SIMPLE STROKES

Bill made the dining table when the couple first moved into their home, but after Sharyn mastered chalky-finish paint, it soon became her next project. “With Chalk

Paint, I can take something old and give it new character,” she remarks. Sharyn prefers the Annie Sloan brand. “You can make each piece look different,” she adds. To reinvent a furnishing with chalky-finish paint, follow her simple steps.

1. Choose Use neutral a color—or hues, like several. the gray furniture and white becomes on the a blank table, slate. so the Or pick an energizing accent color, matching it to another object in the room.

2. Remove any hardware, such as handles and hinges, to make painting easier.

3. Clean the wood with a damp cloth to remove dust.

4. Stir the paint well and brush it on. Feel free to move the brush in all directions until you’ve covered the piece. Let dry. Apply a second coat in the same manner as the first, and let dry.

5. Distress the finish with sandpaper. Re-expose the wood tones as little or as much as you like. Allow the paint to fully dry and cure.

6. Smooth finishing wax onto the surface with a brush or lint-free cloth to seal and protect the paint. Let dry. As soon as the wax is dry, the furniture can be used, but it can take as long as two weeks for the wax to fully harden.