What paint for dining table and chairs?

[CrazyOldCatLady]

I want to paint an old varnished table and chairs. Can anyone offer any advice on which paint would be best? At the moment I'm leaning in the direction of Little Greene colours but because I want to use a few colours, and their eggshell paint doesn't come in smaller quantities than 2.5L, it's going to be exorbitantly expensive. Laura Ashley colours seem nice and the eggshell comes in 750ml pots which would be more practical but I've read fairly damning reviews of the paint, so I'd rather not go that route. Crown and Dulux options aren't as pretty : (

Help?

Oh, I'd like to do this too, although I'd originally planned just to re-varnish.

Has anyone any paint advice?

I'm currently looking into Annie Sloan paint...apparently you can paint anything and it doesn't need any preparation. Sounds too good to be true I think but there's lots of stuff on google/pinterest to read up on it and it seems like that is the case. You can also apparently mix the colours too to get the colour you really want.

Yes, I was looking at those. It's still going to be stupidly expensive though, they're ?28 a litre and I want 5 different colours. Maybe I'll ask my family to buy me a tin of paint each for Christmas

I've just done this! I chipped dark varnish off the top and then sanded and put clear varnish on. For the legs and under the table I put three coats of dulux 'clay' which is an off-white (a very slightly grey ish off-white). I'm happy with the result and I am glad I didn't spend a fortune on more expensive paint as I'm going to buy some chairs and paint the legs and the sides of the top of the chair (hope that makes sense)

Would that annie sloan paint go on laminate cupboards do you know?

It's meant to go on anything. If you google and find a local stockist you could probably ring them and ask. I'm off to my local one tomorrow to see what's what. I have an orangey fire surround that I can't afford to replace but think it'd be too much of a phaff to try and sand as there's too many little grooves, etc so hoping Annie Sloan will be my answer. Here's hoping!

Ive used Annie Sloan. Tis awesome.
I slapped it straight onto varnished pine. Then sanded down, and waxed.
So impressed.
Doing 5 pieces of mums furniture now

I hope your mum appreciates it! my parents were going to give me some chairs until I mentioned I was going to sand and paint them. Their faces! so, ikea chairs it is.

I hope I can get hold of some annie sloan paint.

Annie sloan
Friend of all brown lacquered painted wood houses everywhere!!

I second Annie Sloan. Amazing stuff. Better for a distressed look rather than block colour but so easy and great results. Got a bit obsessed this week and have painted a sleigh bed, two cupboards and a table. Ooops

So pleased to hear it does really work! I'm now getting excited about doing the fire surround/mantle thing. Yay!

Love Annie Sloan
A tester pot will paint a whole chair

I've got 3 tester pots but not had a chance to use them yet. I got Paris Grey, French Linen and Provence....which is my fave. I'm going to practise on some plain wooden picture frames before I tackle the fireplace! Sadly I'm beyond excited

I love Annie Sloan, I painted my daughters antique sleigh bed in "original", it looks gorgeous!

Is it wipeable too? DD gets the back of the chair she uses pretty messy and would prob need to spray/wipe with dettol a few times a week... Just worried that the chalkiness would mean it wipes off?

Annie Sloan is absolutely amazing - I've used it a gazillion times. You use As wax on top of it and it's fine - very hardwearing. I've done loads in Old White and have just bought Arles for a couple of chairs. You can make your own chalk paint using plaster of paris but I'm too lazy. Good luck and remember the painting's the easy bit, don't use shitty brushes though. The waxing's the harder bit.

What do you do to make your own chalk paint Awks?? you mix ordinary paint with plaster of paris? do you know the ratios?