A Chippy Style Finish with MMS Milk Paint in Farmhouse White

It started out like any other day in the studio...
until the delivery man showed up with this fabulousness...
​the Australian release of Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Farmhouse White!

Oh yeah....I did a happy dance!!!

The Australian Release of Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Farmhouse White

And I had the perfect dresser.
​Sitting in the Studio just waiting to be "Farm-housed!"

Originally my plan was not to paint this piece.
But when Farmhouse White turned up,
we both agreed it was time for a new look.
And those giant knobs spoke to me.

I think we did OK...

Farmhouse White is as dreamy as its name.
It's a white for even non-white lovers.

It's not too cool, not too warm.
Who better to explain it than Marian (Miss Mustard Seed):

"Farmhouse White addresses the chief issue when using white – coverage.  
Whites, in general, require more than one coat of paint.
When I first tested out this custom-mixed color,
I immediately noticed how much better the coverage was. 
A beautiful white and better coverage?  
​That’s a win-win to me!"

It mixes beautifully and really is the most perfect white.
I did not add Bonding Agent to the paint
as I was hoping for the delicious chippy, flaked goodness that
​you can only get with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint. 
​

While the drawers dried I painted the frame in the colour Schloss.
Farmhouse White & Schloss together?
Yes, please.
I adore Schloss.
It's like the unsung hero of the MMSMP palette.
It's a beautiful greige (grey-beige),
neutral, yet stands on its own beautifully.
Bonding Agent was added so it would adhere to the surface...no chips required!

And eh hem...oh yeah...that's a Cling On Paint Brush right there.
The Oval 35 is the most spectacular all-purpose brush.
I typically use natural bristle brushes with Milk Paint
and save my Cling Ons for  Old World Chalk Paint and Fusion Mineral Paint.

But I wanted a smooth, more polished, less-hand-painted look.
​Boy do these brushes... Do. The. Job.

While painting the base I saw the drawers were going chippy...
​at which point I went into another happy dance!

This seems like the perfect time to talk a little bit about achieving a chippy finish with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint. Chippy is hardly-ever-nearly-never predictable (yes I took liberties with grammar there!) 

Here is what Marian has to say about this unique finish:

The chippy look is one of the most popular finishes for Milk Paint, but it can sometimes be a bit tricky to accomplish.  Here are some things to consider when trying to achieve this look:

• The finish on which you are painting: Is it sealed, shiny or painted? Milk Paint will “resist” surfaces in which it can’t be absorbed. This resisting can create chips and flakes. It is possible for the Milk Paint to flake away from the entire piece if the surface is too slick. (It is also possible that it will randomly stick and not provide you with a chippy finish. You can avoid this by using a resist. <<<my words, not Marian's.)
•  If what you are painting is raw wood or porous, the Milk Paint will be absorbed and will not chip or flake.  A resist, like the Wax Puck or Hemp Oil needs to be used.
•  It may take some trial and error, but Milk Paint is the only paint that will create an authentic, chippy finish, so it’s worth trying!

I think with time, you can start to predict
what pieces are most likely to chip. 
There are times when I still get it wrong.
The shine on this surface had me believing it would happen.
What you cannot predict is how much it will chip — and where.

​I only painted one coat and kept it messy.
I like to think the inexactness helps the chippy along!

As the base dried I came back to the drawers
and knocked off most the chips and flakes with a rag 
before giving them a light sand with fine-grade sandpaper 
to pull up a couple more chippy spots. 

I kept a close eye on these drawers as they started to chip for
the exact reason Marian mentioned above --
you can sometimes reach a point-of-no-return and 
chippy can get out of control. 
​

Once sanded,  Tough Coat Sealer was brushed on
​to stop additional chipping from happening.

Next up is the dresser top which was roughly sanded.
As mentioned in a recent blog post
on the vintage metallic-patterned table,
I very much prefer a sand-back that allows the history of a piece to show.

I love the randomness and authenticity of this look
with all of its imperfections.
Maybe I relate on a personal level?!! 

This technique never looks great while in progress, but trust the result!
Vary the method, alternating a brush (I like the MMSMP Small Natural Bristle Brush for this),
a wet rag and in this case, MMSMP Farmhouse White Milk Paint
watered down about 3 -4 to 1 ratio (water to paint).
 I find myself dipping my brush occasionally in
the full strength mixed Milk Paint as well....just HAVE FUN.

Those of you who know me, know I can never leave well enough alone.
I had NO choice but to add a little stencil love to the top.

By the way, do you see that amazing grain? The circles in the timber
above the righthand corner of the stencil? 
How beautiful is that?!

MMS Milk Paint in the colour Tricycle, with Bonding Agent,
added the perfect little unexpected zing to the top of the dresser.

When stencilling with Milk Paint, mix the paint thicker
so it doesn't run under the stencil and smear.
The silky, museum-grade MMS Furniture Wax
was used to seal the top and base.

Once I had Tricycle mixed I couldn't ignore
the oversized knobs.
I gave them a coat as well
before sealing them with Tough Coat Sealer 
with Fusion Metallic Paint in Champagne mixed through
 for a gorgeous purple-y red finish shown in the final photos.

Oh I did have a bit of fun with this one!
Farmhouse White is gorgeous whether you are after solid coverage,
 chippy goodness or white-washed over raw timber.

Bam...you've been Farmhoused!

It's all here...for the love...
​Sada

Here's a Video from Miss Mustard Seed with A Few More Farmhouse White Beauties...