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    Home » How To Color Wash Painted Furniture | Cedar Chest Makeover

    How To Color Wash Painted Furniture | Cedar Chest Makeover

    This post may contain affiliate links

    You can color wash painted furniture. That’s right. I know you’ve heard of white wash. Well, I did a green color wash and a white wash over turquoise paint. The color wash finish looks great although I do have a tip for you about the type of paint to not use. I filmed a really short video of the color wash technique and you can get a good look at the process.

    Today is the Furniture Fixer Upper tour and we have some great makeovers for you. The tour links are at the bottom of the post.

    close up of cedar chest painted turquoise with green and white wash paint finish

    What a pretty color. I had to work on the turquoise color before it was just right. That happens sometimes but the great thing about paint is if you don’t like the color, try again, and maybe again.

     

    before makeover photo

    I can’t tell you how many times I’ve painted this cedar chest but it’s a bunch. Maybe 6? This piece has been in spots all over the house….except maybe the bathroom. Time for it to go and it needs a new color.

    first coat of paint on cedar chest

    How To Color Wash Painted Furniture

    The first coat of paint didn’t cover that black very well. I was using FolkArt Home Decor Chalk, color Patina. The chalk finish usually covers really well.

    painting a cedar chest

    I applied a second coat and a third coat. I wasn’t feeling the color, too light.

    painting furniture turquoise

    I mixed a darker turquoise color with the Patina color and it was perfect.

    FolkArt paint

    These are the two FolkArt colors I mixed together to get just the right color.

    how to apply color wash to furniture

    Now it’s time for the magic. I diluted green paint with water to make it very thin. Then I poured a bit of the thinned green paint on a paper plate.

    green color wash on turquoise paint

    I dabbed a bit of the thinned green paint on a lint free rag and rubbed the paint wash on all of the raised details.

    white wash on furniture

    I let the green color wash dry then used a lint free rag to apply a white wash (thinned latex paint) over the green wash. This is where I ran into a problem and I should have known better.

    I used a green acrylic paint. The kind that comes in little bottles at the craft store. I've found the paint tends to wash off when it gets damp. That happened to me once upon a time with a stenciled design on painted furniture.

    That is what happened to a lot of the green wash on the cedar chest. I didn’t have any green latex paint and I used the acrylic paint instead. Live and learn.

    Color Wash painted Furniture

    The piece still turned out pretty, just not as much green as I would have liked. You can see in the photo above that I also brushed some green paint along the sides of the chest.

    how to paint a vintage cedar chest with detailed wood trim

    The details on this cedar chest are too pretty not to be highlighted.

    Watch the short video showing the color wash and white wash technique...

    How To Color Wash Paint

    How To Apply A Color Wash To painted Furniture

    What do you guys think of the chest? I should have bought some latex paint and added more green right?

    This is a safety alert from Lane.....Since many of our cedar chest products have withstood the test of time and have been in homes for decades, there have been cases where children have climbed inside chests with old style latching mechanisms and locked themselves in, and there have been incidences of suffocation inside chests. As a result of this important and urgent safety concern, Lane has launched numerous successful programs since 1987, all concentrating on lock replacement. However, based on our best records, there are still an estimated 6 million chests owned by consumers that may require the new lock upgrade. Please click here for more information

    color wash and white wash furniture

    To see 13 more of my best cedar chests makeovers click here.

    Time to visit my furniture painting friends. Just click the links below the “before makeovers” photo collage…..

    Furniture Fixer Upper makeover projects

    Girl in the Garage
    Confessions of a Serial DIYer
    Just The Woods
    Salvaged Inspirations

    As always thanks for being here, Kathy

    Receive furniture painting tutorials and thrift store upcycle project ideas for free. Sign up below.....

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Marie

      May 01, 2020 at 11:43 am

      I LOVE the bright happy summery colors you painted it, Kathy!

      Reply
    2. Fonda Rush

      May 01, 2020 at 11:40 am

      Gorgeous color! It turned out so nicely!

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        May 08, 2020 at 12:50 pm

        Thanks Fonda! Great to hear from you!

        Reply
    3. Marcie Lovett

      May 01, 2020 at 9:51 am

      I think it has just the right amount of green as it is. Great combination! How did mixing chalky paint and outdoor paint work for you?

      Reply
    4. Wendy

      April 30, 2020 at 6:52 pm

      Turquoise is my favorite color. It looks fabulous. Oh, the places I could use that piece!!!!

      Reply
    5. kandice

      April 30, 2020 at 3:29 pm

      this is so bright and cheery now. Love the color!

      Reply
    6. ROSE LEFEBVRE

      April 30, 2020 at 12:24 pm

      Love this piece and how you made it look! Nice recovery!

      Reply
    7. Christy James

      April 30, 2020 at 12:21 pm

      I love the turquoise with the bits of green! The staging is lovely too! XOXO

      Reply
    8. Jen @ Girl in the Garage

      April 30, 2020 at 11:39 am

      Kathy I love the colors you choose for this chest. Reminds me of the Caribbean... 💙💚

      Reply
    9. Stephanie C

      April 30, 2020 at 11:13 am

      The color is perfect. Great job.

      Reply
    10. Bev

      April 30, 2020 at 9:11 am

      Oh wow this stole my heart. Love it!

      Reply
    11. Denise - Salvaged Inspirations

      April 30, 2020 at 9:02 am

      What a great 'spring' makeover... the colors are fresh and beautiful Kathy! Pinned! XOXO

      Reply
    12. Sherry Martin

      April 30, 2020 at 8:09 am

      I love love the color.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kathy!

    The gal behind Petticoat Junktion and I love decorating my home. My decor is eclectic and unique. I find fun things at thrift stores, junk shops, and flea markets and make them better. Every day is a new adventure.....

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