Hey, everyone! Today I thought I'd show you my most recent project! A client of mine asked me to refinish this bookshelf for her. She wanted me to use Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Emperor Silk. The results were fantastic, I really love how the paint darkened as it dried. This distressed bookshelf looks more updated without losing any of it's charm.
This is how the bookshelf looked when it arrived. It had a light red wood stain.
I sanded the bookshelf with 80 grit sandpaper. It was so easy to sand down, it only took me about 20 minutes!
Since chalk paint can be very expensive, we decided to paint the bookshelf initially using just basic black acrylic paint. This saved the cost and didn't take from the look we were going for, as the Emperor Silk colour we were going to use on top of it was going to be the main feature to this bookshelf.
As a test, I only painted the top of the bookshelf with the chalk paint to start. When wet, it was a very bright red, but it dried to a much darker shade. Chalk paint has so many amazing qualities as it can be used on wood and fabric, and can stay on without the need for sanding. It can be more expensive, but in my experiences, it's always worth it!
And after my test piece, I painted the rest of the bookshelf. The client really liked the "brushed" effect I had used previously on the Pedestal Dining Table, and requested that the same technique be used on the bookshelf. The inside of the bookshelf was left solid black, while the shelves were painted in the red to create some contrast.
After touching up some of the inside areas that got a bit of red on them from painting the shelves, the result is a clean, updated look!
And finally, a coat of varathane to protect everything!
