before and after :: blue antique chest

I am the absolute worst at accidentally publishing posts before they're complete.  So some of you might be lucky enough to see these images for the second time.  :)

I mentioned last week that I tried Milk Paint for the first time and loved it.  It was so fun to do something different that the norm for me.  I rarely use a brush and I have to say, painting with a brush makes me feel like I'm creating a piece of art.  Spraying is different - it takes a lot of practice to spray a finish correctly, but it doesn't feel as creative.  So this piece was quite a treat for me.

(Aaaand - it's available for purchase.  Email me for pricing and a shipping quote nattycox@gmail.com).

I picked up a couple antique dressers that were too weathered to refinish like I typically do.  I wanted their age to enhance the piece, not detract like it would with glossy paint.  I turned to milk paint for that reason.

The color is Federal Blue.  I was looking for more control over the distressing so I added the optional bonding agent to the powder.  (Milk paint comes in powder form that water is added to).  If you skip the bonding agent the paint will flake and distress much more rapidly in a way that's unpredictable.  Whether or not you ad it is up to the look you're going for.

I skipped the wax that most use as a finish coat with this paint and went with an oil based urethane instead.  (I'm working up a separate post for that).

You can find a local retailer for Old Fashioned Milk Paint here.