How to Paint Furniture French Style, French Desk

Parlez-vous francais?

(This post was originally published 2 years ago, but has been updated and reworked for your painting pleasure)

School is coming to a town near you and in middle school and high school, you can learn to speak French!

With School coming, this is the time many people go shopping for desks.   This desk has a in important part in my painting life.  It was the THE VERY FIRST piece I painted when we moved to our current home, almost 11 years ago! I found this little French writing desk in a thrift store and fell in love.  I knew it would be perfect for the little space we had next to our refrigerator for the phone and miscellaneous family paperwork.  This is how it looked when I originally painted it.

Fast forward 11 years and we needed something  more substantial.  I still loved this desk, but it was time for it to move on.  I decided to give it a new life with my favorite “Alaska Tundra Green” from CeCe Caldwell’s.   I used a 100% natural American Made paint, but I Paint Furniture French Style!

All that was needed to prep this desk was a thorough wipe down and a little sanding where the paint was uneven from my children’s handiwork.  I started with a thin base coat of Virginia Chestnut.  I finished with a slightly thinned coat of Alaska Tundra Green.  After this dried, I sanded with a 320 grit sandpaper.  I used a dark wax I had on hand in the corners and edges, then went over the entire piece with CeCe Caldwell’s 100% natural Clear wax.  I buffed it to a high sheen to achieve a gorgeous French Style.  I added a  more depth with my favorite Modern Masters colorants in Coffee Bean.  I brushed it on in places where the wax hadn’t darkened it enough.

I love that I had to do minimal work to get this desk to a more French Style.  CeCe Caldwell’s paints are highly adhesive so primer is rarely needed.  Just open the can and get started creating.  You could be painting furniture French Style in no time.

I was so pleased with the transformation, the desk looked like it finally had the paint finish it deserved.   French Style? Yes!

If you would like to learn more about my workshops and how to learn to paint French Style, Modern Style, or any style you desire, check out my Workshop page and this fun video!

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