Artistic Touches Transform a Dining Table
As an artist and interior designer I don’t shy away from projects, I tend to invent them. If I am totally honest I have to admit that I bought my dining room table based on the incredible deal I got on it, not because it was what I really wanted. When my dining room table of 9 years started chipping and checking I decided to transform it with paint.
I am a classically trained artist, I got my BFA at Pratt Institute, and so I am very comfortable drawing, painting and free handing anything. If that does not describe you but you might like to try to transform a piece of your own, I suggest using stencils.
I wanted to transform my dark wood dining table into a piece that could be mistaken for an old country French antique. I am personally a fan of antiques and distressed furniture because they have character, and I want to live with my furniture without worry of starching it. This table is also my work desk most days and I plan to be hard on it so any “accidents” will only add to the character and patina.
I started with the base coat or underpainting of red (one of the accent colors I have in the room), then added a cream over that and began to distress the table with different tools. Distressing the table at this point allowed the red to show through at various spots. Trying to make the distressing random and natural is the biggest challenge.
Then I added the free hand curvy border in a café color which also coordinated with the room. Next I drew and painted the decorative scroll designs to the 4 corners, using tracing paper to get each corner the same. I used a serving platter as a shape and size template for the vine oval in the center of the table and painted these details in a light teal base coat. To add detail and depth the darker green was painted on top.
The next step may surprise you; it’s a trade secret that I will now share with you: I lightly sand papered the design and edges so they look naturally wore and old. The fresh paint was too clean and crisp so lightly sanding blended the look for a more authentic old world feel. To go a step further I then dry brushed a light brown over the whole table and quickly wiped off 98% of it so it would only stay in the grain of the table.
Once I was happy with the amount of aging I had applied to the table it got the final clear coat polyurethane sealer. I have to say I love my table now and it makes me smile every time I look at it.
Heather McManus
Artistry Interiors
August 5, 2014
