Chalk & Milk Paint Tips & Techniques. Helpful How-to’s & DIYs

Painted Kitchen Inspiration — Fusion Mineral Paint, Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint & Old World Clay & Chalk Paint

10/10/2017

"Can I paint my kitchen with your paint?"

It's a question we're asked all the time.
And pretty much every time, the answer is YES! You can!

This isn't a room you can cut corners in,
prep is vital (grease removal, a light sand in most cases)
and you've got to be honest with yourself about
your expectations and commitment...

But other than that, here are some of our clients' fabulous results:

Fusion Mineral Paint

Tracy's Kitchen Reno in Fusion Mineral Paint, Champlain

Tracy prepped the cupboards by giving them a good sanding. She hand-painted two coats by in the gorgeous neutral Champlain which used 1 pot of paint plus another 1/4 pot. Not bad! She sealed with Fusion's Tough Coat Sealer for extra protection.

When asked if she would do anything different, Tracy said:

"I don't think I would change anything with the way I did it, it was my first time painting something so big and I was really happy with how it came out. I was actually amazed at how easy it was. They have really held up well, they haven't marked at all."

BEFORE

AFTER!

Kitchen painted in Fusion Mineral Paint's Champlain

Carol's Kitchen in Fusion Mineral Paint, Upper Canada Green

Carol has a classic country kitchen with the perfect amount of personality. But she had enough of her dark cabinets and wanted to lighten the room — and she loves green which perfectly complements her red accents.

She gave a light sanding to cut the shine of the cupboards, cleaned them thoroughly with Sugar Soap and painted away. Two coats of Fusion Mineral Paint in Upper Canada Green with her handy Cling On Brush. Her extra-large kitchen used just a bit over 3 pots of paint.

She did not seal and says the kitchen has held up well (painted a bit over a year ago). However, she would recommend sealing with Tough Coat for those who want a bit more protection.

BEFORE

AFTER!

Kitchen painted in Fusion Mineral Paint's Upper Canada Green

Old World Clay & Chalk Paint

Tatjana's Kitchen in Old World Clay & Chalk Paint, in the colour, Old World White

Tatjana and her husband wanted a new-old kitchen for their rammed-earth house and found this lovely, high-quality second hand kitchen to makeover.

After a quick scuff with sandpaper to cut the shine, Tatjana started with her first coat...and was terrified! It looked awful! A couple phone calls and emails explained the "first-coat-uglies" and encouraged her to keep painting. She also switched to a Cling On Brush for a less hand-painted look.

The second coat of Old World White and switching to the Cling On Brush made all the difference. Tatjana's kitchen is gorgeous and was sealed for extra protection using Aqua Sealer.

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BEFORE - a close up of second hand kitchen cupboards

AFTER

Painted kitchen in Old World Clay & Chalk Paint in colour, Old World White

Lisa's Kitchen in Old World Clay & Chalk Paint in the customised colour, Nest

Getting a house ready for sale can be very stressful. Lisa was on a tight budget and had to work with the existing wall colour, bench tops and flooring, she wanted a hand-painted vintage look in a neutral shade.

We customised the colour Nest to coordinate perfectly. Lisa gave her laminate cupboards a thorough scrubbing and hand-painted two coats of Old World Paint using a Cling On Brush for exceptional coverage, then shifting to a natural bristle brush to create a heavier brush-stroke pattern on the final coat.

Lisa used one liter of paint before sealing the cupboards with two coats of Polishing Wax for super easy maintenance and repair.

BEFORE

After: Hand-painted for a vintage look with Old World Clay & Chalk Paint in a custom colour

Kerri's Kitchen in Old World Clay & Chalk Paint in the colour, Warehouse

A quick peek at Kerri's vintage builder grade kitchen work-in-progress using Old World Clay & Chalk Paint in the gorgeous charcoal grey shade of Warehouse.

Doesn't it just get your imagination going?

Before

WIP: Kitchen painted in Old World Clay & Chalk Paint, Warehouse

Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

Mrs. S's Kitchen with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Artissimo & Hemp Oil

See the full details of this project on the blog.

Mrs. S painted her builders grade laminate kitchen more than two years ago with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in the gorgeous colour Artissimo, sealing it with Hemp Oil.

What's the key to a beautiful finish with Milk Paint??? Patience. Mixing the Milk Paint to a smooth and even consistency is key. Don't rush the process. Mrs S. mixed a ratio of 1:1:1 — paint, water, Bonding Agent. Here's what she had to say: "The paint went on like a dream. The key was to mix and rest, mix and rest, mix and rest."

Mrs. S used 1 Litre of paint and equal amounts Bonding Agent and water, painting two coats, sealing with two coats of Hemp Oil, using a MMSMP natural bristle brush.

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Before

After

Builders grade laminate kitchen painted in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Artissimo, sealed with Hemp Oil

Miss Belle's Restorations with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Dried Lavender

Everything she touches turns to gorgeousness so when Miss Belle said she'd like to paint her brand new kitchen with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint, I could hardly wait to see the end result.

It did not disappoint!

The cupboards started as raw Tassie Oak so she got straight to painting using about 4 1L bags of Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in the now discontinued colour Dried Lavender. "What I really love about the paint is that it's got a sort of French finish to it — it's not a flat colour," says Miss Belle.

Wanting a natural looking finish she used Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Wax to seal. "I wax it relatively regularly to keep it in good shape. I love that grime just wipes off. If it gets wet, you get a slight white patch and it buffs off."

Miss Belle completed her kitchen renovation about a year and a half ago. "I'm still very happy with it. I don't think I would have done anything differently. I really love that it will eventually age in a beautiful way."

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Timber kitchen painted in Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint, Dried Lavender

The Top 6 Tips to a Successfully Painted Kitchen

1. Know what you want. Different paints and different sealers give you different results. If you aren't sure, get advice. We can help! Ask us!

2. Prep is KING. Kitchens are a haven of grease, water...messes in general! Sanding and thorough cleaning is a must before jumping in with paint.

3. Be prepared, it's not a small project. Kitchens are a lot of work, have a plan of action and if you've never painted before, or are using a new paint, start with a smaller project to get the feel.

4. Testers or sample pots are your BEST FRIEND. The cost is minimal in comparison to making a mistake on colour or having to start over.

5. Use the right tools. If you're a stickler for a brush-free finish...use a sprayer. If you love the natural patina of wax, be sure to invest in a good wax brush.

6. Remember...all paint has a cure time during which it releases water and hardens. Be gentle during this period, which is typically about 30 days.

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

What We Used:

Miss Mustard Seed's CLEAR Furniture Wax

A$28.00 - A$54.00

Miss Mustard Seed's Waxes are museum quality, all natural, easy to apply and provide a durable finish with a beautiful lustre. No toxic smells or odours. Creamy and silky, easy to apply with Wax Brush or cloth.

Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Wax is ideal for use on timber, marble or as a finish over Milk or Chalk Paint.

Also available:

Antiquing Wax: Perfect for creating an authentically aged finish
White Wax: Perfect for creating a faded, washed or limed look
Hemp Oil: Provides a solvent-free, protective, water-resistant oil finish
Wax Brushes: Achieve a professional look and save money as it uses less

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Ultra Grip

A$38.00

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Ultra Grip™ allows Fusion Mineral Paint to adhere to surfaces that are typically not for painting such as a lacquered surface, laminate, metal or glass.

This water based emulsion increases adhesion of the paint to glossy, hard-to grip-surfaces.

Milky when wet, dries translucent with very good clarity. Always test your products prior to applying in order to ensure desired finish. Clean up with water.

This is the exact same product as Miss Mustard Seed's Bonding Agent with different branding. You can use them interchangeably.

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