I love little bedside cupboards like this! So cute, but I wanted to change the orangey pine look, so here’s where my job is FUN!
I mixed up some Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint (all natural, eco-friendly, non-toxic primitive style paint) in their newish European colour – Mora (named for the famous curvy clocks made in Mora, Sweden). It is a neutral with grey, blue and green undertones.
Here it is after just one coat of milk paint:
This is called the “ugly stage” of painting with milk paint…
But after a second coat and a light sanding, we have the beautiful chippy look that milk paint is so famous for!
I love to use these Sandi Hands sanding gloves both during prep and after painting, to sand my pieces.
Sandi Hands is an awesome invention by a Sunshine Coast, QLD lady (who happens to be my Aunt), who created them specifically for using for her furniture restoration projects, but they have become so popular with such a large range of sanding uses, that they have come out with several different types of gloves for different uses including wet/dry gloves, tradesperson gloves (pictured) and more.
I used a fine grit, like a 320 or 400 to sand after paint has dried. Milk Paint sands beautifully to a soft, smooth finish, with a rustic appearance often happening as your distress the edges. I love to try and achieve just the right amount of “chippy”.
After sanding, it is important to seal your milk painted piece with either wax or oil.
I used MMSMP Furniture Wax (a soft, buttery clear wax) which goes on so nicely with a cloth or wax brush, then buffs to a beautiful sheen.
You can see a video tutorial about four different finishes you can achieve with waxes and oils HERE.
