PAINTING A FARMHOUSE~BARNWOOD FAUX FINISH ON A TABLE

PAINTING A FARMHOUSE-BARNWOOD FAUX FINISH ON A TABLE

Patti has been my client for many years.

  I'm so glad she calls me when she's working on a new project.  I really love her style and really enjoy working with her.  Recently, she called and  wanted me to paint a faux farmhouse~barnwood finish on a dining table for her daughter's new home. 

This is a picture of the table "after" I painted it.

I always use brown and gray colors to get this look.

It's not hard to paint a "farmhouse" or "barnwood" faux finish.

 The table and legs were a white washed light oak finish.  For the base of the table I used a white oil based satin paint.  I painted small sections at a time and immediately rubbed the paint off of the areas where I wanted to expose the old finish.  I used soft rags for wiping the paint.  I didn't seal the oil paint.  I left the shiny satin finish, hoping to contrast with the duller farmhouse~ barnwood table top.

To start, I painted a wood colored paint as my base coat.  Next, I brushed on a medium gray color.  With a rag, I gently rubbed off the gray in linear strokes.  Always brush the direction of the wood grain.  In this picture it is painted and you can't see the wood grain, but you can imagine how the wood grain would go.  The brush strokes should be almost dry brushed because you want to see the base coat of tan through the gray.  Try to make long strokes, but it's ok to have shorter strokes, too.  That's the way natural wood looks.  On top of the gray, I painted a dark brown.  I painted the brown in long and short strokes.  As I was brushing it out, I left some of the strokes a little heavier with paint and some a little more brushed out.  I did this so the brush strokes would simulate wood grain.  

This is the "before" white washed finish on the table.

Patti actually fed her children on this table when they were small. 

So sweet that her daughter has it now.
She will be feeding her children at this same table, too.

Many times clients have asked me to paint furniture they've kept in storage for years.  Painting and making it new again is perfect for the kids that slept on it, played on it, shared a meal with family, etc.  Many times older furniture has really good lines and painting makes it beautiful and new again.