Chalk Painting a Chandelier

3/7/2017

Perhaps you've spotted one in a second hand shop
but weren't confident it was worth the effort.
Or you have one stashed in the garage or shed.
Maybe you even have one hanging in your home,
that you just don't like!

Chandeliers are one of those DIY projects
you can make entirely your own and create
genuine impact at the same time.

Old World Clay & Chalk Paint (or similar authentic chalk-based paint)
is my go-to for painting what
can be a difficult surface like a chandelier.

Vintage chandelier restyle & photo by Aprils Loves. Painted in Old World Paint, Tutu Pink

I've love the immediate and dramatic result
you get from painting a chandy.

Our all natural paints including Old World Paint,
Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint as well as Fusion Mineral Paint
are non-drip and self-levelling,
easy to control, they stay on the brush
and can be thickened or
thinned to your liking without compromising coverage.

And if you'd like to distress, you can quickly hit
with sandpaper or even a damp cloth.

You can decide to seal or leave unsealed.

wrought-iron-chandelier-makeover-mmsmilkpaint

Before: A dusty wrought iron chandelier before its MMS Milk Paint facelift

Work-in-progress: We love our studio chandy painted in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Tricycle

I recently updated my own metal chandelier
and sconces with Fusion Mineral Paint.
I wanted an updated but similar colour,
but to eliminate the heavy brown "bone" accent.

See the blog post with full details HERE
and it covers painting the fabric light shades as well!

Before: A quick coat of Fusion's Ultra Grip on this metal chandy

Fusion Mineral Paint's Ultra Grip

A handy little product is Fusion Mineral Paint's Ultra Grip.

Ultra Grip ensures that paint adheres to surfaces typically not designed for painting such as a lacquered surface, laminate, metal or glass.

Fusion Mineral Paint is self-levelling so if something happens, repair is as easy as a swipe of the brush and unlike ordinary paint, you will not be able to tell where the accident happened!

Work in Progress: Fusion Mineral Paint in the colour Aubusson

painted-light-fixture-shades-instructions

After: Love the contemporary end result with freshly painted chandy and updated linen shades in Fusion Mineral Paint's Coal Black. See the blog post for full details.

Drying time.
Depending on the project and your time,
this can be a big factor to consider.

Sometimes, if you're time poor or need to finish
something quickly, there isn't the luxury or 4, 8 or 12 hour dry times.

I love that Old World Paint and
Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint dry almost as quickly as
you paint and you can often start the next coat
right after finishing the first coat!

One important thing to remember,
use a GOOD brush.
We LOVE our Cling On Brushes for
exceptional coverage.
Especially the ROUND shape for all the
fine, round areas.

But during this project a helpful
tip is to mix it up — use artist brushes
and any other brush lying around to tackle
the curves, turns and nooks.

Old World Paint in City Lights with a fabulous Cling On Brush for amazing coverage

If you haven't yet painted a chandelier yet, it may be time to
embrace the world of MMS Milk Paint,
Old World Clay & Chalk Paint and Fusion Mineral Paint.

Take a look up. . .
You may see a whole new world for your lighting!

3 Final Tips for Hand-painting a Chandelier

Tip 1 —Perserverance
Spin it, turn it, spin it again, just keep twisting and moving it into different angles and positions, . The more intricate the design, the more you may have missed! Take your time. Enjoy the process. Look at it as meditation!

Tip 2 —A Good Brush
Cling On Brushes are like the Ferraris of the paint brush world, they hug curves and are smooooooothhh! And the small round brush is the perfect pick for a chandelier or anything with spindles. But when I'm nearing the end and hunting for missed spots, I switch to a long handled fine artists brush to better manuever into the tricky spots.

Tip 3 —Take a Break
As is often the case, especially if you're used to handling bigger or straight-lined pieces like furniture, a chandy can be your undoing! With all the little curves and dips, you may start to go mad. Walk away and come back to it 5 minutes, 5 hours or 5 days. You gain a different perspective with just a little bit of time and space.