Contributed by Sandra Martinez-Guido from Black Lab Furniture Revival
Updating a piece of furniture may seem like a daunting task, but the hardest part can be choosing the right colors. Nothing is worse than choosing the wrong color to sell or that doesn't transition well into your living space's decor. Luckily, the Dunn-Edwards DURA team was able to help.
The Vintage Buffet and the Inspiration for It
As a furniture painter I like to create unique designs that are versatile. Finding inspiration for a piece can come from anywhere from a color palette, to interior design, and even fashion. For this furniture piece I was feeling very autumnal and found this great color scheme inspiration on Pinterest.
The Dunn-Edwards DURA Color Services
After an easy but in-depth color questionnaire where I also submitted my inspiration picture, I was excited to meet virtually with a Color Influencer. With the Elevated 60-minute Color Session, we went through an array of colors that not only matched my color ideas, but even opened up the idea to a two toned look.
A few days after my consultation, I received my color report with all my personalized color recommendations to help me narrow down my choices. I picked 3 exterior peel and stick color samples to go along with the interior color sample I had already chosen.
Now it was time to choose! I knew as soon as I saw Espresso Macchiato that I wanted that rich brown color to be the interior for this buffet. As for the exterior, I wanted to keep it versatile and complimentary with the color Kiln Dried.
Preparing your Furniture Before Paint
Three critical steps to a long lasting paint and professional looking finish is: Cleaning, repairs, and scuff sanding. I prepared the buffet with a good cleaning to remove any grease, dirt and past furniture polish residue. Next step is repairs. As I cleaned the buffet, I took note of any damages and imperfections. I used wood filler to fill in those areas and filled in deeper gauges and cracks with heavy duty wood putty.
Finally, after sanding the wood filler and putty. I used a #220 sandpaper on my orbital sander to smooth the surface. This will also help the primer grip to the surface.
Time to Paint
Due to the buffet made out of mahogany, I applied 2 coats of primer to avoid the dreadful “bleed through” caused by wood tannins. And I was ready to finally paint!
I applied 3 coats of both Kiln Dried and Espresso Macchiato in the semi-gloss, which helps with doors and drawers to glide during use. I applied it by hand, which requires a 6 hour recoat time.And let me tell you that it starts drying quickly and the coverage is amazing. But I was so impressed by how the first coat dried HARD AS NAILS!
And that's it! After getting the desired coverage I was done since this paint had no need to top coat. And let me tell you, that is one part I do not miss in the usual steps to painting furniture.
The Results
I will tell you that the best part of painting furniture is when you get to stand back and admire your finished work and this one did not disappoint! I stood in awe on how perfectly close the color choices came to the inspiration picture.
The Kiln Dried exterior just shines in the semi-gloss and is such a treat when you open all the interiors.
I hope you find inspiration in the 210 colors Dunn-Edwards Dura has to offer and paint something beautiful!
Ready to start your own DIY project? Book a Color Session with a Color Influencer to help you through your color journey, or take a paint color quiz to decide your style! Our team knows just the right questions to ask to understand your goals, help you sort through color and gloss options, and even connect you with some clever sampling tools. Whether you want to talk for 5 minutes or an hour—whenever you want to talk—our team is ready when you are.
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