I love a rustic farmhouse look and it can be hard to find an authentically aged piece so I'm going to take you through some steps you can use to get a worn, chippy layered farmhouse look on your average pine furniture.
Dixie Belle has come out with a new transfer that I am obsessed with! It's called 'On the Farm' and if you are someone who loves all things country you will love it! On the left you'll see what you get in
the pack. It has so many lovely pieces included to create a farm scene or to use individually on various decor items. I decided to use the Animal Stack on my latest piece and to give it a rustic, worn look to suit the design.
Materials:
White Lightening, Water Spray Bottle, Scrubby Sponge, Chux
Mister with plain water.
Cashmere & Juniper Limited Edition Chalk Mineral Paint
Chocolate Chalk Mineral Paint
Dixie Belle Mini & Chip Brushes
Sea Spray, Plastic Bowls and Spoons
Best Dang Wax in Clear and Brown
Dixie Dirt
Crackle
'On the Farm' Belles and Whistles Transfer
Cleaning and Prep: So you can see (on the left) what I started with. This piece was taller than a bedside table so I envision this being used as a side table in any room for extra storage.
To start I removed the handles and I cleaned my piece with White Lightening (mix 1 tbsp White Lightening to 1 litre of warm water) using a scrubby sponge. I then rinsed the cleaner off with plain water in my Mister and a clean chux.
Painting: I knew I wanted a rustic 'I've been painted many times over the years look'. So I grabbed my Sea Spray to mix with my paint colours. Sea Spray is a texture additive that you add to your paint to give a rough weathered look. The packet comes with a scoop that you can use to add to your paint. I suggest only adding
a little at a time. As you stir, you'll see the paint thicken and become a bit lumpy. If it's not lumpy enough you can add more Sea Spray, if it's too lumpy add more paint. When you're applying the Sea Spray mix it's best to dab the product on as it gives it more texture and simulates old paint. I also recommend that you do not put this down your drain as it may cause a blockage. Best to wash your brush and container outside.
For this project I mixed Sea Spray with Dixie Belle's Cashmere Chalk Mineral Paint (CMP) and Chocolate CMP. I also used Juniper Chalk Mineral Paint on it's own.
I started with a base of Cashmere, dabbing the Sea Spray mixture onto the whole piece to get good coverage. I recommend using a chip brush and not your good brushes as this process can be hard on your brushes. As it was starting to dry I went back over and dabbed at the paint again (with no extra paint on my brush) to create even more texture.
When the first layer was dry I then brushed on a layer of Juniper CMP using my Dixie Belle Mini Brush. I did this so that you would see the green peeking through the final coat of Cashmere. Again this is to give the look of an old farmhouse piece that's been repainted many times over the years.
I also took my Chocolate Sea Spray mix and added it to the insert section only. I dabbed it on around the edges of the insert too. I wanted this to be a back drop for my transfer. I planned for it to peek through the final layer of Cashmere CMP.
Crackle: I also used Dixie Belle Crackle on this piece on the insert. When using Crackle you need to think about what colour you want showing through underneath and paint that colour first. In this case I used Chocolate mixed with Sea Spray. When dry I mixed my Crackle and brushed in on in places on the insert. You then let it dry and come in with your paint. Try not to over brush your paint as it goes over your dry crackle too much as it might stop it from cracking.
Next, I used Cashmere CMP (no Sea Spray mixed in) to brush over the top of the dry layer of Juniper and Chocolate in the insert. I was careful not to use too much paint as I wanted the green underneath to peek through and for it too look like the Cashmere paint had worn away over time. When that layer was dry I added another layer. You can sand the top layer of paint to show more of the colour underneath.
Applying a Transfer: It's recommended that you wait until 12-24 hours after painting to add a transfer. You should also do this before adding any wax to your piece as the transfer will not stick.
I chose to use Dixie Belle's 'On the Farm' Transfer for this piece. There is so much to work with in this design. I cut out the animal stack design I wanted and put the rest of the design back in the tube. Each transfer comes with a transfer stick which you will use to transfer the design to your surface.
Make sure your surface is free from dust etc. Take the white backing paper off the design and carefully place the clear sheet (with your design on it) into place. Before you press it down make sure it's where you want it to be because once it's down you cannot reposition it with out destroying your design. Once in position, use your transfer stick to rub over the design to help it adhere. Next pick an edge of your transfer and begin to rub, as you rub begin to lift the plastic sheet away, if the transfer has not adhered, place it back down and continue to rub. Work progressively in sections, being careful not to pull the plastic away before the design has been transferred onto your piece. I worked from the top down on this piece. You can bend these designs somewhat but work slowly and ensure that each part is secured before moving on to the next.
When the design is completely transferred and the sheet is clear throw the sheet away and use your fingers to gently press out any bubbles and ensure the design is all down. Next you can use Clear Best Dang Wax or one of Dixie Belle's Clear Coat's to protect your piece. It is not recommended that you use Gatorhide or any Oil Based products as it may lift your transfer design.
For this project I used Dixie Belle's 'Clear' Best Dang Wax to first seal my whole piece. I then used Brown Best Dang Wax to age the piece in areas. I also used Dixie Belle's Dixie Dirt in cracks and crevices to add to the worn look.
I also painted the original handles with Cashmere CMP and use the same
wax combination as above. I finished them off with a light Sand to reveal the metal details in the centre.
I'm very happy with the final product. This piece is now available for purchase in my shop in Singleton, NSW Australia.
If you have any questions about this transformation please contact us on Facebook or Instagram (@theprovincialfarmhouse) or email us at theprovincialfarmhouse@outlook.com.
Thanks for reading! :)