This very old and heavy oak sideboard was a bit of a challenge. Anyway, I'm not one to shy away from a challenge so I set to work. Entirely stained in some hideous black colour, I put in a lot of work just to get back to the original oak finish on the top.
Originally, I applied a couple of base coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP) in Barcelona Orange - bear with me - before applying ASCP Olive over the top (leaving the Barcelona Orange in the recessed carvings and in a few other choice spots). Hmmm, I liked it but I didn't love it so I put my thinking cap on. I know, I thought, let's add some ASCP Honfleur to the bottom part of the sideboard and then do a sort of ombre into the ASCP Olive; yep, getting better.
Now I don't know if you are aware but we've been having a bit of a heatwave here in the UK and so I decided - on the hottest day of the year so far - that I would add some more ASCP Barcelona Orange. I think may brain may have melted a bit to even contemplate this as my paint was drying even before I could get in onto the side board and, yep you guessed it, I ruined it. Hot, sweaty and miffed I returned home to contemplate my epic fail.
Not to be defeated, the next day I sanded the bottom part of the sideboard until it looked really chippy and then I dry-brushed ASCP Country Grey in random areas. I was on a roll now and finished up with Fusion's Antique Glaze before applying (once dry) lashings of ASCP Clear and then Dark waxes.
Now to the sanded back solid oak top. I used two coats of General Finishes Wood Stain in Espresso. I wanted a pretty distressed top so I sanded a lot of the stain off again and then sealed with ASCP Clear Wax.
Phew. I was finally happy. The bonus for me was when a client came to collect a commission piece, they fell in love with this and bought it on the spot. Yay!
