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
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! 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….