I found a stool at a yard sale for $3 last summer and thought it would be a great piece for chalk paint. The original color was a dark walnut stain. I brushed on Annie Sloan’s Pure White Chalk Paint, only one coat. Some of the dark stain shows through, but I wanted to heavily distress it anyway, so I wasn’t concerned about complete coverage. I also wanted to try transferring a graphic design onto it.
I used a reversed image from Graphics Fairy. NOTE: You must print the graphic on a laser printer or copier; ink jet copies will not work. If there are words in your chosen graphic, you will need to reverse the image. I taped the graphic face down onto the stool, then used a cotton ball saturated with lacquer thinner to dab all over the design. I did this a couple of times to get the design as dark as I wanted.
This doesn’t give you a crisp image, so if you aren’t going for a worn, distressed look, you would probably need to hand paint the details. I still haven’t bought wax to finish my chalk paint projects, so I wiped on a coat of polyurethane, let that dry, then sanded lightly in some areas, more heavily in other areas.
Then I brushed on a brown glaze and wiped off the excess.
Finally, another two coats of wipe-on poly and it’s done. You can see where the original walnut stain shows through the distressed areas.
The top after the wipe-on poly:
It makes a handy little table beside the recliner.
Another look:
I love it with a stack of books, but reality will probably be the tv remote and a bowl of popcorn. What do you think? Will you try the lacquer thinner method of transferring images?
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Well I see you didn’t have any of my craziness doing this!
BRAVO! It looks fabulous!
Where did yo get the idea of using lacquer thinner?
I’ve got to give that a try!
Catherine
Love it! It looks great beside your recliner! Thanks for sharing your ideas! Sue
I think this transferring is great. Just read about it yesterday on another blog. You can even transfer to fabric. Have a great day!
I love your stool! This is amazing! I’m going to try this on a table I’m working on now! Thanks for sharing such a great tutorial! I have never heard of using Lacquer Thinner as a transfer on painted wood! I’m excited to have a new way to do a transfer!
Love the stool – so sweet!
Your chalk paint results are beautiful. Many have had issues with the product, but certainly not you. Great results!
Thank you for a great way to transfer. I know I have lacquer thinner somewhere in my garage!
I will deffinately try this out!
What a great project. I have several of those $5 stools and little tables. Now I know what to do with them.
I love how this turned out. Great job!
I love it, great job. I am currently waiting the arrival of my chalk paint and I’m anxious to try it – especially since I hate painting normally. I think this transfer process is easy enough. I have to see if I can take my image and have it enlarged and printed out bigger, or in several sections as I’m going to attempt a graphic from the Fairy on my dining room table.
~Bliss~
I love your stool – it looks great. I definately will try the lacquer thinner idea. Thanks for sharing!
What a sweet little stool! I love the legs and the graphic turned out beautifully!
I love the graphic transfer idea! I pinned it so I could use it later! Your stool is wonderful! I am so glad I found your blog!
blessings,
karianne
This is so cute! What a sweet little stool. I had no idea that you could use lacquer thinner for any other purpose than thinning lacquer, haha. Thanks for sharing such a great tip!
I’m your newest follower, too. Feel free to check out some of my furniture makeovers if you’d like.
Sarah@Adventures of Our Fami-Ly
It looks fantastic! I’ll have to try that method. I love adding graphics like that to furniture. You did a wonderful job!
I love the result! I had not heard of this technique before. Have a great week!…hugs…Debbie
This looks amazing!!! I love how it turned out.
I host a weekly Friday Link Party, if you are interested, I’d love for you to join!
Ashley
http://www.simplydesigning.blogspot.com
I have a love for all things French Country so I adore this! Really pretty and so bright. Great use of the transfer technique to make this look aged.
Beautiful! Your stool came out great!!
A few blog friends and I are hosting our first link party tomorrow to finish off the Imagine the Impossibilities Challenge, we go live at 7amET. Today I revealed my project for the challenge, a gallery wall with only one screw in the wall. I’d love if you could come by to check it out and link up! http://thespacebetweenblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/the-one-screw-gallery-wall-is-here/
Karah @ thespacebetweenblog = your newest follower
Your stool is beautiful! I love the image you used for it – fits perfectly! Coming over from Between Naps on the Porch: Met Monday.
Jeanine
So cute! I never knew lacquer thinner could be used for transferring. hmm… what can I transfer…?
I really like the graphics you used on this. Thanks for the tips on how to transfer them to a project. Great ideas.
Wow, that looks great! I really like the distressed look. Thanks so much for sharing at shine on fridays!
I didn’t know you could use paint thinner! Thanks for the tut. It looks great!
I love it! I’m just curious as to why you chose chalkboard paint? I’ve never used it before….
Actually, chalk paint is not the same as chalkboard paint. You can read about it at http://www.anniesloan.com – she has a link that will take you to US stockists. The advantage to it is that it will stick to most any surface without priming. You do have to put a protective finish on top, though, and she recommends wax. I have been using polyurethane or polycrylic, though, since I already have it on hand. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the clarification! That’s awesome!
That stool is so pretty! So happy you stopped by, following you on LF too
Happy Valentine’s Day!
~Kelly
I love this! Looks great!