Here Annie’s Painter in Residence, Olivia Lacy of Pigeon and Pip, dilutes Chalk Paint™ to create a thin Chalk Paint™ liquid. The technique will be effective on any carved surfaces.

Olivia applied two coats of Country Grey directly to the wardrobe. The first coat served as a primer on the slightly shiny, lacquered finish of the wood. Whilst the second coat was still wet, Olivia used a damp brush to blend Old Ochre and Old White into the front panels, over the Country Grey.

Once that was dry, Olivia mixed Chalk Paint™ in Olive with water (1:1). She applied this mix in small sections, painting along the edges and areas of detailing which she wanted to lowlight. This emphasizes the structure of her piece and the unusual ornate detailing perfectly. She used a clean damp brush to soften the edges where necessary and to clean up any excess drips. Make sure you rinse or wipe your clean up brushes often! Once the Olive was dry, Pigeon and Pip used Country Grey to touch up any areas of overspill she had missed.

She then used the same technique of diluting Chalk Paint™ in Old White with equal parts water to create a white highlighting shade which she applied to the areas of her furniture which would catch the light. Remember when you’re painting furniture with lowlights and highlights to be consistent with imagining where the light is hitting from – ideally reflect the natural light in the room where the furniture will live, for maximum impact.

Finally, once Olivia was satisfied with her painting she applied a coat of Clear Chalk Paint™ Wax using a lint-free cloth to finish and protect.