Jinx will know!

I don’t think you have to sand if using chalk paint.

Looks like the arms on that chair might not slide under the desk. Is that an issue? I swore off painting furniture long ago, except for one brief foray into chalk paint. It worked well.

Actually we tested it and the heights work perfectly, but i see what you mean from that angle, funny that.

I have not used chalk paint but I hear many people who have and love it. Some who hate it.

The desk appears to be in very good condition. I'd be tempted to get a piece of marble (might find a remnant or salvaged piece) or glass cut to fit the top -- glass can be painted on the underneath side, or fabric applied -- any color or design you want. I might be tempted to spray the chair. Most spray paints require little or no sanding -- but my concern would be painting the slats, getting a smooth finish and no drips either way you go. My dad had a chair like that once. Brings back memories.

There is a primer called Xim IIRC that works without sanding. i think you’re supposed to clean it with a degreaser before applying Xim.

Yes, chalk paint! Lots of great brands and it’s so easy to use.

Ahhh, The Stone House. I love it. Lucky girl! 🥰

Sherwin Williams has a no-sand primer that I used when I painted the vanity in the guest bathroom (old house). It was highly recommended by igloochic (now there’s a blast from the past). It worked great on the vanity. When DD was moving into her new house, we painted a pencil post bed for DGD’s room. We were scrambling to beat the C shut-down, so we took a short cut and used the no-sand primer. DID NOT WORK at all. We then had to sand it all off and start over. All of that to say, do no use the SW no-sand primer. I think the name of it might be Prep-Rite.

The longer you can allow the paint to cure, the better your finish will hold up.

1. There is no way I would ever paint that beautiful desk. 2. How well does chalk paint hold up for heavy use ?

The chair looks adjustable. When she adjusts it for a comfortable height, both for sitting and for working, will the arms still fit under?

Does she prop her feet on the legs of the chair? How does chalk, or any, paint hold up to that?

I've used chalk paint. It's easy to use but not a particularly hard finish. Clean the piece thoroughly first and then paint. You can sand lightly between coats for a smoother finish. When done, buff with butchers wax and a clean cotton t-shirt rag.

Or, you could maybe save a little time and effort and do something like this peel-n-stick wall paper on top and then a piece of glass on top and maybe skip painting the chair too.

All- I wasn't planning on chalk paint in particular., but they say it holds up very well (esp with a lacquer coat on top which is recommended for things like tabletops.) My DD's have a chalk paint dresser in their bathroom in Maine and it has held up very well, too, FWIW.

My question was whether we can paint these w/o sanding. The answer appears to be "yes." Either use a special undercoat, or use chalk paint. Either way multiple coats so not sure one is better than the other.

The chair is adjustable. But she didn't need to; they fit together well. I was curious about people asking if the arms went under the desk -- they don't but i'm not sure why they would or if they should. All i can say is we both sat at the desk in the chair and all agreed the ergonomics were good.

Woodrose, the desk was listed on CL for $95 (we didn't bother negotiating) and it is from Bombay and Co. DD2 and I like it well enough, but it is by no means fine furniture. And what we both really wanted was a white/cream desk to lighten up all of the stone walls. There was nothing available so we bought these pieces with the intention of painting them. Plus, you have, IDK.... is that desk Queen Anne, and... sort of Mission-y chair? And the the comfy piece we will probably use is a chaise which is, I would say, Regency? We need to unite these disparate elements.

The chaise was bought for my MBR alcove years ago, and it has never really had a good home since we moved to CT. Its last home was in DD1's dorm room at boarding school. She had an amazing corner dorm room (single) with windows on 2 sides and room to bring the chaise. I doubt she will have a room that big in college, and it has been off in a corner of the LR the last year. Long story short, we will use it but we then have 3 very different styles going on, and the paint can marry at least 2 of them.

Here is the chaise we will probably put in the office. It has an "x" strut under it, kind of hard to see. But the style is, as I said, yet a third style to incorporate.

Jojoco, Annie Sloan has a video and she says to use lacquer for the last coat if you want to seal it. So, 2 coats of chalk paint and one of lacquer.

It looks like the other choice is to use something like this ...(https://www.acehardware.com/departments/paint-and-supplies/primers/primers/16890?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&&cid=PPC:G:Dynamic_Search_-Catch_All-_RLSA&k_clickid=2aad5e53-043c-47eb-92c6-77d55b81c716&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvr6EBhDOARIsAPpqUPGeLdMXDeXGEKhRfzBipe7gxReTgbx6-aWEmV4jvIm8U_3xQZfCtsgaAjBBEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) ,,,,, and then 2 coats of any kind of paint.

So it looks like there are more than a few ways to paint over stain without having to sand. I am sure that a purist would of course sand first, but neither the piece themselves nor the planned use of them warrant anything elaborate.

We always used lacquer for the tops of tables we did, waxed the rest. Never sanded (unless the wood was in very bad shape).

And Jinx, do you prefer chalk paint and why? And you mean you lacquer top but wag legs, chairs etc?

I only prefer it for certain pieces, like in cases of not particularly valuable furniture or precious original finishes and that I want the painted finish to have a softer feel. And with the nice details of those legs, you could sort of dry brush them or wipe a bit off for a beautiful look. Not a farmhouse chippy look, but a family-piece-with-elegant-patina. :)

I really dislike sanding furniture and only do it on pieces that truly warrant it (restoring an antique, for instance, or something damaged).

Yes, just lacquer for the tops, wax other parts, but you could certainly lacquer it all. And just like with any paint, curing time is very important.

Basically, chalk paint is latex mixed with a powder ... Plaster of Paris, for instance. Not enough to be gritty, but enough to give it superb thickness and adherence qualities. It’s very creamy, I love how it goes on — smoothly with no worrying about brush marks like other paints I’ve used.

That turned out fab! It does look perfect in there, I think DD is going to have to find something else. :D

Good ole Minwax poly is what we always used, glossy, satin, or matte, depending on the look you want. They have lots of different types — oil-based, water based, faster drying, one coat, etc. We’ve used most of them (never tried the spray one or the one coat one, though). Mr Jinx was in charge of poly and usually did three coats.

Jinx, DH was totally against this product but I told him "this is what the gardenweb ladies say." He is now a convert. If you had to pick one, product which would you use for lacquer? : )

Ha! :D

Well, I’m intrigued by the one coat and spray ones both, but can’t say how they’d do. I hope someone who know about those sees this.

We usually used this Polycrylic. Mr Jinx preferred applying it with a foam brush.

Sold. : )

Foam brush, for sure, of different sizes.

Mtn, where can I find that giant tissue pom pom/flower? I want to get DGD one for her room and I can't find any with stems on Amazon.

ETA: If you do paint the table and don't think the suface is the way you want it, you can always get a desk mat.

My chalk paint pieces are waxed only, but for a white piece used as a desk, I suppose lacquer would be best. I wanted to mention, if there are carvings or nooks/crannies on the pieces (I can’t tell from the pics), dark wax looks amazing. Be sure to use clear wax first. Wipe off most of the wax. It will accent carvings, etc. beautifully.

Oakley, Do you mean in DD1s dormroom? That is a floorlamp.

What do y'all use to apply the wax?

I've done a number of furniture pieces with chalk paint. I do prefer a wax finish. I use clean white shop rags. Any cotton rag, old t-shirt, old dishrag will do. Key to wax is a thin coat. Let it dry and then buff with another clean rag.

The desk and chair look great. Good call painting them.

Looks pretty. Can’t wait to see the zoomhouse all put together!

Same here — old tshirts. Waxing is super easy and has such a nice finish. We use Johnson Paste Wax, but there are tons of selections.

I still recommend doing poly on a desk top, though, for better wear. I’d wax the rest.

Are you kidding me?!? That cannot be the same two pieces !!! Looks like a staged photo from a magazine. I'm in love with the results and that room... and will now follow the transformation advice here. Great job and WOW :)

P.S. the folks here have amazing advice!

Mtn, buy a high quality wax but poly would be better.

These pieces are for the stone house, but TBH, now that I see them, I think I will stage it this way. What usually goes here is a 60" round cherry Stickley table with 6 matching windsor armchairs. Frankly we built this room so we would have a place for it (it was a refugee from my old kitchen did not work in this K or DR),.If I'm honest with myself it is too crowded with that set here. This, for $174 and some paint, looks better.

Here are some close-ups, no wax or poly yet. We used a whole quart, trying to decide if I want another quart to touch up and/or go over a few spots.

ooh ooh , with the light on!

That looks really nice. I think you’ll be finding more things to paint.

Looks terrific.

Amazing!

It looks perfect there! Love the chandelier!

Thank you, I love it too. It's from Charles Edwards in the UK. They custom paint the drum with Farrow and Ball. Of course, I picked an awfully dull color. : )

http://www.charlesedwards.com/products/ceiling/studded-drum-shade.html

Oooh with those carvings in the desk corners, dark wax would be great! I use a wax brush. The bristles really will get it into those carved areas. I'll show one, but I know nothing of this brand. But for a couple of pieces of furniture - good price. I think my brush was around $30. A stencil brush would work. The brushes are round.

wax brush

Great job!

I'm moving in. Superb job.

Those pieces turned out great!

I have not been on their site in forever. They have some very cool lights.

The desk and chair look great!

Yes, they have some very cool and expensive looking fixtures!

I’m stuck with ceiling fans :)

The desk and chair are fabulous! Make a striped or buffalo check slipcover for the back with a seat pad!

Wow, I am impressed with your mad DIY skills! Both pieces of furniture look great. I think the chandelier—with that beautiful green— is the perfect color. Nice!!

Great job! I have used Annie Sloan chalk paints & wax with great success. DH could not wrap his brain around the fact that I was not sanding or applying any primer first.

Right, Irish? People don’t believe me when I extol the virtues of chalk paint.

I still have a sofa/entry table we did years ago, has gone through a move (and moving around rooms), looks like the day we painted it. One of my best friends wants me to put it in my will for her. I won’t accept any food or drinks from her — she wants this table bad. :D