I've discovered since getting married that I love to paint furniture. I've done a few different projects, and have been more happy with some than others, but mostly I feel inspired to do more. It's such a fun and thrifty and unique way to turn something old into something fresh and contemporary. I also look for ideas on colors and techniques from other bloggers and shop owners who are gracious enough to share tips.
Here are some photos that I've been inspired by recently. I just love this "No. 12" coffee table. This trunk makes a fabulous centerpiece to a room and I love the distressing. In fact, I'm about to begin a similar project that I hope to show you next week--I'm so excited about it!
And these photos below make use of something I've never heard of before--milk paint. It actually uses milk as the binding ingredient! It is safe and non-toxic and many milk paints don't contain any chemicals. What I think is so neat about milk paint is that it lends a very natural, antique look to a piece. Milk paint was used in Colonial America and the patina of this furniture really does remind me of an earlier era. The woman who does these fabulous pieces said that milk paint acts like a "stain," though it looks like paint, and that it has a much less uniform color than latex or oil paints. It also tends to flake off arbitrarily, all qualities which give it a naturally aged look.
Have you heard of milk paint before? What do you think of these pieces? Are you working on any hand-painted furniture projects?
I'm so intrigued by milk paint and think I'll begin looking for the perfect thrift shop piece to try it on!
I have heard of milk paint. My mother-in-law gave me an old dresser that had been painted with it long ago; and although it may chip of arbitrarily, it's incredibly tough to strip it all the way off! (I learned that from experience!)
ReplyDeleteI love these pieces, by the way. They are exactly my cup of tea.
*chip OFF--I hate typos!
DeleteHow neat that you have a milk-painted dresser! I'd love to see a photo of it. I guess it makes sense that it was difficult to strip since it apparently is like a stain.
DeleteAnd yes, aren't these pieces lovely? This woman has a shop in Northern VA and I really want to visit it.
Isn't milk paint just divine? I love the look... Just recently (like in the past 2 years or so) I've gotten really into painted wood.- Used to think that covering up gorgeous wood grain (as opposed to just refinishing it) was a cardinal sin! But now I'm ruthless. Ha! Give me a paintbrush, and I'll paint ANYTHING! I've never used milk paint myself, only seen pieces done with it, so I'll look forward to hearing your "review" :-).
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried milk paint but I have read quite a bit about it... Mainly through Miss Mustard Seed, she is the milk paint expert. I would like to try it sometime, I really like the look.
ReplyDeleteI discovered milk paint through Miss Mustard Seed, too! She does such fantastic work, and I'd love to visit her shop someday. And she actually just began to sell her milk paint formula online--think I will definitely try it!
DeleteWow, I've never heard of milk paint before and now I'd love to try it out!
ReplyDeleteDo let me know if you do!
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