Holidays decorating ideas

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Annie Sloan Chalk Paint used to create three distinct holiday looks

Annie Sloan has created three individual looks for decorating the home this holiday season using her iconic brand of Chalk Paint, as well as other products from the Annie Sloan Collection.

Follow the simple instructions to create three distinct looks to celebrate the holidays.

MINIMAL AND SCANDI’

Floor: Floorboards were painted in a wash of Chalk Paint in Old White and finished with lacquer.

Cabinet: First a thick, textured coat of Chalk Paint in Duck Egg Blue was applied using a large pure bristle brush. Once dry, a second coat of Chalk Paint in a mix of Duck Egg Blue and Old White was applied. The piece was left to dry before applying a layer of Clear Chalk Paint Wax. A medium coarse sanding pad was then used to slightly distress the paint, revealing areas of the darker Duck Egg Blue layer below. A final coat of Clear Chalk Paint Wax protected the finish.

Large Pine Cones: Using Chalk Paint decorative paint in a palette of Duck Egg Blue, Old White and Scandinavian Pink, paint was stippled in to all the nooks and crannies of the pinecones. A little water was added to the paint to get it flowing and covering between the layers. Once dry, the paint was gently removed from the edges of the cones using a damp cloth.

Wreaths: Branch twigs were woven and fastened together into circular wreaths, leaving some of the leaves to poke out. Using Chalk Paint in Old White, the largest and smallest wreathes were painted all over. The medium-size wreath was painted in Chalk Paint Duck Egg Blue. Once almost dry a damp cloth was used to remove a little paint.

COZY AND ELEGANT

Floor: Concrete floor was painted in Chalk Paint in Graphite and finished with lacquer.

Chairs: Painted thickly in Chalk Paint in Florence using a pure bristle brush to create lots of texture. Once dry, a layer of Clear Chalk Paint Wax was applied and lashings of Black Chalk Paint Wax were worked in to the still wet wax to bring out brushstrokes. Using a lint-free cloth, excess wax was removed from the surface. The chair seat pads were upholstered in Annie Sloan Coloured Linen in Aubusson Blue & Provence.

Dining Table: The table was painted in Chalk Paint in Graphite. Once dry, the paint was sealed with Clear Chalk Paint Wax. While the wax was still wet, diluted Aubusson Blue was painted onto areas of the table. Using a piece of scrunched up newspaper that was then flattened out again, the paper was pressed against the table and rubbed all over, applying a moderate amount of pressure. This removed areas of the topcoat of paint, leaving it uneven and blotchy. (Applying a coat of sax, which is oil based, before the paint, which is water-based, creates a “wax resist,” which means the paint either runs off or collects in pools and beads.) Clear Chalk Paint Wax was applied to finish the piece, and to make the surface wipeable.

Napkins, holly and ivy: The napkins were made from Coloured Linens in Aubusson Blue & Provence, decorated with a piece of holly painted in Chalk Paint in Scandinavian Pink and finished with Warm and Bright Gold Gilding Wax. Then they were tied in waxed black string with the tips finished in Warm and Bright Gold Gilding Wax. Various holly and ivy leaves on the table were painted in Chalk Paint in Burgundy with some finished with a mix of Warm and Bright Gold Gilding Wax.

Bottles: An inch of the top of the glass bottles was masked off with tape. Slightly diluted layers of Chalk Paint in Burgundy were gradually applied to the rest of the bottles. Once the colour was looking opaque, it was left to dry before adding a mix of Warm and Bright Gilding Wax to the bottle using a stencil brush. The Gilding Wax was gently worked out from the top line to create a subtle ombré effect. Once dry, the masking tape was removed to reveal a crisp clean line.

BRIGHT AND BREEZY

Floor: Chalk Paint in Paris Grey, finished with lacquer.

Christmas tree: Triangle cut out of MDF painted in Chalk Paint in a mix of Amsterdam Green and Old White.

Baubles: Plastic baubles painted in a palette of Chalk Paint in English Yellow, Florence, Old White, Antoinette and a mix of Florence and Old White. A couple of these were finished using either white or black wax to highlight the texture and darken or lighten the colour a little.

Chair: Chalk Paint in English Yellow painted with a pure bristle brush to create texture and once dry, finished with white Chalk Paint Wax, leaving the “socks” of the chair in the vivid English Yellow, without the white clear wax.

Presents: Wrapped with paper hand-printed and stamped with Chalk Paint in a palette of Duck Egg Blue, Antoinette, English Yellow, and Old White.

Chalk Paint and all products in Annie Sloan’s range of painting accessories are available from only 65 hand-picked stockists located throughout Canada. Go to anniesloan.com for more details.