Revived Antique Dove Grey Nightstands [before & after]

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I’d say it’s time for a good ole’ chalk + clay paint transformation!  After all, we haven’t shared any since our beautifully revived nautical chair!  We’ve been painting like crazy at the shop to prepare for Spring/Summer, so they’ll be lots more before & after transformations ahead!  I LOVE today’s antique nightstand transformation because it really proves one of my favorite benefits of working with chalk + clay paint…you can truly cover just about ANY surface without priming or sanding!  See for yourself…

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When we got our hands on this lovely pair of antique nightstands, they were completely covered in a high gloss shellac…I mean, at least 4-5 thick layers!  Even the glossiest surface is no match for CeCe Caldwell’s Chalk + Clay paint!

I wanted my tables to be a very pale shade of Dove Grey, so I mixed equal parts of CeCe Caldwell’s Seattle Mist with Vintage White, along with a splash of Nantucket Spray (just to freshen up the gray a bit).

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I decided to paint the nightstands with a foam brush this time.  I use foam brushes when I’m looking to achieve a super smooth finish without brush strokes.

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I applied two coats of paint to the nightstands, waiting about an hour between coats (yes, this paint dries super fast!).  Here’s one of the nightstands after it’s first coat of paint…

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After the second coat of paint was dry to the touch (about an hour), I used 220 grit sand paper to lightly distress the edges.

Normally, I like to wait overnight to seal my pieces with the clear wax.  I do this because even though the paint may feel dry, it can be easily rubbed off by the clear wax if it hasn’t had enough time to “cure”.  However, in this case I only waited 3 hours to apply the wax because I actually wanted to achieve a naturally distressed finish.  I buffed the wax onto both nightstands using my beloved ultimate wax brush

*NOTICE the difference in color between the paint & the area I already waxed!  It’s important to remember that your piece will always turn out a few shades darker once the wax is applied!  In my case, I mixed up my dove grey color a bit lighter than I actually wanted it to be.

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These antique nightstands underwent quite the transformation!  I’m absolutely in love with this color!

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I almost forgot, I painted the knobs too!  I used one coat of CeCe Caldwell’s Simply White on them….

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A close up of the distressed finish…

I hope you enjoyed today’s before & after transformation!  Find many more before & after’s here!

 

2 responses to “Revived Antique Dove Grey Nightstands [before & after]

  1. Just wanted to let you know that I’m featuring your nightstands tomorrow on my painted projects round-up, with a link back of course. (If you would rather not be featured, no biggie. Just let me know.) It’s gorgeous!!!

    Katie
    http://www.funhomethings.com

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