Antiqued Vanity Table and Chair Before and After

When I was asked by the homeowner to repaint her vanity table, I was confident I could make it look better. The first finish in the “before” picture was done by her painter whose version of “antiquing” involved haphazardly brushing gold paint all over it. This made the finish look unprofessional and messy, and the outcome was not at all what she had in mind. Because the table had so many layers of paint on it, I used a chemical stripper to get it all off. It was not an easy job, but worth the effort. Removing all of the old paint really made the architectural details stand out. Annie Sloan Chalk paints in Old White and Coco, and a mixture of clear and dark waxes were perfect for this project. Gold gilding wax highlights the details on the vanity table and chair. I also used a crackle medium on the table top. The crackle finish allowed the gold metallic paint underneath to shine through, and gave the table added interest.

Because the chair had been newly upholstered, I couldn’t strip it, and the seat and back were not removable. The chair’s beautiful architectural details got the same finish as the vanity table. Both pieces now look like the antiqued finish the homeowner originally wanted, and fit in perfectly with the newly decorated master bathroom.