Table Set in Chalk Paint® and Java Gel

The Purple Painted Lady loves sharing a great “before & after” story!

This one is by Anne French…she is the woman smiling below at you!  Anne French Little French Market The Purple Painted Lady

Anne did a table set using Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan and products by General Finishes.  And personally, I think she did a fabulous job!

The Purple Painted Lady  2 Anne French Graphite Java Table Set Chalk Paint

PRODUCTS USED: (Click on the item below to visit it in the shopping cart)

Graphite Chalk Paint®

General Finishes Java Gel Stain

General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin

Steel Wool

Annie Sloan SMALL Paint Brush (to create texture)

Chip Brush

Anne wrote that this table and chairs set was a big job, but I love the way it turned out! My client wanted something rustic, yet sophisticated so we went with kind of a faux zinc finish.

 
PREPPED FOR GENERAL FINISHES:
I started by removing each of the seats so they could be sanded down and prepped for staining. The chair backs were also sanded and taped off since part of the chair would be painted and part would be stained.
Chair Sanded

Chair Sanded

The table top was also completely sanded and prepped for staining. For the stained sections I used my favorite – General Finishes Java Gel.

 
The General Finishes in the color Java is a rich mocha brown
I find it is very forgiving and easy to work with. I did one coat of stain and then wiped off the excess using an old cotton t-shirt.Once the stain had dried thoroughly I applied about 5 coats of General Finishes High Performance Topcoat in Satin for added durability.   The Purple Painted Lady Java Gel Chairs Seats in a Row Anne French
General Finishes Satin The purple painted Lady
 
I used a fine steel wool (grade 0000) in between each coat of sealer for a nice smooth finish. I like to use extra coats of sealer on seats and table tops since they will get lots of use.  (From The Purple Painted Lady- make sure to respect drying times between coats)Steel wool
Next, I started in on the painting portion. (I disassembled the table first, which made it much easier to work with since I knew I would be doing multiple steps).
 
 

FAUX ZINC FINISH (Random Brush Strokes):
To create the faux zinc finish I started off by applying two coats of Annie Sloan Graphite, using brush strokes in all different directions.   Remember that Graphite is a dark slate color with purple/blue undertones.  This is NOT a pure black.  Can you see the brush strokes in the image below?

 
 
The Purple Painted Lady Color Wash Anne French Chalk Paint Graphite
The Purple Painted Lady small Annie sloan Chalk Paint brush domed top
 
The Purple Painted Lady Graphite Chalk Paint open lid
COLOR WASH:
This created some really nice texture to “catch” the color wash. I did a color wash using Annie Sloan Paris Gray, using about five parts water to three parts Paris Gray.
 
Paris Grey  Sample BoardI applied the wash with a chip brush and then rubbed off the excess using an old cloth.
The Purple Painted Lady 2 inch chip brush
Finally, I applied about 3 coats of the General Finishes High Performance Topcoat in Satin, fine sanding with the steel wool in between the coats.My client was thrilled with the finished product! I have since used this faux zinc finish on multiple other projects and it is always a winner.
 
The Purple Painted Lady Graphite Chair Close Up Java Chalk Paint Anne French
 

PROJECT TIP FROM ANNE:
When applying a color wash, be careful not to use too much pressure when wiping off the excess as it can pull off some of the base color and potentially create an unwanted distressed look to your piece.
 

If you are interested in staying touch with The Purple Painted Lady- visit our Facebook page HERE – we would LOVE to hear from you and see your before & after photos!

BUY PRODUCT FROM THE PURPLE PAINTED LADY™:

First- if you have a local stockist- go visit them and build a relationship with them.  Go to them with your questions and project issues.  BUT- if you do not have a local stockist- we invite you to try our customer service!

As for buying any of the products we mentioned earlier in this post- I hope that you select The Purple Painted Lady™ to be your one stop resource!  We have two locations in western NY.  Check out our Information tab and come and meet us!  Otherwise- if you are not located near me- the following information may apply to you.  This information is directed to those who do NOT have a local stockist.  Because if you do – go and meet them, shop from them and build a relationship with them.  The guidance, information and knowledge they share with you – will be invaluable.  But, if you are in a location where there is no one selling paint products- and you must buy on-line- consider us.  With that said, visit www.anniesloan.com to find a stockist near you.
 
We are here to help you, our customers!  We want you to be successful!  And, just so you know, when you place an order with The Purple Painted Lady:
 
SOME OF THE REASONS WE THINK OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE BEST:
 
*  We sell Chalk Paint® for $34.95
*  If you order before 3 pm EASTERN TIME any day Monday thru Friday – we will ship out your package that SAME day.
*  We ship orders out every since week day all over the US.
*  We offer the lowest flat rate UPS shipping cost so if you are one town away or 10 states away- the shipping cost is the same.
*  We have awesome follow up customer service, too!
 
 
And- it is my paint sales that keep me in business and allow me to be here to help you.  (my shameless but honest plug)    Here is a link to our on-line shop=>   http://shop.thepurplepaintedlady.com/
 
: )  And I will be here to help you as you progress through your future project!  And if I do say so myself- we offer the BEST customer service that you will ever experience!Lastly- if I was helpful to you- ….please consider leaving a positive review on my Facebook business page sharing your positive experience or thoughts about The Purple Painted Lady.  Here is a link to my Facebook page=>  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Purple-Painted-Lady/291882785710    This really helps me!  (wink, wink!)
XO
Trish

The Purple Painted Lady™ ~ the serial no. is 86/641,416 with the US Trademark Office

PLEASE VISIT OUR LOCATIONS!

our MAIN STORE at 77 West Main Street in Macedon, NY 14502

77 Main street with phone number

OR

3200 West Ridge Road in Rochester, NY 14626 (The Shops On West Ridge)

 

 

Paris Grey, Graphite and Coco Chalk Paint® Buffet

The Purple Painted Lady The Grateful Painter corner shot Buffet Chalk Paint General Finish GlazeThe Purple Painted Lady loves to share pieces that have been completed by her customers. One customer in particular, is Nikki Counahan. She is also know as The Grateful Painter.

Nikki,  “The Grateful Painter” has both a Facebook page HERE and an Instagram account HERE for you to check out.

I asked Nikki to share some information about this buffet that she recently completed because I think it is helpful to understand how others use products and to learn from one another.   The Purple Painted Lady The Grateful Painter Logo

Here is the fantastic information Nikki shared with me:

I bought this piece from an online auction. I spent more than I normally would on this buffet but I have always wanted to paint something like this so it was worth it!

The Purple Painted Lady The Grateful Painter BEFORE buffet fuller shot June

I am always so excited to start painting a piece as soon as I get it home but this one needed just a bit of prep work before I could dive in. Luckily it was in near perfect condition when I picked it up.

surform plane The Purple Painted Lady The Grateful PainterOne of the cabinet doors was a bit tough to close– the top of the door just seemed to not fit into its space. I tried to adjust the screws in the hinges but it wasn’t budging. I have this handy dandy tool called a “surform plane” that I use in these situations. It basically shaves down the wood making it easier for doors and drawers to fit. Make sure to smooth the surface out with sand paper after using the surform plane otherwise it will be left a bit uneven.

 

SHELLAC:

This piece was a very bright mahogany wood and I knew it was going to have MAJOR bleed through. Zinsser Bulls Eye Shellac is the quickest and easiest way to make sure you have NO bleed through.

Read this post HERE on The Purple Painted Lady website’s to learn more about using Shellac.

I ran sand paper over the entire piece just to rough up the surface, wiped it down with water and bit of mineral spirits, then let it dry before starting. I did two thin coats (of shellac) just to make sure the piece was completely covered. I lightly sanded with 120 grit sand paper before I applied the second coat. Let each coat dry for about an hour and make sure to dust off the piece after sanding! This is definitely an “extra” step but it is VERY important!! (per The Purple Painted Lady ~ sanding between coats of shellac will help prevent paint from crackling)

PAINT:

Once the shellac was dry I started by painting the body in two quick coats of Annie Sloan Coco and the top in two coats of Graphite.

The Purple Painted Lady Graphite Chalk Paint open lid Paris Grey  Sample Board

I ordered Annie Sloan Paris Grey from The Purple Painted Lady and I knew the color would compliment Coco perfectly!

 

Coco Sample Board - Copy

 

 

 

 

If you’re like me as soon as you get a new piece of furniture you want to paint it IMMEDIATELY and the best part about ordering from The Purple Painted Lady is her fast shipping. The paint was at my front door as soon as I was ready to paint!!

VERY HELPFUL HINT FROM THE GRATEFUL PAINTER ON HER PAINTING TECHNIQUE:

I poured a bit of Coco, Paris Grey and a mix of Graphite + Paris Grey on separate plates.

I lightly dipped each side of my brush in each color and then started painting. The technique I used was so simple!!!

I messily painted the colors on in every direction, blending them just enough that they didn’t look obvious. One coat of this technique did the trick.

DRY BRUSH:

I wanted to highlight all of the pretty details on this piece so I dry brushed just a bit of Annie Sloan Old White. Barely dip the edge of the brush just on the surface on the paint and then wipe off the excess with a paper towel. You hardy want ANY paint at all on the brush! I lightly feathered the brush over the details until I was happy with the look.The Purple Painted Lady The grateful painter dry brush June Chalk Paint

 

APPLYING A WASH:

I decided that I wanted to add some dimension to the top of the piece as well so I mixed a wash with 50% Paris Grey and 50% water. I painted the wash over the top and let it sit for a minute or two before wiping it back. It was subtle but enough to add a bit of character.

READ MORE ABOUT CREATING & APPLYING A WASH HERE

TOP COAT USED ON THIS PROJECT:

Next, I applied General Finishes High Performance Top Coat over the entire piece. General Finishes Satin The purple painted LadyI used a foam brush on the bottom half of the buffet to make sure I could get into the small grooves of the details. Its easy to see brush strokes in a sealant with any kind of sheen so I used a small foam roller for the top. I was able to achieve a smooth and seamless finish with this type of application. I applied two coats, sanding in between with steel wool.Steel wool

 

 

 

 

Once the top coat was dry I used General Finishes Glaze Effects in Van Dyke Brown.The Purple Painted Lady Van Dyke Brown Glaze General Finishes I chose brown glaze over black because I wanted to compliment/bring out more of the Coco rather than both of the grays. I applied the glaze with a foam brush just along the edges and in the details of the drawer pulls and appliqués.

 

Only glaze small sections at a time as it can get VERY messy! I painted it on and quickly wiped it off using an old t-shirt. This leaves the glaze only in the grooves and gives an aged look!

HELPFUL GLAZE SUGGESTION:

When using any type of glaze or wax to make a piece look antique I always use a bit over the entire piece, including the top.

The Purple Painted Lady The Grateful Painter Close up Hardware Van Dyke General Finishes Glaze June 2015

I painted on a thick coat of the glaze and let it sit for about 30 seconds before wiping it back. It left behind a very subtle look (hardly noticeable at all) but made the piece look more uniform. I let the glaze dry for about two hours before applying one final coat of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin.

The Purple Painted Lady The Grateful Painter FULL AFTER shot staged June

 

Nikki did a beautiful job on this buffet!  And you can too.

 

If you are interested in staying touch with The Purple Painted Lady- visit our Facebook page HERE – we would LOVE to hear from you and see your before & after photos!

BUY PRODUCT FROM THE PURPLE PAINTED LADY™:

As for buying any of the products we mentioned earlier in this post- I hope that you select The Purple Painted Lady™ to be your one stop resource!  We have two locations in western NY.  Check out our Information tab and come and meet us!  Otherwise- if you are not located near me- the following information may apply to you.  This information is directed to those who do NOT have a local stockist.  Because if you do – go and meet them, shop from them and build a relationship with them.  The guidance, information and knowledge they share with you – will be invaluable.  But, if you are in a location where there is no one selling paint products- and you must buy on-line- consider us.  With that said, visit www.anniesloan.com to find a stockist near you.
 
We are here to help you, our customers!  We want you to be successful!  And, just so you know, when you place an order with The Purple Painted Lady:
 
SOME OF THE REASONS OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE BEST:
 
*  We sell Chalk Paint® for $34.95
*  If you order before 3 pm EASTERN TIME any day Monday thru Friday – we will ship out your package that SAME day.
*  We ship orders out every since week day all over the US.
*  We offer the lowest flat rate UPS shipping cost so if you are one town away or 10 states away- the shipping cost is the same.
*  We have awesome follow up customer service, too!
 
 
And- it is my paint sales that keep me in business and allow me to be here to help you.  (my shameless but honest plug)    Here is a link to our on-line shop=>   http://shop.thepurplepaintedlady.com/
: )  And I will be here to help you as you progress through your future project!  And if I do say so myself- we offer the BEST customer service that you will ever experience!Lastly- if I was helpful to you- ….please consider leaving a positive review on my Facebook business page sharing your positive experience or thoughts about The Purple Painted Lady.  Here is a link to my Facebook page=>  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Purple-Painted-Lady/291882785710    This really helps me!  (wink, wink!)
XO
Trish

The Purple Painted Lady™ ~ the serial no. is 86/641,416 with the US Trademark Office

VISIT our locations too!

our MAIN STORE at 77 West Main Street in Macedon, NY 14502

OR

3200 West Ridge Road in Rochester, NY 14626 (The Shops On West Ridge)

Differences between Annie Sloan’s “Grey” Chalk Paint® Colors

Which “Grey” Chalk Paint® Should I Get???

If you order paint on-line, it can be a bit intimidating since colors may look differently on your monitor (especially depending on the quality of it.) I receive many questions about the differences between the “grey” colors in the Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan family. (Chateau Grey, Country Grey, Paris Grey, French Linen)
French Linen Chateau Grey Paris Grey Comparing The Purple Painted Lady Country

First let me share that neither Chateau Grey, Country Grey are actually a true grey! Their names can cause confusion for some of you if not able to see the color first hand.

I describe the colors as:

Chateau Grey = Annie Sloan says this is an elegant greyed green. (And I want to stress “green” here!) This color is beautiful- but is definitely green- like a sage or lighter hue of olive green! I really like Chateau Grey paired with Antoinette, Scandinavian Pink, Duck Egg Blue, Old White and Old Ochre.

Chateau Grey Color Paper The Purple Painted Lady

Country Grey = It is a putty color using greenish raw umber. It is a lighter color and will brighten a space. I would consider this a neutral color since depending on the other colors around it- it can appear slightly different . With that said- it plays well with many colors. Many are surprised when they see it on a piece in our shop how much they like it. It is a really useful color. It’s terrific on its own and with white or for distressing as a top coat with Cream or Scandinavian Pink underneath. According to Annie’s site, “It is generally seen as a more rustic color good for a country look rather than the chateau.”   Annie Sloan recommends using Country Grey beneath Pure White- since Pure White by default- does not have as much color blocking ability per say, Provence. So, Annie Sloan herself suggests using Country Grey as a base over surfaces that are dark and that you are painting with Pure White. This creates a great base of blocking ability and will actually save you from painting more coats of Pure White than you would like to.

Another way to use Country Grey is to mix it into another color such as Chateau Grey or Duck Egg Blue to make them paler and knocked back. I like Country Grey paired with Antoinette or Primer Red, or Aubusson!

Country Grey Color Paper The Purple Painted Lady

Paris Grey = It is a light dove grey with slight blue undertones. It is a silvery – white grey. Many customers say they think, “Restoration Hardware” when they see this color. It is a “cooler” grey!

Paris Grey Color Paper The purple Painted Lady

And since we are doing colors with shades of grey- let’s talk about French Linen.

French Linen = This is more like a light khaki or taupe. To me, the color makes you think “Pottery Barn.” It is a timeless & classic color. It has a bit of grey to it compared to the color Coco.  Just a quick note!  The extended color paper for French Linen seems darker than it does in person when looking at this image on my monitor.

French Linen Color Paper The Purple Painted Lady

French Linen with both Clear and Dark Wax Sample Board - Copy

And speaking of Coco …Coco is more brown and has a warmer feeling to it. I like to describe this as the color of coffee flooded with cream in it.

French Linen Paris Grey Coco Comparing The Purple Painted Lady

Lastly- I need to mention Graphite.   Reminiscent of Gun Metal.

graphite Mixed with Old White Spectrum The Purple Painted Lady

Annie Sloan’s Graphite is a soft black – which I like to compare to a dark slate color or a vintage slate chalk board in an old school room! It is made with purplish blues, browns, and is not completely black. When waxed with Annie’s Dark Wax- the color becomes even more richer and warm. This is a popular color, especially when I am detailing a piece with vintage typography. I receive a lot of emails about this color. First- I want to clearly state again – this is NOT black.

It is a rich color – close to being a slate, or think …dark pencil lead. Depending on the orientation of the surface painted- it can appear darker or lighter. It does have depth and interest- and clearly plays wonderfully with other pieces painted in a true black.

To create other lighter shades of grey, mix it with either Pure White or Old White.

BUY PRODUCT FROM …..THE PURPLE PAINTED LADY™:

First- if you have a local stockist- go visit them and build a relationship with them.  Go to them with your questions and project issues.  BUT- if you do not have a local stockist- we invite you to try our customer service!

As for buying any of the products we mentioned earlier in this post- I hope that you select The Purple Painted Lady™ to be your one stop resource!  We have four locations in western NY.  Check out our Information tab and come and meet us!  Otherwise- if you are not located near me- the following information may apply to you.  This information is directed to those who do NOT have a local stockist.  Because if you do – go and meet them, shop from them and build a relationship with them.  The guidance, information and knowledge they share with you – will be invaluable.  But, if you are in a location where there is no one selling paint products- and you must buy on-line- consider us.  With that said, visit www.anniesloan.com to find a stockist near you.
We are here to help you, our customers!  We want you to be successful!  And, just so you know, when you place an order with The Purple Painted Lady:
*  We sell Chalk Paint® for $34.95
*  If you order before 3 pm EASTERN TIME any day Monday thru Friday – we will ship out your package that SAME day.
*  We ship orders out every since week day all over the US.
*  We offer the lowest flat rate UPS shipping cost so if you are one town away or 10 states away- the shipping cost is the same.
*  We have awesome follow up customer service, too!
And- it is my paint sales that keep me in business and allow me to be here to help you.  (my shameless but honest plug)    Here is a link to our on-line shop=>  http://shop.thepurplepaintedlady.com/
: )  And I will be here to help you as you progress through your future project!  And if I do say so myself- we offer the BEST customer service that you will ever experience!Lastly- if I was helpful to you- ….please consider leaving a positive review on my Facebook business page sharing your positive experience or thoughts about The Purple Painted Lady.  Here is a link to my Facebook page=> http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Purple-Painted-Lady/291882785710    This really helps me!  (wink, wink!)
XO
Trish

The Purple Painted Lady™ ~ the serial no. is 86/641,416 with the US Trademark Office

PLEASE VISIT OUR FOUR LOCATIONS!

our MAIN STORE at 77 West Main Street in Macedon, NY 14502

77 Main street with phone number

OR

650 South Ave. in Rochester, NY 14620

The Purple Painted Lady South Wedge Stye Chalk Paint Judy Bret 2015

OR

3200 West Ridge Road in Rochester, NY 14626 (The Shops On West Ridge)

OR

Our Syracuse, NY location at 1 West Genesee Street in Baldwinsville, NY 13027 inside The Savvy Chick

The Purple Painted Lady west genesee Baldwinsville Chalk Paint FRONT Savvy Chick