Drab to Fab: Farmhouse Paint

I've gotten hold of another piece of furniture, and I've been dying to to try this Farmhouse Paint. 

Farmhouse Paint is similar to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint; it sticks to just about anything, and you don't have to sand or prime the surface before applying it. The difference in the Farmhouse Paint is that you don't have to wax it after applying. I've never used chalk paint, but supposedly, the waxing is the hardest part. 

R.B.'s mom, Belle, gave me this old cedar chest that's been sitting in her garage for awhile. She thinks it was her grandmother's, so it's pretty old. 

It has this cool art deco look to it, but it was in need of some major love. 

First, I had to wipe down the whole thing to remove all the dust and spider webs (eek!). I used a wet towel first and then mixed some white vinegar with hot water and wiped it down again. That made a world of difference. 

I picked out the Vintage Buff color in the quart size ($32) from local shop, Quite the Pair. They gave me a tip sheet and sent me on my way. They do offer painting classes if you want to practice and get hands on experience, but I was ready to get right to it. 

The first coat of paint acts like a primer. At first, I thought I was doing something wrong because it seemed to dry super fast. But, after two more coats, things got easier and looked much better. 

This is after three coats. 

I think two coats would have sufficed, but I wanted to make sure. 

After letting it dry completely, I started sanding. I used a 220 grit sandpaper to sand the whole thing. This helps give the paint a smooth finish. I then used a more coarse sandpaper to give it a more distressed look. 

You can distress it as much or as little as you like.

I decided to add a little more dimension by applying a gold leaf rub to the decorative arches. 

Sorry for the blurriness. 

I got this Rub 'n Buff from Hobby Lobby. I used my finger to apply it and then sanded some of it off. A little goes a really long way. 

I plan on using this in the sunroom for storage. I'm not quite sure how I feel about the final product. I may go back and distress it a little more on the top and front. But, it works for now. 

Overall, I really liked the Farmhouse Paint. It's easy to use and offers really great coverage. It also comes in several different colors, and they have a metallic line coming out soon!

What do you think? Have you tried the Farmhouse or Chalk Paint?