How to Paint Furniture White Shabby Chic-Style

Shabby Chic is a vintage look to furniture that represents a casual and comfortable aesthetic. The furniture is usually antique and painted in soft whites, creams, or gentle pinks. You can add clean vintage linen accents to complete the look. The functionality of the furniture lends itself to be placed anywhere in your home. The preparation of the shabby chic look is the key to the success and durability of the look of the furniture that you create.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Electric drill with bits
• Mild dish detergent
• Sponge
• Water bucket
• Trisodium phosphate heavy-duty cleaner
• Rubber gloves
• Soft scrub brush
• Protective eye wear (Goggles)
• Dust mask
• Sandpaper (Light and heavier)
• Tack cloth
• Drop cloth
• Paint sealer
• Oil based wall paint (Soft white,light cream, or pale pink)
• Metal paint can opener
• Wooden stir stick
• Paint tray
• Paint brushes
• Paste wax
• Antique hardware for furniture (Optional)

Instructions

1. Take apart any hardware that is involved including knobs, handles, or face plates. Remove them with a screwdriver or electric drill. Store all hardware together if you are using them after painting.

2. Wash the furniture with 1 part mild dish detergent to 3 parts warm tap water. If the furniture is thoroughly dirty you can use Trisodium phosphate (TSP) heavy-duty cleaner. Apply the TSP as directed on container and wear protective covering such as dust mask, rubber gloves, and goggles.

3. Scour the furniture with a 120 grit sandpaper to remove rough spots until smooth. Wipe the furniture with a clean tack cloth to remove the dust.

4. Add a drop cloth to the floor before starting to paint. This will protect the floor from spills and drips.

5. Apply a paint sealer to the furniture with a soft clean paint brush for a more durable surface. Paint the entire item with the sealer. Remove any drawers prior to sealing and paint each piece separately. Let the sealer dry according to instructions on container before applying the oil paint.

6. Scrub the furniture lightly once more with the sandpaper to remove ant rough areas left by the sealer. Wipe the furniture with a new tack cloth to remove the remaining dust.

7. Open the paint can with a metal paint opener and stir it thoroughly with the wooden paint stirrer. Pour the paint into a plastic or metal paint tray.

8. Paint your furniture with thin, even coats. This will leave a smooth finish. Let the paint dry completely, usually 20 minutes, before applying another coat. Make sure that the paint completely covers the furniture adding as many coats as needed, letting each coat dry as stated on the paint can between each application.

9. Review the furniture for paint dryness at least 12 hours after the final paint application before beginning the shabby chic process.

10. View your work as if the furniture is wearing in certain spots. Opening and closing a dresser would wear on the edges of the dresser where the drawers would slap against it everyday. Ask yourself where you would leave scratches or heavier wear. The goal is to show faux wear on your furniture to obtain the shabby chic look.

11. Apply the 120 grit sandpaper to the entire furniture very lightly and add a heavier sanding in areas that you want a more worn look. You can sand some places all the way to the wood if you choose.

12. Add paste wax according to the instructions to the entire piece once you are finished aging the furniture. The wax protects the furniture's paint and any exposed wood that is left.

13. Replace the hardware that you have removed or purchase different hardware that accents your finished furniture.

Tips & Warnings

• Sand in small increments, a little at a time, in order to achieve a perfect worn look.

References

• Catalogs: Painting shabby chic furniture
• Not Too Shabby