Color Stories

Did you know that Annie Sloan's colors all have a "back story"? Having just returned from our Annual Chalk Paint® Stockist Conference, I was reminded of these stories by Annie - here are some favorites...

AUBUSSON BLUE

This elegant shade of blue is named after the small town of Aubusson in central France, famous for its tapestry making. The color is designed after the distinctive grey blue traditionally used to make the tapestries, and found in classic 18th and 19th century Aubusson rugs, as well as Scandinavian painted furniture. It is an elegant color that works well with many colors as it is a dark neutral but in particular it works with Paris Grey.

GRAPHITE

Graphite, while almost black, is not a simple, hard color but instead a mellow, sophisticated color. It is a soft black made with purplish blues and brown. When waxed with dark soft wax it becomes a beautiful black similar to dark slate. 

Adding Old White makes a sophisticated grey or an elegant charcoal.

VERSAILLES

This soft, delicate, lightly yellowed dusky green from the 18th century is sophisticated and gentle, yet fits well with modern pieces. This color picks up other colors quite well and changes character accordingly. When paired with Louis Blue, lightened Henrietta, Cream, and Old White it goes back to the French Court of Versailles, but with Provence, Duck Egg Blue, and Coco this color becomes sassy and modern.

ARLES

The inspiration is the rich glowing yellow is the color associated with the town of Arles in the South of France. It is a rich yellow ochre with a hint of orange and with Old White added the color is warm and gentle. A very sophisticated yellow.

COUNTRY GREY

Made from combining white and greenish raw umber, the result is a cool, putty color. It is generally seen as a more rustic color, which makes it perfect for a country look, rather than the more sophisticated Chateau Grey. This color is terrific on its own; however, it can also be mixed into another color to make it paler. It 's terrific on its own or for distressing as a top coat with Cream or Scandinavian Pink underneath. 

Want to learn more about Chalk Paint®? Then join me at our next Chalk Paint® Workshop - Beyond The Basics, Tuesday, June 3 at our Richmond shop. For more information and to register:

REGISTER HERE

or you can stop by either shop to register.

Happy Painting!   Rachel

Chalk Paint® and supplies are available at my two shops:

4323 Irvington Rd., Irvington, VA and 

19 S. Belmont Ave. (in the heart of Carytown), Richmond, VA

Directions to either shop

To see more tips, tutorials, photos: Paintbrush and Pearls

Want to see more? Find Rachel on:

SHOP ONLINE  |  FACEBOOK  |  PINTEREST  |  BLOG  | TWITTER

Fall / Winter Chalk Paint® Workshops

I'm always pleased to announce our new Chalk Paint® Workshops, but am really excited to tell you that we are now holding three hour Workshops in Richmond too!

These are three hour hands-on Workshops where I teach four "Basic" Techniques for using Chalk Paint®: Annie's Modern Finish, Rustic Finish, Two Color Wash, Two Color Distressed.

In addition, you will learn all about Waxing with Annie's Soft Waxes (Clear and Dark), Distressing Techniques and my secret to Buffing. I also love to tell you about how to mix the colors for fabulous new colors.

I keep the class size small so that I can answer all your questions and give you personalized attention.

This Workshop is not just for you beginners either, I cover lots of techniques that even those who have painted before are sure to learn something new.

Richmond: 
Tuesday, October 15: 11am to 2pm
Tuesday, November 12: 11am to 2pm
Tuesday, December 10: 11am to 2pm

Irvington:
Saturday, October 19: 11am to 2pm
Saturday, November 16: 11am to 2pm
Saturday, December 14: 11am to 2pm

You can register for any of the Workshops now by coming to the shops or online by clicking HERE. Cost for the Workshop is $95.00 and is non-refundable. (All supplies and a light snack and drinks will be provided.)

Happy Painting!  Rachel

Chalk Paint® and supplies are available at my two shops:

4323 Irvington Rd., Irvington, VA and 

19 S. Belmont Ave. (in the heart of Carytown), Richmond, VA

For directions to either shop, click HERE

To see more tips, tutorials, photos: Paintbrush and Pearls

Want to see more? Find Rachel on:

FACEBOOK |  PINTEREST  |  BROCANTE HOME BLOG  |  PAINTBRUSH AND PEARLS BLOG

Ode to Old Violet

Old Violet with Dark Soft Wax

Old Violet is just the prettiest muted violet with grey undertones
you'd ever want to see. 

Like deep Parma violets or blue lavender it is a wonderful 18th century color 

often used for painting the inside of furniture - like the lining of a jacket. 

Old Violet

Add Old White

Add more Old White

Add Old White and you will get beautiful shades of violets / blues / greys.

Paris Grey

Paint as the base color with Paris Grey / Old White or Pure White on top and
distress for a wonderful aged affect.

It is of course wonderful on its own as I did here on this beautiful table -
love Old Violet in the garden!

Wouldn't it be beautiful with Emperor's Silk or Cream too?

Cream

Old Violet

Emperor's Silk

At my next Chalk Paint® Class in Richmond, we will learn more about
Old Violet and Annie's other fabulous colors.

Happy Painting!  Rachel

Chalk Paint® and supplies are available at my two shops:
4323 Irvington Rd., Irvington, VA and 
19 S. Belmont Ave. (in the heart of Carytown), Richmond, VA
For directions to either shop, click HERE

To see more tips, tutorials, photos: Paintbrush and Pearls

Want to see more? Find Rachel on:

FACEBOOK |  PINTEREST  |  BROCANTE HOME BLOG  |  PAINTBRUSH AND PEARLS BLOG

Creating an Aged Patina with Chalk Paint®

There are numerous ways to create an aged and distressed finish on a piece of furniture painted with Chalk Paint®. I talked about one way in an earlier post about Annie's new Wax Paint Technique.

For this project, I have used three products, Chalk Paint®, Soft Wax and High Grit Sandpaper (600 grit) - painting, wiping and distressing to obtain the look of a nice worn patina on this table. 

I first painted the entire mahogany piece in one coat of Chateau Grey, a beautiful neutral color that Annie calls an elegant grey green - the color found in old French woodwork. Don't worry if the color does not completely cover the wood - I will be painting several other colors over this.

Next, I added a second coat in Old White, wiping the paint as I went with a clean soft cloth to take off some of the paint and achieve a bit of distressing. I did not thin the paint with water, but applied it full strength.

After the second coat dried, I then painted a third color, Old Ochre, over it, also wiping it back. Make sure to wipe back while the paint is still wet, so do this in sections. 

After letting all three coats dry, I mixed a little Dark Soft Wax with Clear Soft Wax for a softer brown color. I waxed the entire piece with this mixture and with a little pressure, wiped off the excess so that some of the original paint (Chateau Grey) and wood showed through. I did not need to use any sandpaper to distress, but if you want a more distressed look, give it a try. A little bit of buffing with the high grit sandpaper (600 grit) and a soft cloth and I was through. 

It's that easy! I'll explain the steps further at my next Chalk Paint® Class in Richmond this Tuesday, August 20th. To reserve your spot, please call DéCOR at 804-562-8326.

I still have room in my two hour Chalk Paint® Workshop in Irvington next Saturday, August 24th. For information, click HERE.

P.S. - I am now offering private Chalk Paint® lessons! For more information please click HERE.

Happy Painting!  Rachel

Chalk Paint® and supplies are available at my two shops:
4323 Irvington Rd., Irvington, VA and 
19 S. Belmont Ave. (in the heart of Carytown), Richmond, VA
For directions to either shop, click HERE

To see more tips, tutorials and photos: Paintbrush and Pearls

A Smooth Modern Finish

Sometimes you just want a smooth, contemporary finish on the furniture you are going to paint with Chalk Paint®. It represents an opportunity to use a clear contemporary color such as Provence or Florence, or in my case, Louis Blue, since I wanted to use a soft blue to compliment the summer feel of the shop. 

Supplies You Will Need:

Chalk Paint®

High Grit (600 to 800) for sanding & buffing

Clear Soft Wax

Clean Soft Cloth for removing excess wax and polishing

Paint Brush (I like Annie's)

Ultimate Wax Brush

As always, I first cleaned the table with a gentle cleaner such as Simple Green or Method. Lightly sand the surface, if needed, to smooth out any imperfections. (Remember, we are going for a smooth finish!)

Then, I applied a first coat of Chalk Paint® in Louis Blue smoothly and evenly over the entire piece. Work the brush in one direction with the grain. The paint should be smooth and flowing - if not, adding just a little water will dilute the paint, making it flow easier. (Or, try dipping your brush first into a bowl of water, then into the paint to thin it a bit, especially for the second coat.) 

 And then I applied a second coat once the first has dried. The first coat should cover the piece and the second coat should make the color "opaque".

PaintTip: Don't overwork the paint with your brush! Long, smooth and easy strokes are best. I like using Annie's brushes because they deliver just the right amount of paint and the paint goes on extra smoothly.

Option: After the second coat is completely dry, you can lightly sand with the 600 grit sandpaper. Note: this is the only time I might suggest that you sand prior to waxing. Make sure that you are sanding over a drop cloth, or if you can, take it outside. This will help to smooth out the brush strokes, but remember, you will almost always see some of the brush strokes. (Personally, I find that I can get a nice smooth finish without this step and who needs the mess?)

Using a wax brush, I then applied a thin coat of Soft Clear Wax over the entire piece. Chalk Paint®, when dry, has a matte, velvety finish that absorbs Annie's Soft Wax perfectly. 

I like using the Ultimate Wax Brush to apply Soft Wax to my projects - it gets into all the nooks and crannies perfectly. Wipe off any excess wax with the soft cloth, polishing as you go. You should not be able to "feel" the wax after this step. If you use the Ultimate Wax Brush, you should not have any problem with over waxing. P.S. - Check out the shops for our new smaller Ultimate Wax Brushes! 

Then, when the Soft Wax has dried, I buffed with the 600 grit sandpaper for that patina we love.

Happy Painting!  Rachel

Chalk Paint® and supplies are available at my two shops:
4323 Irvington Rd., Irvington, VA and 
19 S. Belmont St. (in the heart of Carytown), Richmond, VA

To see more tips, tutorials and photos: Paintbrush and Pearls

Introducing.....English Yellow

Annie Sloan's newest color, Chalk Paint® in English Yellow, has arrived! 

And is available in both our Irvington and Richmond shops.

Ready to paint?

P.S. - We are now offering Saturday Workshops in our Irvington Studio and Classes in our Richmond shop on Tuesday's. Our next Workshop is Saturday, July 27 and Class is Tuesday, July 30.

For more information and to register, click HERE.

Happy  Painting!  Rachel

Chalk Paint® and supplies are available at my two shops:
4323 Irvington Rd., Irvington, VA and 
19 S. Belmont St. (in the heart of Carytown), Richmond, VA
For directions to either shop, click HERE

To see more tips, tutorials and photos: Paintbrush and Pearls

Look for this logo to know you are getting the original and only 
Chalk Paint®!

Complimentary Colors

A Complimentary is the opposite color on the color wheel - 

it can mean that they can fight each other or they can get along really well....

Cream is the opposite of Old Violet and in this case get along really well!

With these two Complimentary Colors, one is primary and one is secondary. 

Here, Cream (the primary color) is made from 
yellow with lots of white in it and 
Old Violet (the secondary color) 

is made from blue and red. 

Mix them together and you get Paloma - 

a lovely purple grey.

Want to learn more about Chalk Paint® colors? 

Join me at the next Chalk Paint® Class in Richmond 

where we will be talking about 

Expanding You Color Options. 

Classes are complimentary, but please, 

call 804-562-8326 to register.

Happy Painting!  Rachel

Chalk Paint® and supplies are available at my two shops:
4323 Irvington Rd., Irvington, VA and 
19 S. Belmont St. (in the heart of Carytown), Richmond, VA
For directions to either shop, click HERE

To see more tips, tutorials and photos: Paintbrush and Pearls

And here's Olive!

Olive is a deep green with a yellow tinge. I know, I know, it doesn't look like much here, but....

Olive with Dark Wax

I just love what fellow Stockist Amy from Maison Decor did with this chest! Now, if that doesn't make you fall in love, maybe this will....

Photo by Christopher Drake from Annie Sloan

Or, mix Olive with Old White to get this lovely color Annie calls Lisbon, the color of pale olive leaves in the capital of Portugal.

Olive with Old White

Still not convinced? Try mixing Olive with Provence to get a delightful greenish/blue. I used it on the samples boards below to show how to use a Color Wash with Chalk Paint®.

Color Wash of Olive and Provence

P.S. - I'll be discussing Color Washes at my next Chalk Paint® Class in Richmond on June 26th. 

Happy Painting!  Rachel

Chalk Paint® and supplies are available at my two shops:
4323 Irvington Rd., Irvington, VA and 
19 S. Belmont St. (in the heart of Carytown), Richmond, VA
For directions to either shop, click HERE

To see more tips, tutorials and photos: Paintbrush and Pearls

How to Paint a Harlequin (Diamond) Design with Chalk Paint®

Adding a harlequin or diamond design to furniture, floors or even walls is easy to accomplish with a ruler, frog tape and two colors of Chalk Paint®. 

Follow along as I paint my shop counter...

My shop counter before.

Start by painting the entire surface with one of the colors. In my case, I choose Old White and Graphite. 

It is only necessary to paint one coat - just make certain you have complete coverage. If not, you may want to paint a second coat of the first color.

After the first color has dried, you need to map out the design by first measuring your total surface from top to bottom and then from side to side. You will need to mark off the midpoints with a pencil. 

I drew a point in the mid-point of both the horizontal and the vertical planes of each of the above two panels. Keep cutting the midpoints in half until you have the size of the diamonds. In my case, I was painting four across and one down. You can see on the photo above where the points are by looking at the tape. Tape off the pattern with frog tape.....

Then, fill in the taped area with you second color - here in Graphite. I painted two coats since I was planning on using this as a chalkboard. Repeat until you have painted all of your diamonds. 

Then, pull of the tape and you are finished!

Now, wasn't that easy?

Happy Painting!

Rachel

Chalk Paint® and supplies are available at my two shops:
4323 Irvington Rd., Irvington, VA and 
19 S. Belmont St. (in the heart of Carytown), Richmond, VA

To see more tips, tutorials and photos: Paintbrush and Pearls