SK On Elderberry: SK's Paint Upholstery & G.D. Gunderson Design

Georgia is one of those innately clever people. Her instinctual design sense goes bone deep. Georgia's ability to layer and change and layer again is always an amazing process to watch.

Each time I visit her beautiful home I gaze in wonderment at her vignettes. So thoughtfully and carefully crafted, but again looking so natural and carefree.

She received a painted wingback chair from me many years ago and wanted a little update and facelift for her pretty little chair.

This beautifully built chair is thirty years old or more. It's life as a new chair began with a pink tone on tone brocade fabric.

I couldn't part with her for many years just because she was so carefully hand-crafted. Yet I wouldn't use her because of the ghastly pink fabric.

Clean as I could get the fabric, the stains were non removable.

Her second life was painted with a Amish Black chalk paint ten years ago.

The first and second coat felt like a disaster. But the third and final coat was beautiful.

Now to bring her into a new life and new place to reside.

Georgia wanted to brighten up her space but not lose the Amish Black of the piece. The seat back and fronts of the arms were painted an antique cream custom chalk paint. The black stripe was added to pull the colors together. I made a mock-up (pictured above) of a black damask curl down the sides of the stripe. She choose to keep this pretty piece simple. So get away from the paint sk.

This piece was clear paste waxed and buffed. The paint will not crack, nor will it come off on clothes, It feels like embossed and smooth leather.

Painted upholstery has existed for many centuries but until now the craft was not usable for the home painter.

With the onset of chalk paint and upholstery medium the task has become well known and well used.

SK's Custom Chalky Paint Recipe

1 Part Powdered and sifted Calcium Carbonate. I buy mine from Par Lumber. Salem Oregon. You can buy it online too. I just have an aversion to waiting for the post.

1 Part Calcium Carbonate (Ground Chalk)

2 Parts flat latex Paint

A couple of drops of water. Maybe a tablespoon.

I sift my ground chalk to get any odd lumps out. Then add the 2 parts flat paint.

I mix with a hand held stick blender in a mason jar. Keep the lid, cap and rim of the jar clean. It will dry and make taking the lid on and off a real chore.

Thanks for visiting. sk on elderberry