How to Paint My Signature Finish

I’ve had this table for a while and couldn’t decide which color to paint it.  I was leaning toward yellow, but something told me to start with brown.  When I created this finish, I was using CeCe Caldwell’s products which we no longer use or carry.  To create this same look today, I use Old Town Paint Company’s Deep Chocolate followed by a wash of Old Town Paint’s Courthouse both which are available here.

 You can see how fast the paint is drying in this picture.
A little distressing and a coat of wax was all she needed.  Check out the finish on this table!  If I could put my name on my favorite type of finish, this look would be it.  Ask me to paint something all prim and proper and my brain starts to short-circuit but if I can shake it up with a little layering, distressing and funky-ness, it all falls into place.
I love how seeing colors peek through each other.
I love not only how easy it is to distress our chalk & clay paints, but how rich the finish looks when you’re finished.  A little rub here and there with a wet cloth (before you wax) is all it takes to create this look!
When I was finished with the base, I decided to add a little contrast to the inlay on the top to add a little contrast.  I can’t remember all many colors I used, but I’m sure it included a little Vintage White, creamy white and light gray.
I mixed and dry brushed several different colors to get the look I was going for but you can hardly see it in the pictures – urg.  I’ll take more tomorrow to see if I can capture better shots.
Yep, those are helicopters ~ millions of them getting ready to fall off our trees and make our yard a total mess for the next month.  Wanna know how I really feel about ’em?
She’ll be headed to my booth in Not So Shabby soon…    update – sold
 What’s your favorite way to finish furniture?

We offer several different lines of chalk clay & mineral paints here.

Shop our large selection of paint supplies at our Jenison Studio / Paint Shop or stop by at one of our West Michigan Shizzle Design booths.   Click here for hours and locations.  You can also order anytime online here.

You’ll find our display along side all our painted furniture and home decor.  Here’s some of what’s currently for sale here.

A hui hou ~ Shelly

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Did you know…

  • It’s just the two of us:  My sister and I own and operate Shizzle Design which originated in my garage.  We have and will continue to work hard providing the best customer service.
  • We specialize in painting furniture and are truly humbled to be known as a leader in the world of chalk and clay paints.  Stop in for paint and we’ll offer you honest and knowledgeable
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34 Replies to “How to Paint My Signature Finish”

  1. Shelly,

    I may have to unsubscribe to your blog posts because every time I see your stuff I freak out that I can’t hire you to,paint stuff for me or buy things from your shop! You are so talented and I love your signature look! This table is beautiful and I want to give it a good home!

    Thanks for making me sad about not living in MI yet again,
    Maureen. 🙂

  2. I love this and want this! I think I am going to rent a storage space so I can start collecting your pieces for my new future home. And I mean “collect” because these are truly pieces of art! Great Work!

  3. Oh I love this finish, and you do it so well. Hmmmm, I really love to do a piece in a lighter color, and then go to down with glaze, making it look all old and antiquey. I am sure this will sell fast!

    PS what are the helicopters that are going to fall from your trees?

  4. Hi! Visiting from the Shabby Creek Cottage. I havent refinished furniture.. yet. Thanks for all the tips on your signature finish!

    Im your newest follower.. I would love a follow back if you like my site too. And please feel free to share this at my Friday party starting tomorrow!

  5. Your table looks amazing! I love the paint color and how you distressed it. Very lovely. I just use a lot of regular old paint. Mostly spray paint and paint by Rustoleum American Accents line and then I glaze with acrylic brown paint or furniture stain. I think I need to get on this waxing thing though and try your paint or all the ASCP that everyone is doing! ~ Jamie

    1. Thanx Kennesha! OMG – what a beautiful family picture you had in your last post!!! You’re like an entire family of models straight out of a high end fashion magazine!!

  6. Love this finish – you are very talented! Love all the colours and the distressing too! So glad I found your blog – I am your newest follower. Please visit my blog and say hello, I love to make new bloggy friends and follow me back if you would like to keep in touch 🙂 Have a fantastic week, Heather

  7. Another great piece of furniture style by you. Love all the layers you added because it really provided a sense of depth to the piece. I haven’t tried the CeCe paint, how is the cost compare to Annie Sloan paint. Very nice piece, but I didn’t expect anything less!!!! Thanks for sharing your creative inspiration over at Sunday’s Best!

  8. This is beautiful. I have a table pretty much identical to this that I am thinking of doing the same finish on. Thanks for sharing your ideas. I have a few questions though, if you don’t mind answering. When you distressed this table, did you sand lightly also or just wiped off with a wet rag? Do you sell the wax that you used and if not can you direct me to the kind that you used?

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  10. This is beautiful! I have been wanting to try out some of the CeCe paint but can’t make up my mind on the color! Can I ask a question though…what did you mean by a “wash of Pittsburgh Grey”. Did you just layer the two colors or did you do something to the 2nd color to make it a “wash”? Trying to get inspired! 🙂

    1. Maria, a color wash is literally watering down the paint to quite a thin consistency then painting on and wiping off the excess. I do it all with my brush; it’s kind of hard to explain, but it’s basically using a very thin watered down paint.

  11. Shelley, beautiful work! I’m about to redo our oak kitchen table and thinking about Virginia Chestnut (is that similar to what Hershey was?) with the Pitt Gray wash over. My question is with the wash…do you go all different directions with your brush when applying the gray rather than in one direction? Thanks so much, Lee Ann

    1. hi Lee Ann, it is the same color, just a name change. Yes, definitely go in all different directions to get that look. Sorry it’s taken so long to respond. Our phones and internet have been out since Halloween at home and I usually answer questions late at night while I’m home.

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