Metallic Silver Paint Wash For Gray Furniture

Try a metallic silver paint wash to dress up gray furniture. Shiny silver paint is a little over the top for some furniture pieces and this is another option The wash gives gray paint a soft metallic look.

I made a video of the metallic wash process so you can see exactly how it works. Today is Furniture Fixer Upper Tour day and there is a lot of paint inspiration going on.

The metallic silver wash technique is super easy. It is the same as white washing but using metallic silver paint instead of white paint. My definition of whitewash is mixing water and white paint together, sometimes in equal parts and sometimes not. Then the watered down paint is wiped on unfinished wood or painted pieces for a whitewash finish. Today we’re silver washing.

I painted these two bar stools FolkArt Imperial Red over 3 years ago and was ready for a change. I like the color but not in this space.

This is how the bar stools looked before the red paint makeover. Just plain old wood stools.

Even though I was ready for a change I wasn’t sure what color to go with. The photo above shows where I spray painted 3 samples of paint on a board; gray, blue, and bright yellow.

The gray seemed to be the best choice. It would go with the silver cabinet knobs and also the cherry cabinets better than the other colors. I also had the thought in the back of my head of doing a metallic wash.

The plan was to use the Rustoleum Spray Paint gray primer as a base for a latex paint in gray. I have several cans of gray latex paint colors on the shelf and I was going to use one of those after the stools were primed.

The primer color was really pretty I liked the flat sheen. I decided I didn’t want to cover the spray paint with latex paint. One less step in a project is always a plus. And as I always say, project plans are always subject to change.

The seat of the stool was going to be off-white and I brushed  or sprayed several off-white colors on the seat. The off-white was too much of a contrast.

I found a jar of Beyond Paint in Pale Gray on the shelf and went with that. The pale gray was just a bit darker than the off-white. I applied two coats of pale gray on the seat. Remember all of this work is times 2 since there are two stools.

The Martha Stewart Metallic Paint was on my paint shelf. I’ve had it for years. I don’t even know if they make this paint anymore. I’m sure any good brand of metallic paint would work just fine.

I mixed the metallic paint with water and I have to admit I didn’t measure anything and I probably added more water than paint.

Next thing to do is find a lint free rag (I use old sheets) and wipe the paint wash over the furniture. I just wiped the wash on and wiped it back until I got the look I wanted. The video shows the technique really well. Metallic paint tends to separate easily and I stirred the water/paint mix several times during the paint wash process.

The stool on the right has the metallic wash and the one on the left hasn’t been “washed” yet. See the difference?

The board I’m holding in front of the metallic washed stool has been painted with the straight metallic silver paint. The difference in the metallic silver paint and the gray paint covered with the silver wash is obvious. The look is still shiny but in a much softer way.

And that’s all there was to that. I like the washed gray with the cabinets. We just recently got new kitchen appliances with a stainless steel finish and the painted stools kind of match the appliances.

Now I need to paint the two black bar stools. I painted these several years ago. Actually, they’ve been painted multiple times. I painted them white to start with, then Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Green….which I didn’t like, then the black…distressed to show the green. Not a fan of this look either. I ran out of the Rustoleum primer or they would have already been painted.

Want to see me apply that metallic paint wash. Take a look at the short video tutorial below…

How To Use A Metallic Silver Paint Wash
So, what do you guys think? Does this paint wash technique look like something you want to try? I love to hear your opinions.

Find products used in the project and more of my favorite supplies on The Petticoat Junktion Amazon Page here.

Time to take the Furniture Fixer Upper Tour. Just click the pink text links below the “before makeovers” collage….

Metallic Painted Furniture – Just The Woods
Stinky Dresser Makeover – Confessions Of A Serial Diyer
Vintage Headboard Bench Makeover – The Interior Frugalista
Gold Velvet Accent Chair Makeover – Salvaged Inspirations
Creating Depth With Paint – Girl In The Garage
Metallic Silver Paint Wash – Petticoat Junktion (you are here)

As always, thanks for being here, Kathy

Kathy Owen

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Author: Kathy Owen
Kathy Owen is the founder of the home decor blog Petticoat Junktion where she shares tutorials on painting furniture and upcycling thrifty finds into unique home décor. Her DIY projects have been featured on the Home Depot Blog, Plaid Crafts, Behr Designer Series, and in numerous magazines. Kathy’s newest website is HappyHomeDIY.com