You can do so much more with painting than just make your room or furniture another color. Modern painting techniques allow you to add texture and various effects to your decor so that it aligns with your design ideas.
One of the more popular trends in painting lately is creating an antiquated look. With the right painting technique, the regular furniture that you bought at a chain store can look like a vintage antique. Here are a few techniques that you can use to achieve this look.
Distress the Paint
This technique takes a few days to execute but it results in a carefully worn look that mimics the feeling of a well-loved antique.
First, prime and paint your surface as you would normally. Then, wait several days for the paint to dry. Once the paint is completely dry, hand sand the edges with sandpaper. This technique gently wears off some of the paint to create the illusion of natural wear and tear without getting rid of too much paint.
Once you’ve sanded down the edges, lightly apply a stain to preserve the sanded area. Be sure to wipe down the stain soon after applying it to avoid changing the color of the area too drastically. You just want to protect the surface and create a light contrast. If you accidentally stain the area too dark, you can always sand down the area to get rid of some of the stain.
Finally, cover the whole piece with a clear coat of paint to protect your work.
Apply Dark Wax
Another method that helps you achieve an antiquated look is applying dark wax once you’ve finished painting and your surface has dried completely. Go over the whole piece with a dark tinted wax, paying special attention to edges and details. Once you’ve applied the wax, you will wipe most of it away, leaving color behind mostly in the edges and crevices.
This technique is easier than distressing the paint because it only involves one step. The wax forms a protective coat over the paint so you do not need to restrain the furniture or apply a protective clear coat. It also creates an overall darker color that mimics the veneer that comes with age. However, if you only want to create an antiquated look on some parts of your furniture while preserving the overall color, this technique may not be for you.
Apply Glaze
If you don’t like working with wax, you can achieve a similar look as described above using a darker glaze. You can make your own dark glaze by mixing glaze with dark paint and thinning it out with water. Then, apply it as you would with any paint. Be sure to work quickly since glaze dries fast and you may not have time to wipe it away.
When using a darker glaze, you will need to cover the piece with a clear coat to protect your work, adding an extra step that you would not need to do if you used wax.
These techniques can help you achieve a vintage look even on the newest furniture. Distressing the paint or going over your painting job with a darker wax or glaze can mimic the wear and tear that years of use give vintage furniture.
Marc Poulos began his real estate and financial services career, but he soon realized that his true passion was beautifying homes. He started working with various small craftsman shops before serving an apprenticeship with the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Chicago. His commitment to excellence won him Top Apprentice from Washburne trade school in Chicago – the country’s premier school of its kind.
