A Stressful "Distressing" Paint Episode

I have had this table for years.  I got it at a yard sale I think - it's been so long ago that I don't even remember.  It has been used in a number of places over the years.  Eventually, it ended up on a screened porch where it took a bit of abuse.  Since moving, it has been in my attic. 

I decided it needed to be red.  I wanted a red table for our porch. I spent ages looking over red swatches and finally settled on a Ralph Lauren color.  When I went to Home Depot to pick it up, they had quit carrying Ralph Lauren paints.  Ugh - that paint was great - it covered so well.

Oh well.  I then looked through all of the Home Depot red swatches under their fluorescent lights (which no one should trust when picking out paint colors) and found one that I thought was fairly close.  The man who mixed my paint had a little trouble.  It was his first day in the paint department.  Lucky me.  Still I felt confident - everybody has a first day. 

I sanded (just a little) and primed and then put on my first coat of red.  Ugh.  Is this raspberry?  Noooo.  Surely it just needs another coat or two to look right.  Nope.  Several coats later. I had a hideous raspberry.  Was it a mixing error?  Did I choose a hideous raspberry? 

It would take 25 to 30 minutes to get to Home Depot.  Maybe I could just mix in a little black. It might be OK if it were a little darker.

After one (poorly covering) coat, I could see I would end up with a plum colored table.

Forget it.  I hate red.  I'll never paint furniture red again.  I primed over the whole thing.  Then I painted the table with a color I've been dying to try out.  It's the custom mix that Tracey at Notes From A Cottage Industry uses - her signature robin's egg blue.

I put one coat on - it was lovely.  Then, just as I was about to put on the second coat, I had an idea - if I did some sanding, a little red (or raspberry or plum) might show through and give the piece a distressed look. The table is not a fine piece of furniture - distressing it would be appropriate.  If it didn't work out, I'd just put a few more coats of blue on.  What's a few more coats of paint?

Now we're talking!  I loved it.  The raspberry showing through look snice since it's in small areas.  It gives the table a bit of character.  I'm not sure where on the porch it will end up.  I have a number of rockers I'm painting and I'll need several more tables to put around.

I think this table needs a red geranium on it.  Oh - and I really like the large wooden knob.  It looks so much better than the smaller ceramic one that was on it before.

This whole stressful, distressing, paint episode ended up being a happy accident.  If it hadn't looked terrible all along the way, it would have never gotten to the fun look it has today.


I have linked this post to Transformation Thursdays at The Shabby Chic Cottage.