Way More Chic Than Shabby: You’ve Never Seen Chalk Paint Like This Before

Chalk paint may be the undisputed champ of aged, vintage-style furniture, but this matte medium is actually incredibly versatile, and can be used to revamp pieces in a wide range of styles. From mid-century modern apartments to artsy bohemian interiors, this easy-to-use, environmentally-friendly paint is showing up everywhere. Find inspiration in the projects that follow, then learn everything you’ll need to know about mixing up homemade chalk paint.

Above: Poppyseed Creative Living‘s vibrant dresser reminds us that chalk paint doesn’t have to be muted, or pastel. The bright orange hue is Annie Sloan’s Barcelona Orange.

This project reveal from Place of My Taste proves that chalk paint can look incredibly modern.

One of Annie Sloan’s painters in residence combined teal and charcoal chalk paint to create the distressed finish on this boho cupboard. Visit the site for a list of supplies you’ll need to replicate the look.

Annie Sloan added a stunning ombre effect to an old dresser using an unexpected combination of blue and orange.

If your decor style is vintage country, chances are you already have some chalk paint lying around from a past project. Diana from Our Vintage Home Love came across an old can of French Linen paint while cleaning out a cabinet, and was inspired to give her kitchen cabinets a fresh coat.

To update the mid-century modern dresser above, Linda from q is for quandie mixed latex paint with plaster of Paris to create her own chalk paint. Want to try it? Test out one of these popular homemade chalk paint recipes.

To give brand-new wooden drawers a well-worn look, The Painted Hive first distressed them, then finished them with green chalk paint and black wax.

On her blog Fresh American Style, designer Annie Selke shows how to use chalk paint to achieve a more traditional look. The trick: Use two coats, and don’t sand or use wax.

Calming blue chalk paint and some adorable drawer pulls turn a plain dresser into a statement piece for a bohemian bedroom. Find the full tutorial from Barb Blair, author of Furniture Makeovers, on Plaid Online.