Non shabby chic upcycling

[IStillMissBlockbuster]

Hi,

I have inherited some furniture that I would like to freshen up with a coat of paint. I haven't really done this before so have been looking up how to guides and stuff but i'm NOT looking for the shabby chic look. I want it to look smart. Can anyone recommend a brand and type of paint that can help me with that? I initially thought Laura Ashley but don't want to pay over the odds if there is a good alternative.

Not sure if particularly helpful, but:

I inherited some wooden furniture a few years back and very much wasn't into the shabby chic style either. Ended up ...

... sanding and waxing the lovely oak table (no paint at all - but I did screw it up and ended up having a professional carpenter fix it. Looks gorgeous and gets tons of compliments, so well worth it.)

... painting the body of the dresser a warm-ish off-white (supermarket own brand) and doing the drawers' faces in a darker glaze. 100% DIY and I love it a lot. Not much public feedback on this one as it's standing in my bedroom. {smile}

Thanks Diliana. Did you use a special kind of paint or a particular finish?

Not AFAIK, sorry. IIRC it was supermarket own-brand, but I may be mistaken. They're all decent quality these days, really. At least the ones I'm aware of.

The carpenter who fixed the table obviously would have used some professional grade something or other for the waxed finish. My mum, who did the same thing to hers much more successfully and without professional help buys everything at Homebase, I think.

Ok thanks

Google it cos there are soooo many videos on youtube and really clear 'how to' guides.
Its Annie Sloan paint that everyone loves because you can paint without prepping the wood. Or something! Google! Have fun and show us pics afterwards!

Yeah I have found lots of how to guides but shabby chic seems to predominate and it appears that Annie Sloan paint is of that genre.

Rustoleum is a good alternative to Annie Sloane, if you want to use chalk paint I find it much easier to work with than AS, I also use a satin eggshell paint if I want something a bit more ‘smoother’ finish laura Ashley is nice & gives a good finish, Mylands satin eggshell is excellent as are most brands really, if you use a satin you may need to sand (if especially furniture is damaged/marked etc) also will need to undercoat/prime zinsser products are good for this.

Thanks dont. I am looking for a smoother finish than chalk paint so will try a satin eggshell finish as suggested. I bought some primer today and brought home a few colour swatches so will just go for it soon.

Good luck, enjoy your project I luffs painting.

I painted a dark wooden fire surround using Zinsser primer and Rustoleum satin furniture paint - really please with the result. Any satinwood paint will work too and you can get satinwood mixed in whatever colour you like where there's a paint mixing machine. I also painted a previously shabby chic wall cupboard with the same paint. Use a gloss roller on flat surfaces for a smooth result.

Fusion mineral paint - no prep and no topcoat required for most types of finish. You can do shabby chic with it, but you can also get a really nice smooth finish and only need one coat. Roller is best for this, but it does depend on the piece. Is a bit pricier but I think it's worth it to save on the prep/primer/topcoat.

Don't use chalk paint.
I would look at sanding the surface and using a matt paint. Invest in a decent brush. Satinwood is fine, you might need an undercoat.

Use a BIN primer and then any paint you fancy on top. But you will need to seal the paint to stop it chipping or marking - Annie Sloan clear wax is the best I’ve found for this and can be left Matt or polished to a shine

I'm currently repainting a few old pieces I picked up second hand. Sanding back well is key, then wiping well, cleaning any muck/grit that remains. Use a primer if needed and then two coats of an oil based eggshell. Water based dries faster but not as tough. Finish with a clear varnish.... I've found the most effective way to get a good finish is to use a brush and keep it as clean as possible, don't load to much paint or let it dry and flake on the brush.

I'm also planning to line the drawers with a nice wallpaper

Thank you!

So, what's the difference between finishing with wax versus varnish please?

Wax, I believe, you can scuff a bit more, it works on chalk paints to give the rustic shabby chic look. Raw wax on unpainted wood might be totally different. I'm using a matt finish varnish on mine.

You don't need wax or varnish on anything other than chalk paint or stripped/natural wood.

Must admit have only used wax or varnish on chalk paint, never used when painting with eggshell.

I have some ikea furniture that is wood. Is it worth me painting it?

Yes definitely have a go @Mike shouldn’t think it would take a lot of preparation, just undercoat & prime then paint in whatever finish you prefer.

Thanks. It's in good nick but I am so bored of pine. I've done bog standard stuff before but they've been more traditional looking, and look like not-shabby-not-chic.

I use Matt emulsion and then finish with this varnish

https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/product/polyvine-decorators-varnish?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr7qw9u7p3AIVzLTtCh0trwS7EAQYASABEgJO-fD_BwE

Thank you all