Have you EVER Painted a Sofa?

Have you painted fabric before? 

Neither had we... till we heard of chalk paint!3

Backstory 

A while back, pre-pandemic, we ruined a perfectly fine sofa in our guest room by trying to steam clean it. (Lesson learned)  

Long story short: the few water stains it had multiplied by the time we were done. It was such an eyesore, we covered it with sheets and pillows waiting for the day we could drag it out and take it to the dump. 

Fast-forward to one recent pandemic day, we came across videos of chalk paint being used to paint anything and everything - including fabric! (Just go to YouTube and search for “chalk paint fabric” and you’ll see what we’re talking about.)

There began our quest to restore the sofa.   

Research Time

We read and watched anything we could find on chalk paint and which was the best on fabric. Everyone had their own stories and suggestions for paint, but most recommended Annie Sloan brand paint.

Finding the Paint

Of course, this brand is not sold in paint stores or big box hardware warehouses, no. You have to find a stockist who… stocks it. Fortunately, there is one in Old Town Alexandria! Insert link and name them 

Getting Started

Eddie decided that diluting the paint with water was the way to go. After all, that was some of the advice online. Eddie was wrong. After two coats (of diluted paint), the sofa looked only a shade darker than when he started the process. The paint can was empty.

Trying Again

Eddie went back to the local stockist for another liter of paint, and searched for better online guidance. The painting resumed. One more coat. This time with undiluted pain. Then...

Eureka!

After the paint dried, it got a light sanding and waxing, and in a few days it was this fabulous blue comfort zone! Now the fabric looks and feels like leather. 

Check out the paint project below!

Before

DURING

AFTER

To complete the makeover, we painted the wall behind the sofa in orange and graphite to contrast the blue.