Thoughts on Hitchhiking (A DIY Chalk Paint Trash to Treasure Tale)

A four poster bed DIY chalk paint makeover…

Let’s talk about DIY chalk paint. But first, I gotta tell you a crazy story…

The other day, while driving home, I passed a hitchhiker on the roadside. This forlorn fellow was clearly down on his luck. It was one of those moments when you think, “Gosh, is there something I can do to help?” That’s when I hear my wise mother’s voice in my ear… “Don’t you dare think about stopping the car, Heather!”

As my mother would undoubtedly tell you, I am, by nature, a rules follower mostly. But I am also a massive pain in the arse…and it was that stubborn streak that made me pull to the side of the road that day.

I picked up the hitchhiker.

Here he was:

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A little rough around the edges, perhaps. Certainly a lot down on his luck. But definitely full of potential and wanting a little bit of a break to come his way. We decided to give this guy a little hand. It started with some repair work.

There were parts of the frame that were chipping and fractured, so that got addressed. In the middle of the headboard there was some ornamentation that had clearly broken off, so we got out the jigsaw and reworked the top piece a bit.

Then came the DIY chalk paint. I know I said DIY, but I kinda outsourced that job this time around…

You see, this is one of the things I *LOVE* about chalk paint…it’s so easy to do, and so forgiving, that ANYONE, even this guy…yeah, the guy who can’t even put his pants on the right way…even he can re-finish furniture with this stuff!

I’m not even joking.

DIY chalk paint supplies:

chalk paint (for this project, we used Annie Sloan Antibes Green)
chalk paint brush
clear furniture wax (Annie Sloan clear wax)
wax brush
sandpaper, various grit levels
slightly damp rag for dust removal

After the repairs, a couple coats of Annie Sloan’s Antibes Green paint (make sure you grab an Annie Sloan brush, and another for the waxing…they are pretty clutch tools), some sanding, and two coats of clear wax…

It’s a thing of beauty!

Perfect for a little gal’s room, I think.

But the great thing about this color, Antibes Green, is that it could also play well in a boy’s space!

If it makes you nervous to DIY chalk paint without learning a little bit about the technique, there are DOZENS of great online tutorials.

here

Annie Sloan herself has some on YouTube, so check one or two out to up your comfort level, and then just give it a try. You’ll LOVE the results!

P.S. Green isn’t the only lovely, bold option for the perfect poster bed paint…check out this craigslist poster bed that we painted with another Annie Sloan shade…

This one is Napoleonic blue.

Next time you see a hitchhiker on the side of the road…you may want to think twice before you roll on by.

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