Welcome back to our series, The Power of Paint. In the first part of the series, we talked about how wall color can really transform a space. We showed you several client before and afters, see here if you missed it!

Today we're going to dive into transforming furniture with the power of paint. The exciting part about today's topic is this is something totally achievable for a weekend project or during quarantine. 

All of the pieces below were refinished using Amy Howard's Chalk Paint line. We carry this at The Mill if you're looking to rehab some pieces now! If you've never used Chalk Paint, you are missing out.

It really is as simple as:

1. Clean your piece. Use a degreaser like Simple Green to remove any build up or residue. If there are any rough areas, gently sand those down. You DO NOT need to sand off the existing finish, you just want to create a smooth canvas.
2. Shake. Shake. Shake. Before you open your can of paint, make sure you shake it really well. You want to make sure the chalk base mixes really well with the pigment. 
3. Apply 2-3 THIN coats of chalk paint. Depending on the color of the paint you are using and existing finish, you can apply 2-3 thin coats. You will be able to tell if you need another coat. This paint dries pretty quickly and you will be able to tell when it is dry because you'll notice a very chalky finish. 
4. You can either leave it the chalk finish (it is completely fine like this) or apply a wax or sealer. If you are going for an antique finish, I would recommend light antique wax all over and dry brushing dark wax in areas it would naturally distress. 

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Displaying several examples below

Not all chalk paint finishes have to be "Shabby Chic." For this space below, I did a simple sleek finish to tie into this modern, lived in space. 

What I did: Black Chalk Paint, Gloss Sealer. 
We also reupholstered the cushions in a textured black leather. 

Amy Howard finishes can be as simple or as complex as you want. For this fireplace below we refinished EVERYTHING, tile and all in Amy Howard. This was a bit more complex and something I would recommend after you've done a few smaller projects.

What I did: Refinished the mantel with Black Chalk Paint, distressed with light antique wax, dark antique wax, dust of ages, liming wax to give a little more depth and gilding on the details. For the tile, I refinished in a light gray chalk paint with a darker gray glaze to give a marbled look in the crevices and sealed with gloss sealer. I feel like I could do an entire post on just this mantel, it turned out great!

This is our most common refinish. It is simple and can be tackled in an afternoon or weekend.

What I did: Refinished the frame in a gray chalk paint, covered with light antique wax, distressed with dark antique wax and dust of ages to give a antiqued look.
We also reupholstered the cushion to give this chair a whole new life. 

Grab a chair, side table, or a chest of drawers and let's get to painting!
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Have questions about refinishing? Leave a comment below so others can see too. 

Welcome to our new series “The Power of Paint.” Over the next several posts we are going to dive into just how powerful paint can be when transforming your space. We’ll talk about the power of paint on walls and refinishing furniture/accessories in your space.

Getting a little cabin fever? These are all things you can tackle when in quarantine. 

We’re kicking off this series with a dramatic start. This post is going to show you how paint can drastically transform a space. Paint has the ability to make a space feel closed in and busy but it also has the power to make a space feel much larger, brighter and fresh. 

Let’s dive in to a before and after in one of our client’s homes. ​

This is the space that really stole my heart and I can’t wait to share it with you! You’ll see so much of The Mill : Design + Home translated into this space. ​

This house isn’t perfect and there are some design challenges I can’t wait to take head on. We’re ready to take every nook & cranny and work magic on it. ​

​Long distance relationships can be a doozy but working with these clients in Texas was a dream come true. Last spring, we first met with Client TX at The Mill during their visit to Mississippi. They had just moved to Lubbock, TX after a long stent (20+ yrs) of living outside the US and were in the market for a new home.  Shortly after our initial consultation, they closed on a home and I was jetset to Lubbock. 

What made this project so unique was that even though this couple was fresh into retirement, they were starting this journey with an absolute clean slate. Having devoted their lives to mission work, they were always on the move so owning a home was a new stage in life for them. Usually when working with clients, whether they know it or not, they have some idea or vision of what they are wanting us to achieve in their home. That was one of the most exciting aspects of this project. This couple’s focus has never been on their home but always on improving the lives of others. So, there were no Pinterest boards or magazine clippings. Our first meetings were solely based on establishing what they wanted out of their home and helping them discover their personal style (and of course, meshing the couple’s preferences together).

After several months and a few minor renovations later, we were pretty excited to install Client TX’s new home.