Paint Recipes & Project Packs
Enjoy our Gallery of projects using Plain Jane Chalk Paints and Furniture Waxes and find some inspiration for YOUR next paint project with our Colour Recipes and Easy to follow Instructions.
Grab yourself one of our project packs to purchase all the colours needed for each project and SAVE $$$!
Layers of Blue Table
Layering colours is THE best way to create beautiful depth and patina on your painted furniture. I layered this table with blues and some beautiful earthy shades which I always think compliment the blues perfectly for a rustic provincial look. There are a few different techniques used here and you can watch a video of the whole makeover from start to finish in my mini course Layering Chalk Paint
Colour Recipe;
- Dusty Donkey
- Peter's Blue
- Robin
- Parchment
- Clear Wax
- Dark Brown Wax
- Paint a base coat of Dusty Donkey to get full coverage over your piece. Allow to dry.
- When fully dry paint a full coat of Peter's Blue over the top
- When the Peter's Blue has just dried use a damp cloth the distress back around the details and edges of the piece
- Create a wash of Robin (50% water and 50% paint). Paint it on in sections and use a soft cloth to create a cloudy faded look. I love how the combination of this colour with the Peter's Blue looks like washed denim!
- Take a dry brush and dip the tips of the bristles in the Parchment. Dry brush over the details and edges of the piece.
- Seal everything with Plain Jane Clear Wax
- After the clear wax has dried apply the Dark Brown Wax with a detailing brush to the areas you want to highlight
Boho Brights
This is the opportunity to let go and have some fun with colour. I've listed the colours I used below but really anything goes in this situation! When painting like this there really are NO RULES and you can find as many ways to apply the paint as you like.
Colour Recipe;
- Jitterbug
- Peppermint
- Verdigris
- Jellybeans
- Rubber Duck
- Clear & Black Waxes
- Paint 2 coats of Jitterbug all over the piece to create a solid base coat of colour. Allow to dry thoroughly and preferably for 24 hours.
- Paint a coat of Peppermint and Verdigris all over the piece. Working in sections, apply random patches of each colour then blend them into each other by stippling over the join. Don't worry about having a perfect looking blend, this will not show after the next layers go on! Repeat with a second coat.
- When the Peppermint/Verdigris coats have just dried take a soft cloth and a bowl of water. Use the wet cloth to rub away the Peppermint and Verdigris in certain areas and reveal the Jitterbug underneath. Because the Jitterbug has had longer to dry it will not rub off with the Peppermint. Turn and rinse your cloth so that you don't put the paint back onto the piece. Concentrate on areas that might naturally wear with time. Allow to dry.
- Apply Jellybeans and Rubber Duck randomly with a spatula or trowel. Press the paint straight onto the piece then pull the spatula off rather than spreading it around. You can use a wet cloth to play around and remove or soften areas you don't like. Experiment with different ways of applying the paint. I like to use sponges, rags, scrunched up plastic bags, the list is endless. Allow to dry.
- Seal the whole piece with Clear Wax. Allow to dry for at least 2 hours
- Apply Black Wax into the corners and details with a small artists brush. Blend and soften the edges to create a shadow.
Aged Clay Pots
If you're anything like me you will have cupboards full of old pots and jugs that just look out dated and never get used! This is a beautiful way to modernise them and bring them out into use again.
By layering up chalk paint and texture medium it's easy to achieve an authentic aged stone or clay finish.
You'll be amazed at the transformation after a little bit of paint. The trick to creating the authentic finish is to use texture in your paint and to use anything other than a paint brush to apply it!
These pots look great in both modern and older interiors and will add beautiful character to your home.
Colour Recipe;
- Licorice
- Mud Pie
- Dusty Donkey
- Flotsam
- Parchment
- Mallow
- Plain Jane Texture Medium
- Paint a base coat in either Mallow or Licorice depending on whether you want the darker or lighter finish.
- Mix another coat of the same colour with some Texture Medium to create a thick paste. Pat and smooth the paste all over the pot to create a textured surface. Allow to dry.
- Use a scrunched up shopping bag to dab layers of the other colours onto the surface. keep the application random but concentrate the darker colours around areas that would naturally age more than others.
- Seal your paints with a clear matt varnish watered down by 10%
Watch the video tutorial of how I created these pots HERE
Moonflower Chair
Yes, you can paint the fabric too! Think of it as dying the fabric rather than painting over the top of it. The trick is to water the paint down and dampen the fabric first so that the pigments sink in and dye the fabric. This is one of the most fun ways to use chalk paint and opens up a whole new world of possibilities.
This project is made really special by adding a beautiful aged Silver finish to the frame.
Colour Recipe;
- Moonflower
- Silver Pearl
- Space Grey
- Black Wax
- Licorice
- Clear Wax
- Wash your chair and lightly sand the woodwork to create a key for the paint
- Water down the Moonflower by approx. 25% so that it is very watery. Don't worry too much about the ratios just make sure it will easily soak into the fabric.
- Use a mister to spray the fabric until it is damp. You'll be working in sections so that the fabric doesn't dry out before you get the paint on.
- Paint on 3 coats allowing to dry in between. Lightly sand with a 180 grit sandpaper inbetween each coat.
- Paint your chair frame in 2 coats of Silver Pearl and allow to dry.
- Paint a coat of Space Grey over the Silver Pearl. While it is still wet take a damp soft cloth and gently roll it over the paint to remove some of the Space Grey and leave a tarnished silver appearance. Again work in sections so the paint doesn't dry too fast.
- Water down a small amount of Licorice (50/50). With a toothbrush, or cut off small artists brush, flick tiny specks of paint over your silver finish.
- Apply Clear Wax to your painted fabric using a brush in circular motions to work it into the weave of the fabric. Wipe off any excess. Allow to dry.
- Use a small artists brush to apply Black Wax into the details of the wood and create areas of shadow. Soften with a cloth.
- Watch the full video tutorial of how I completed this project HERE
Rustic Weathered Bench
It's actually very easy to create authentically aged furniture using our Texture Medium. You only need 2 paint colours plus the Texture Medium and you can create a beautiful, weathered, time worn look just as though the paint layers have worn off naturally over the years.
Colour Recipe;
Gumboots
Mallow
Texture Medium
Clear Wax
Dark Brown Wax
- Wash your furniture off to remove any grease and grime. Paint a full coat of Mallow.
- Mix approx. 50/50 Texture Medium and paint into the remaining Mallow. Apply all over the piece with a stippling/pouncing action to leave peaks of texture. Apply more heavily in some areas than others and leave some areas uncovered with the texture. Concentrate on areas that would naturally wear over time as this is where the chippy paint look will occur. Allow to completely dry.
- Paint 2 coats of Gimboots over the top of the Mallow and Texture Medium. Allow to dry.
- Use an 80 grit and then a 180 grit sandpaper to sand back over the textured areas. You can use an electric sander or if doing this by hand use a sanding block to make it easier. Vacuum off the dust!
- Seal the whole piece with Clear Wax and allow to dry (at least 2 hours)
- Apply Dark Brown Wax into the corners and details of the piece using a small stiff brush and then soften with a soft cloth.
- Watch the full video tutorial of how I completed this project HERE
Easy Peachy Blend
If you struggle with blending (trust me, you're not alone!) then this is an easy way to 'cheat' and create the effect of softly blended colours on your furniture.
Colour Recipe;
Peach Sherbet
Parchment
Nori
Clear Wax
- Wash your furniture off to remove any grease and grime.
- Paint a coat of Nori to the bottom of the piece and Peach Sherbet to the top. Leave a rough edge around the colours and a gap between the two colours.
- Preferably you want to keep the paint damp while you are blending so use a mister bottle of water if necessary but don't soak the paint as this can make it harder to control.
- Decant some Parchment into a clean container. Use two clean brushes (one for blending the Peach Sherbet and one for Nori) to apply Parchment between the two colours with a stippling action. Keep the brush vertical and pounce it lightly to blend the Parchment into the other colours. By using two different brushes you will have a clean blend where the Nori does not mix into the Peach Sherbet and is seperated by the Parchment.
- If the paint starts to dry you can continue to stipple lightly over the top of it with the second colour.
- Allow to dry completely then repeat the whole process with a second coat. It does not have to be exactly the same as the first and variations will add to to the depth of the colour blending.
- Seal the whole piece with Clear Wax and allow to dry (at least 2 hours)
