This Antique Painted Furniture -Old World Silver Finish can add vintage sophistication to furniture projects!
Hello, my Graphics Fairy Friends!
It’s Heather from Thicketworks, and I’m excited to share this fun and simple recipe for a glamorous Antique Painted Furniture Finish in Metallic Silver. I can’t wait to share this technique with you!
The wonderful creative team at Heirloom Traditions Paint sponsored this post –
Thank you!
Frumpy. That’s the word that sprang to mind when these plain and dated sisters caught my eye…
It was inevitable. My heartstrings were tugged, and there was NO way I was leaving them to pine away in that musty thrift store. Nope.
Join me as we conduct a bit of Furniture Therapy with these Frumpy and Flawed, but potentially Fabulous Vintage chairs!
As always, we’re gonna need some STUFF!
Supplies:
- Heirloom Traditions Chalk Type Paint: Black Bean
- Heirloom Traditions Aurora Staining Gel: Silver Bullet
- Heirloom Traditions Spray Wax: Jet Black
- Your favorite paint brushes, including a flat artists brush
- A damp cloth
- Containers for finishing products
- Optional: furniture appliques
- DIY Printed Decor Fabric to recover seats
Note: the furniture appliques were created using Iron Orchid Designs Vintage Decor Moulds. Patterned fabric created with Iron Orchid Designs Decor Stamps.
How-To Create an “Antique” Silver Furniture Finish
Do any necessary preparation: clean, remove old seat covers, add appliques.
Paint with 2 coats of Black Bean Chalk Type Paint, allowing the paint to dry thoroughly between coats:
The charcoal finish of this paint never disappoints. Classic.
Any cracking of your appliques will only add character to the finished piece:
Now, we can begin to really appreciate the beauty of the curving lines:
Allow the Black Bean to dry completely.
Gather your damp cloth, paint brushes, containers.
Grab your Aurora Staining Gel: Silver Bullet & Jet Black Spray Wax.
Pour a small amount of Silver Bullet into a container.
Using a dry-brush technique, gently stroke the rich metallic pigment over the high-points of the piece:
Using a scumbling technique (scrubbing back and forth with an almost dry brush) add Silver Bullet to the field of the apron:
Carefully highlight the carved features with Silver Bullet, allowing the Black Bean undercoat to show through in the recesses:
While the Silver Bullet is still damp, use a flogging technique (a swift back and forth sweeping motion) to soften the highlights:
By dipping a cloth in the Silver Bullet, and tapping off the excess, you can swiftly highlight all of the intricate detailing with a simple swipe of your hand:
Once the Silver Bullet has cured (overnight is best), pour a small amount of Jet Black Spray Wax into a container, and apply with a brush:
Working in sections, apply the Spray Wax, then gently wipe it back with a damp cloth:
Continue this process over the entire surface, until you realize you’ve just created a masterpiece!
Because the Spray Wax is a permanent top-coat, no further protection is necessary!
Re-attach your newly covered seat cushions, and have a well deserved cup ‘o tea.
With very little effort, you now have a stunning “Antique” Silver Furniture Finish!
Looks like these two weren’t quite as far gone as it seemed!
Seriously, the right products can make all the difference in the world.
Some facts about Heirloom Traditions Paint and Finishes:
- Water Clean-Up
- Low or No VOCs (depending on the product)
- Manufactured in America
- Among the highest quality paints and finishes available ANYWHERE
It’s easy to see why they are quickly becoming the favorite brand of furniture enthusiasts world-wide.
This finish is now officially one of my favorites – I love a big pay-off for a modest effort! I hope you also enjoyed this Antique Painted Furniture – Old World Silver Finish Technique!
For more information on Heirloom Traditions Paint and Products, please visit www.heirloomtraditionspaint.com
Full Disclosure: Heirloom Traditions Paint supplied their products to be used in this project, and they sponsored this post – however, I supplied the elbow grease, rescued furniture, design concept, and experimental insanity! All of which reflect my own point of view, regardless of affiliation…
As always, thank you for visiting The Graphics Fairy – we’re so glad you’re here!
Anytime you feel like exploring the quirky side of crafting, come see me at Thicketworks – there’s always a joyful mess in the making!
Until next time,
Heather ♥
You might enjoy THIS recent project:
Tania says
Looks absolutely fabulous. Could you tell me if these products and techniques would work on metal, I.e a shiny gold coloured metal fire surround that I want to paint in a antique silver style?
graphicsfairy says
The thing we always tell everyone Tania, is to practice on a scrap piece of something similar to your piece and see if you like the results. Sometimes it takes multiple tries until you get it right 🙂
Amanda says
Very nice! I love the look of this furniture! That is some incredible beautiful work. Thanks for sharing.
graphicsfairy says
My pleasure Amanda, it is such a lovely finish!
Linda Carlen says
Could you please tell me how you made the seat covers for these chairs.
Thank you!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Linda! The seat covers are made from ‘dropcloth’ fabric from Home Depot. The motifs are added by stamping with Iron Orchid Decor Stamps and a permanent pigment dye ink. Hope this helpful! xox
Lauren says
Hello!
Thank you for your instructions, I’ve been wanting to do this to a dresser for a long time! The only thing is, it didn’t work so well for me…
I followed every direction, and waited proper drying times before each step… I just applied my black wax to my piece and began to gently wipe it back with a wet rag, and all my paint came off in that spot! Literally all the paint down to the wood wiped right off! I don’t understand why this happened because I did all the proper things and it’s been curing for 24 hours since I painted the silver bullet onto the piece… HELP!
Heather Tracy says
Oh no! Oh, Lauren, how heartbreaking! I wish I could determine what happened…these chairs were actually a non-wood substance (some weird resin-like stuff), so I’m shocked that the HTP Black Bean didn’t seem to bind to your dresser properly! Typically, no sanding is required, but I’m wondering if perhaps the original finish on your dresser had some type of ‘resistant’ finish to it, causing the failure. If it were my piece, I’d attempt to salvage it by re-painting with the Black Bean, then adding a layer of SPRAY sealer (spray, because I would want to avoid dragging a brush over the surface), like Polycrylic over the Black Bean to ensure that it stays in place….THEN try again with the Silver Bullet / Black Liquid Wax combo.
If this doesn’t work, I suggest that you contact Heirloom Traditions directly, and seek their advice:
4030 S. Preston Hwy
Shepherdsville, KY 40165
Email: [email protected]
502-921-0441
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:00am-6:00pm EST.
Rupa says
Just love these classic beauties! These two sisters were meant to be given a new, more elegant avatars by the one and only magician: Heather! Just goes perfect with that diamond pattern table. Looks like you snuck in some drop cloth covers and stenciling to up their beauty!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Rupa! Awww – thank you for being so very sweet. I’m happy that the outcome was an improvement – those chairs needed some serious love! And, yes, Eagle Eye – you are right. The seat covers got gussied up, too!
Trudy says
I’ve ordered a few products and am dying to work on this sad ol’ dresser I found at a Goodwill. Purchased it last winter when a sudden need for an inexpensive (read: cheap) dresser came up, vowing to give it some lovin’ later. Well, later has arrived, and Heather, your “experimental insanity” has given me the confidence to try new trick or two. Thanks for all your amazingly quirky and dazzling-ly delicious projects!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Trudy! How wonderful that you have your next subject already in your possession…now, all you have to do is DIVE in! So excited to know that these quirky little methods are of some use…Yay!
Denise says
Heathe inspires and amazes. She is a fabulous spokesperson. Every time I see one of her projects I find myself ordering more product. I love Heirloom Traditions. Have not been disappointed yet!!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Denise! What a lovely thing to say – thank you…it makes me extremely happy to know that you love Heirloom Traditions products, too! They are AMAZING. I remember when getting a finish similar to this required toxic oil-based products, a 3 day drying time, and more trouble than it was worth. Not anymore!