Believe it or not, I found this gorgeous sideboard FOR FREE on a popular selling site. What a stunner; solid oak and over 100 year's old ... it was love at first sight! I wanted to recreate a faded grandeur look for her (of course, she's a she ... she's now pink).
After prepping her and sanding the top back to the solid oak as this was going to be stained, she was given two full coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP) Scandinavian Pink. When the second layer was still wet, I blended very small amounts of ASCP Country Grey and Old White to soften the Scandinavian Pink to give a faded, aged look (I use an old china plate as a paint palette and a mister bottle if the paint started to dry out). Once this blended layer was dry, I added a few touches here and there of ASCP Arles; it is my favourite colour and I nearly always manage to sneak in a bit somewhere (tee hee).
The next stage was adding a glaze, Fusion's Antique Glaze, to be precise. This was worked into the carved details to add depth and the excess removed with a shop towel.
I then wet distressed (very gently) on areas such as around the escutcheons, carvings, etc.
My next technique was 'fly specking' using diluted ASCP Graphite ... I use a small stencil brush and flick (for want of a better word) a very small amount of the mixture over areas such the legs and edges. Once, this was dry ...
My favourite part was next - waxing - I love it. In fact, I can't stop waxing lyrical about it! Get it?! Brings the chalk paint to life. I applied ASCP Clear Wax all over the bottom part of the sideboard and then added ASCP Dark Wax to certain areas like the edges of the doors and sides of the drawers.
For the now natural solid oak top, she was given two coats of General Finishes Espresso Wood Stain. Once dry, the top was sanded back to expose some of the natural oak again. She was then given a good waxing with ASCP Clear Wax and buffed to within an inch of her life!
She was always a looker but hopefully I've just given her a slight facelift. I hope you love her as much as I do.
The End.
