This was by far the largest chalk paint project I’ve ever done. I found this Armoire for $30 on 5 Miles app. I love using this app to find deals on nearby pieces I can refinish.
It’s in excellent condition As Is and ready to use; however, I decided to paint it for my bedroom. Continue to read on how I went about Painting My First Armoire Teal With Chalk Paint.
So here is the Armoire, before and after removing the hardware that had to go!
My Armoire remained unpainted while I waited for the perfect inspiration of color. Thought of painting in Ivory or Beige to match my bedroom which was already 50 Shades of Beige as shown below 😀 #FiftyShadesOfBeige
So I went ahead and purchased some paint to match my bedroom and also this large ornate mirror which would hang on wall closest to armoire, that was…until I saw these chairs at Ross store. I purchased the one tufted reupholstered chair in the photo below, because this is all they had in stock. Brought it home, and later found another matching at another store on the other side of town. That’s when I new it was meant to be!!
I love this floral chair and all the colors. It has 3 different shades of teal along with moss green, chartreuse, mustard and navy blue on an ivory background. So pretty. So I decided to look for a vibrant Teal paint.
DIY Chalk Paint Recipe in Any Color You Choose
I decided to paint the Armoire two tone Teal and Ivory. So I went with Tahitian Treat Teal and Baja paints using the Home Depot DIY Chalk Paint Recipe. 1 Quart of each paint is more than enough for my project. I got the Tahitian Treat by -Valspar Signature from Lowe’s, however it’s also made by Glidden if you can’t find Valspar. Either way, it’s PPG1147-7. The Baha is by Behr Ultra and sold at Home Depot.
This is the Home Depot DIY Chalk Paint Recipe I used. You’ll need your Paint, Plaster of Paris, a Chalk Paint Brush, Plaster of Paris, something to mix paint with and a disposable bowl. Note all water based paints are washable with just water or soap and water. Recipe for DIY Chalk Paint below:
- Mix 1/3 cup of Plaster of Paris with 1/3 cup of room temperature water. Stir the mixture until it’s completely smooth.
- Mix the plaster and water mixture with one cup of flat latex paint. Stir thoroughly.
- Apply the paint with a chalk paint brush. There’s no need for sanding or priming the surface prior to use if the surface is smooth.
Using Plaster of Paris (white powder) will brighten up the actual color a tad. I don’t have a problem with this because I just go with the darker version of the color and also a higher pigment/binders latex paint base.
This armoire is huge and very heavy. I painted it in my bedroom so I was sure to cover all nearby items and the floor with plastic.
I used my old Waverly Chalk Paint Paint brush for the entire armoire except for small areas requiring detail and the top. There are lots of good similar chalk paint brushes sold here.
Because of the height, I had to get a ladder and use a roller brush with an extender to reach the entire top.
Ombre or Blending Chalk Paint Application
Once I finished painting the entire armoire, I went back in and painted a final layer of each color. For the front, I blended the Tahitian Treat onto the Baha by blotting using the same dried out brush onto the dried Baja Paint for the front. For the side I used this ombre technique found in video tutorial here, but in reverse with darkest paint being blended on to lighter paint. Both the front and the back are giving me ombre water paint vibes. There are so many ways to do a ombre paint look. The same instructor I mentioned earlier has 3 different methods to ombre paint Method 1, Method 2, Method 3. I was painting on all kinds of angles so harder to expain without a video.
Once the paint has dried over night, I then added the hardware which took weeks to received.
I purchased the gold rhinestone knobs from Amazon these also come in silver and other colers. My gold plates from Etsy. Amazon carries them too, but you have to make sure you have the right size. The gold plates comes in small and large. I have the size large on this Armoire. The shipping took forever, so order in advance.
I then decided to add the gold leaf. I had a hard time finding it because everything was closed just about due to pandemic nationwide.
Gold Leaf is applied with adhesive aka size. I got the Mona Lisa Gold Leaf Adhesive. It is very thin and took less than a teaspoon for my project. You can use any gold leaf size that dries clear.
Applying Gold Leaf Size (Adhesive)
Blot it on to your desired pattern using only enough for a thin layer while avoiding puddles or running. You can start with a little at a time, avoiding any puddles of glue while taking your time. I applied the size right above the ombre line using the same small angle brush in the pic above. Mona Lisa Size goes on white and dries clear.
Once the size has become dry clear and sticky, then you can apply the gold leaf sheets on top. Just add the sheets or pieces to cover the glue and flatten out with a firm brush while brushing off the access which can be saved and used again for another project. This is a good video on Applying Gold Leaf to furniture here. You will need the gold leaf sheets of your choice, Sizing/Adhesive, and a flat short brush.
I’m still deciding on if I want to line the interior or paint it. I will post updated photos here and on Pinterest when I do.
The Finished Tahitian Treat Armoire
Here are some photos of my bedroom after. It’s no longer 50 Shades of Beige. I’ll have to think of a new name for it 🙂 I hope you’ve been Inspired!
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