my french blue vintage desk

I bought this vanity at an auction... $12 dollars. She was sitting outside in the rain and in pretty rough shape but I saw potential. I thought she would be perfect as a desk in our home. She's little so she doesn't need much space and she has lots of character with the turned legs and decorative drawers. My name was written all over this piece of this furniture.

I decided that this was the perfect project to try some "chalk paint" (not to be confused with chalkboard paint) as I have been looking into Annie Sloan's chalk paint for sometime now. Wish I could tell you that I bought it for this project but I didn't. Hopefully another time. I've done my homework and am convinced that I will love it. However, I did make my own "chalk paint". My reasoning: one, I had a custom made color on hand from Sherwin Williams that I wanted to use up and two,  I couldn't justify spending the money on Annie's paint at this stage in my life. {3 kids... 2 of them in diapers!}

The custom color I stumbled upon at Sherwin Williams is my version of the perfect french blue. I bought the color "Quicksilver" and started brushing it on these chairs but it wasn't what I had in mind. So, I took my gallon of paint back to them and said "I need it a little darker please" and they gladly helped this girl out. It was the perfect color for this desk as well, take a look for yourself...

For those interested... there are all sorts of "chalk paint" recipes out there. Through Pinterest, I was able to find and read some blog posts and tutorials regarding "chalk paint".

The recipe I used...
1 1/2 cups FLAT paint
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup Plaster of Paris

Helpful Tips...
Dissolve the Plaster of Paris in the hot water.  Dissolving the POP in hot water helps against the "grittiness" that people complained about. For a protective finish apply a coat of paste wax.

My conclusion...
I LOVED painting with the "chalk paint" and the look it gives the furniture. It's like I've been given a beautiful piece of furniture with a wonderful patina from my grandmother. Only in my dreams :)
Can't wait to try the good stuff!

Linking to:
The Farmhouse Porch
Knick of Time
Savvy Southern Style
Primp
The Vintage Farmhouse
Primitive & Proper
Restore Interiors
French Country Cottage
Miss Mustard Seed
Rooted in Thyme
The Shabby Nest
The Dedicated House