About Whitewashing Furniture

For those looking for an antique, cottage or shabby chic look, whitewashing pieces of furniture from around the home or from a thrift store can recreate a look inexpensively as opposed to buying recreated items from high end furniture design galleries. Whitewashing is an easy process to learn and one piece of furniture can be easily transformed within a day.

Types

Whitewashed furniture is a popular style of furniture that embodies carefree style and femininity. Most whitewashed furniture can create a gentle contrast to other colored designed elements in the room, such as colorful walls, bright floral chair cushions or bedspreads. Whitewashed furniture can make a rocking chair or dressing table in a baby's nursery appear cozier. Some of the most popular types of whitewashed furniture are coffee tables, end tables, dining room table and chair sets, hutches, bed frames and kitchen cabinets. Shabby Chic was introduced by Rachel Ashwell and she shares with fans how to recreate a whitewashed look combined with vintage pastels to create a design that is welcoming and relaxing.

Time Frame

Almost any type of wood furniture can be whitewashed using the technique of lightly sanding the furniture, applying a white, lightly watered down paint and then a gentle sanding on corners and edges to produce a well worn and weathered look. To whitewash furniture, one must first begin the sanding process which takes around fifteen to thirty minutes for a moderate sized piece of furniture such as a coffee table---sanding removes any excess paint or finish from the piece bringing it down to the bare wood. Combining one part white flat paint to half part water and stirring well will generate the coat for the furniture piece---painting typically takes around thirty minutes. Once applied and dried for it least 24 hours, the piece can be sanded lightly to achieve the whitewashed look. The whole project should take about a day and a half to complete.

Features

Whitewashed furniture features a slightly distressed look that appears to be slightly weathered and worn---especially on the edges and in the middle of the furniture. Some whitewashed furniture is sold as a set, which allows one to decorate an entire room with vintage furniture. Some whitewashed furniture has stenciled embellishments on it that coordinate with the surrounding colors of the walls and other decor. Crystal or glass knobs or accents also are a popular feature among many whitewashed furniture pieces.

Effects

The effects of making or buying whitewashed furniture is to be able to add to a shabby chic or cottage style decor theme in a room or living area. The whitewashed furniture is typically functional and should be sturdy enough for everyday use. The shabby chic and cottage look promotes a well lived in and comfortable appearance with large, fluffy, floral pillows and soft striped blankets that invite guests to sit on and use the furniture.

Considerations

One should consider the cost of buying whitewashed furniture as oppose to making it themselves. The cost of a replicated hand painted whitewashed piece could run anywhere from $100 to $5000 in a high end boutique or furniture store. If one were to refurbish a used piece of furniture from around the home or used from a garage sale or thrift store, it is considerably cheaper. It typically runs under $50 for the cost of the furniture and the paint and supplies.

Resources

• Whitewashing Furniture Information
• Whitewashed Furniture