How this (dare I say tacky) Dollar Store Box was Transformed Into a Sophisticated Tome — with Chalk Paint!

Before: The $2 Box

At a recent Workshop,  the group was very curious to see 
how Chalk Paint would behave on a cheap, highly-patterned and brightly-colored paper box.

A customer had bought it at a Dollar Store for $2 and 
hoped to transform it into something elegant for 
her husband to keep in his home office.

Challenge accepted!

We grabbed the Autentico Vintage Chalk Paint in 
Red Stripe and got painting.

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Before

Inside the box

The first coat went on smooth but sheer.

With  some colours and some surfaces, Chalk Paint likes 
to fool you into thinking it's not going to work...

First coat of Autentico Chalk Paint in Red Stripe

But then it does! 

It works its magic and after 
the third and final thin coat of Red Stripe, 
the pattern is no longer visible.

Allowing the final coat of Chalk Paint to dry

Because it's paper and because we were out of time, 
we allowed the box to dry. 

A few days later, she was able to return to complete the box.

 First the edges were dry brushed to resemble gold-leafed pages.
Then, after stencilling  a feather motif, the pink 
sides and edges that were still peeking through were 
quickly touched up. 

Faux gold-leaf pages and stencil added to customise the project

Once the final touches were dry, 
the entire surface was gently brushed with Clear Wax. 

Finally, Dark Wax highlights were wiped sparingly
onto the surface giving it a lovely aged patina.

Applying Dark Wax

She couldn't be more thrilled with the result....
who could imagine such a transformation?!

And now the box sits on her husband's desk, 
never to reveal the pink and white  juvenile pattern that was once its cover!

The end result! From tacky...to sophisticated!

Please ask any questions in the comments below or send me an email, 
I'd love to hear from you.

it's all here...for the love...
Sada