DIY Crafts

I’ve tried many, many methods of distressing furniture over the years…sanding techniques, staining techniques, faux finishes, etc….and this one, hands down, is my new favorite.

It’s subtle, it’s easy, and, I think, it looks the most authentic.

I started with this:

Not a great picture, but you get the idea.

Before beginning my project, I narrowed down my color palate. I wanted the finished piece to be varying shades of blue, green and cream. Fortunately, since everything in my house tends to be variations of these colors, I had all the paint I needed on hand. I skipped priming, and used all oil-based paints.

First step: Strip down your piece, remove any hardware….

Second step: Using either a paint brush or a paper towel (I used the latter, as I hate cleaning oil-based brushes), brush on your first layer of paint. It can be splotchy, it can be imperfect…in fact, imperfect should be your goal…any imperfections will just add character to your finished piece.

Next, take another color of paint and start brushing it on over the top (I even used the same paper towel as I did the first layer). You can do this while the first layer is still wet, or wait until it is dry…experiment with it to see which way you like best!