to avoid creating an obvious line. 2 Spritz the painted section with water and immediately press your brown paper up against it. Rub the sheet all over with your hands, applying a moderate amount of pressure. 5 Once your base coat is dry, apply a thin coat of Clear Wax all over. Repeat steps 1 to 4 in your custom mix of blue/grey on the top two-thirds of the cabinet, using new paper each time. 3 When you remove the paper, the paint will appear uneven and blotchy. It will still be flat in places; elsewhere it will be textured or it will have disappeared altogether. 6 When the second coat is dry, wax lightly and repeat steps 1 to 4 using Old White; apply this to slightly less than two-thirds of the cabinet. Remember Dilute your paint and spritz with water as you work.

7 Using a medium sanding pad and a paint scraper, scrape and sand areas of your cabinet to reveal more of the bare wood. Sand the rest of the cabinet with a fine sanding pad.

8 Add a final layer of Clear Wax all over the piece, using the small Chalk Paint Wax Brush, and give the cabinet a good buff with a lint-free cloth the next day.

Nan’s top tip This technique works better if the wood has an open grain and the paint can settle into the grooves. Harmonious colours work best.

CONTACT Nan Day nan@simplyfrench.co.za, Instagram/simplyfrenchsa