How to Give Your Furniture a Shabby Chic Look
- 1). Choose painted furniture for the creation of shabby chic design. Select older furniture if you can, but any painted furniture will work.
- 2). Clean the furniture and remove grease by wiping with denatured alcohol or 90 proof alcohol. Let the alcohol evaporate before proceeding.
- 3). Apply a base coat of oil-based varnish to the areas of the furniture where you want the faded paint cracks to appear. Wait for the varnish to become transparent. Add a top coat of water-based varnish to the same areas. Wait for cracks to appear as the water-based varnish dries more quickly than the oil varnish.
- 4). Rub a thin layer of oil-based antique glaze over the cracked surface of the furniture to highlight the cracks. Use cotton balls to apply the glaze. Wipe off any extra glaze on the surface so the glaze layer is even. If cracks do not appear after applying the antique glaze, attempt steps 3 and 4 again.
- 5). Paint over the finished look with an oil-based matte varnish to seal the shabby chic appearance.
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