This little side table was sweet but it needed some colour. Due to its lovely, shapely legs I knew it would be perfect in Dixie Belle's new Desert Rose Silk Mineral paint. I also wanted to change the hardware and add some interest to the drawer front so I thought of adding some Woodubend. If you want to find any of the products used in this blog please use the links in our materials list below.
Materials:
White Lightening, spray bottle, Scrubby Sponge
Mister with plain Water and a Chux
Dixie Belle Mini, Dixie Belle Flat Large and Foam Roller
Baby Wipes or Paper Towel
Uni Pro Oval Brush and Artist Brush
Woodubend (Floral Garland) wub0349
Cleaning and Prep:
To begin, after removing the hardware, I cleaned the table with my pre-made White Lightening mixture (1tbsp White Lightening to 1 litre of warm water) and a scrubby sponge and then Rinsed the residue off with Plain Water in my Mister.
This piece was quite glossy so I decided I'd use some Slick Stick to be safe and ensure that my paint would adhere. I used a combination of a brush and roller to apply and smooth out the primer.
It's best to apply one coat in the morning and then another in the afternoon. It is then recommended that you wait until the next day to start painting, so that the primer has time to work its magic.
Painting:
I decided to use Dixie Belle's new Desert Rose Silk Mineral Paint for this project. I stirred my paint well and used my Dixie Belle Mini to apply. When you're applying Silk Paint it's important not to over work the paint, work in small sections and move on. If you keep brushing and disturbing the paint,
you will get brush strokes. This paint is self levelling so you don't need to get it perfect.
I applied one coat and then 2 hours later added another coat. Make sure you stir your paint well before use each time. You can put your brush in a zip lock bag between coats or wrap it in some cling wrap to ensure it doesn't dry out.
I used Dixie Belle's Sand Bar Chalk Mineral Paint on the top as I was going to be doing the Woodgrain look and this is a perfect base. I applied one coat and then a second coat an hour later.
Using the Wood Grain Tool:
When that was dry I took my Flat Large Dixie Belle Brush and my favourite water based Voodoo Gel Stain 'Tobacco Road'. I also kept my mister handy in case I had to rehydrate the stain.
I brushed on the Tobacco Road Voodoo Gel Stain and while still wet I took my Wood Grain Tool (large attachment) and ran it through the product. I held it at an angle as I pulled.
If you rock the tool as you pull it through, you will get wood knots. I didn't do this as I just wanted the grain look. After each swipe I started at the opposite end.
For the edges, I brushed on the stain and then ran the tool around the edge.
If you aren't happy with the grain after you swipe, use your brush to brush back over the product and try again. You can give yourself more play time by sealing your base colour with Satin Clear Coat and letting it dry before applying the stain to run the tool through.
Adding Woodubend:
While my table top was drying I focused on the drawer front. I decided on a floral garland design to go in the centre, behind the drawer knob. I worked out the centre of the drawer and drilled a hole. I picked a drill bit that was a little bit smaller than the screw I was going to use. I then took my Woodubend and the backing provided and worked out where I wanted the hole to go. I took my
drill with the same drill bit and carefully drilled a hole through the Woodubend
When I was happy with the hole placement I painted the design in Desert Rose and did the same for the small knob I was going to use.
When the painted Woodubend was dry I used a hair dryer to heat it up to ensure a flush fit against the drawer. The Woodubend will become flexible when heated.
I then applied Wood Glue to the back, careful to cover the whole area. I
then lined it up with the holes in the Woodubend and the Drawer and applied some pressure. Any extra glue that came out the sides I removed with a baby wipe.
Waxing:
When the top was dry I added Clear Best Dang Wax with my Best Dang Brush. I wanted to warm the top up a bit too so I added some Brown Best Dang Wax with my La Petite Brush.
After 15 mins had passed I buffed the top with an Applicator Pad.
I then moved onto the body of the piece. I wanted an aged, vintage look so after applying Clear wax to the entire piece I added brown wax and worked it into the corners and groves. I wiped it back in areas too. This step will be to your liking.
I also added some Dixie Dirt in Charcoal to the areas I felt would
naturally accumulate dirt and character (corners and edges etc).
If you're going to add Dixie Dirt remember that it needs something to stick too. I used Best Dang Wax but you could also use Easy Peasy Spray Wax or wet Glaze.
Finally I added faint hints of Dixie Belle's Gold Gilding Wax to the floral design and handle. Not too much though as I wanted it to look like it had worn away over the years.
I used my finger to apply but you can use an artist brush as well. If you're going to use Gilding Wax make sure it's your last step as it's oil based and will cure on it's own.
I'm very happy with the result and had so much fun using Dixie Belle's new Desert Rose Silk paint. I can see it being a real favourite as it's a colour that ages well.
This piece is available for purchase in our shop in Singleton. Please contact us if you're interested or have any questions about this makeover on our Facebook or Instagram Pages: @theprovincialfarmhouse or email: theprovincialfarmhouse@outlook.com
Thanks for taking the time to read our blog!
If you want to find any of the products used see the links in our materials list at the start of the blog.