Do you have boring brown furniture that needs a update? It's a quick and easy job when you have Dixie Belle Paint products. Let's makeover a boring brown rocking chair.
First step when painting furniture is to clean, clean, clean! Old furniture has years of dirt and grime on the wood and if you don't clean and preop the wood it will be difficult to get your paint finish smooth and professional. I use a product called White Lightning, it's a powder you can disperse into water and clean. I put mine into a old spray bottle and spray it on and clean with disposable paper towels. Make sure to rinse off the remaining residue from the cleaner.
Let's get ready for paint! I wanted a neutral color with a bit of warmth. Perfect choice for this project? Dried Sage by Dixie Belle! It's a warm color that matches everything! First we need to prep the piece. I wanted to make sure that no tannins from old wood stain would bleed thought he paint. I used BOSS in Clear to prep the chair. It's a product that helps prevent bleed though and helps your paint go on smoothly. Applied with a brush waiting till it's dry to paint.
Paint on one even coat of Dried Sage using my flat medium brush. I covered all the wood surface. After this coat has dried I applied a second even coat of paint. Using a spray misting bottle filled with water helps eliminate brush strokes and keeps the surface looking smooth.
After the second coat of paint dried I sanded back the edges to make them look worn and old. Its called distressing and allows the paint to look aged and worn.
I wanted to deepen the color and add some age to the rocking chair. I used a water based Gel Stain called Voo Doo Gel Stain. The color I used for this project is called Tobacco Road. I applied it to a rag and wiped it directly onto the rocking chair. It gives a dirty look that mimics age and a worn look.
Let's apply some color! This is a Hokus Pokus transfer. Hokus Pokus transfers can be applied to any smooth surface. Its a great way to make your furniture one of a kind. This transfer is called "Ville De Saint" its a large transfer and I used just a few pieces to decorate the chair.
The transfer arrives in a tube and with the needed items to apply it. I opened the tube and gently removed the transfer. Lay it out flat and cut the parts out that you want to use for the piece. Make sure to not remove the white backing. This is the protecting layer that allows the transfer image to stay sticky. It's fragile! Need a in depth tutorial on how to apply a Hokus Pokus transfer? Click here!
After cutting out the parts of the flowers that I wanted to use I planned them by taping them onto the chair. I gently removed the backing and pressed the flower image down onto the wood. Using the enclosed too (a bamboo burnishing stick) I gently scraped on the transfer to the chair. You can see the image release from the plastic and adhere to the piece.
After the flower is burnished onto the chair I gently wiped to make sure there were no bubbles and its adhered well.
I like to apply some Gold Gilding Wax to the flowers to add shine and individuality. Want to see the rest of this transfer on a piece for scale of size? Click here!
You can seal your piece with your choice of sealer. On top of the paint and transfer you can use Best Dang Wax or Clear Coat. I wanted a durable finish because of the chair so I chose Clear coat. Satin finish. I applied to the surface of the chair directly over the transfer.
You are done! This brown rocker has had a shabby chic makeover. Updated and in fashion ready for another 100 years of use!
Want to watch a quick TikTok of this piece? Click here!
Want to watch some longer tutorials? Click here to watch my YouTube channel!
Thanks for joining me on this makeover journey with Dixie Belle Paint & Hokus Pokus! You can follow me on all social media @thetopdrawerrva
Melissa
The Top Drawer RVA
**This tutorial contains affiliate links. These direct you to products used on this project. If you decide to purchase I receive a small kick back for bringing you this tutorial! Thanks for shopping with me and I appreciate you!
