The wonders of paint

A pint of paint goes a long way in making old pieces look great. For pieces that I've done, I like to wipe down the furniture with warm water to get all of the remnants of time past off. Then I lightly sand the piece quickly (think 10-15 minutes) with a fine grade sand paper, and then maybe some steel wool. Then I'll wipe it down with an old rag and water one more time. Then its time to paint. I don't prime, and typically use 2 coats of paint (latex- easy clean up). Most people would stop here, they've painted the piece, and they're done. This last step makes all the difference in the world. So you've painted, and to me the furniture now looks a little "too new", so what I like to do, is take some black acrylic paint (think craft paint about 2 tablespoons) and mix it with 3-4 tablespoons of water. Next, take an old soft t-shirt, an put it in the paint and rub it onto the furniture. Pay particular attention to the grooves of the wood, next gently wipe off any excess. This will leave a nice patina on the furniture, like its been painted for years. I love this technique, it adds a more expensive look to pieces.