Milk Paint And An Old Door

Good Sunday Morning.  I am starting some change ups in my Living Room and I decided to try some Milk Paint on an old door I had in there.  


I love the soft look in my living room with the creams and whites but I felt the door and armoire were a little boring.
 So this is when I thought I would try the milk paint to see if I could get some chippiness.  So I started with the door.




This is the old vintage door.  I painted it with Milk Paint and nothing happened.  Then I tried a second coat and again nothing happened.  I followed the directions, lightly sanded it first, did not use any bonding agent and then mixed up the paint and applied it.  I guess that is how it goes with Milk Paint it will chip where it wants or in my case where it does not want too LOL!  So.......

So I just took a mouse sander to the door and got this chippy look.

Then I started to think about all of this and thought hey I am going to give this milk paint another shot.  So I mixed up another batch this time using a little less water and letting the paint sit for awhile before applying it.

Here is the door repainted with a new batch of Milk Paint in the color Ironstone.

After it was dry I could see that it was starting to pull away and bubble in some spots.  Much more than the first try.   I took a light sand paper to the door and achieved this look from the milk paint.  Almost the same as when I just took the mouse sander to the first round where the milk paint did nothing.

So I guess the moral of this story is I can get the same distressed look of milk paint with a mouse sander.
Not sure why I had such a hard time getting the first attempt of milk paint to chip but the second attempt seemed to work better and maybe with the door being more heavily sanded the paint worked better with the second go around.

Anyway it was fun to try something new and have a little fun with the milk paint.  Not sure I am a big fan but to be fair to Milk Paint this is one of the first times I tried milk paint. So maybe if I gave it another try I would get better results.  I just feel that I achieved the same chippy distressed look of milk paint with just using a mouse sander and could achieve this with no investment in the milk paint.

So if you are open minded and like mystery and no control over the results of milk paint this is the paint for you.  I guess I just like to see and control the chippiness so the old fashion sanding of a piece is a better fit for me.




Now I need to think about the Armoire.  Not sure I want that same look on the armoire.  So I am thinking about some other options for this big piece of furniture.  Stay tuned.

Also the talented Lisa from LHarmonDesigns  that made my sectional slipcover some time back is making me a new one in a natural color so I am excited to have that coming soon.  I think it will bring some warmth into the cottage living room.
If you have not seen Lisa's gorgeous slipcovers on Etsy you must visit her.  She does excellent work and is quick and makes these beautiful slipcovers from templates made from your own pictures.  It is so great to have these come and fit perfectly and she never had to have your furniture.
I will have a post on her beautiful work as soon as I get my new slipcover.

Enjoy the rest of the week end and have a great start to the new week ahead.
Kris
:)


37 comments

  1. I love what you did and I would do the same thing to the armoir or either do a light gray.

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  2. What a great, informative post, Kris! Thank you for your trial, honest assessment and recommendations. It helps those of us who wonder about the differences among the options.

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  3. I like the way you door turned out, Kris! I've never tried milk paint, but I've been thinking about painting my weathered wall cabinet with it. Would you consider cutting out the upper panels of your armoire and adding shirred fabric panels inside? That way, you could switch out the fabric when you wanted a change. Just a thought. I can't believe somebody made the slipcover on your sectional! She does gorgeous work and I can't wait to see the new cover!

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  4. Kris, It sounds like a lot of work...but it looks nice. I like the armoire just as it is, myself. Hope you are enjoying this weekend. Wow, it was hot yesterday. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

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  5. Oooh, looking forward to seeing your new slips, Kris! I'll bet the natural will be nice for the Fall/Winter months. I love your white armoire, but I'm sure anything you do to it will look just as lovely. Maybe something with the panels on the doors.

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  6. That looks great, Kris. It may not have chipped exactly the way you planned but the texture is pretty. You always know just what a room needs. I'm working on a door right now from my Dad's old house. I'm using Maison Blanche paint. This is all new to me because if I'm going to paint something it's generally a spray paint job that takes 5 minutes. I'm hoping my door will turn out pretty like so many of your projects.

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  8. It looks great both ways. The one thing I like about milk paint is the flat look it has. I'm not a shiny girl when it comes to painted surfaces. Your space looks amazing like always :)

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  9. You really notice the door now...turned out great! It's always fun experimenting with new techniques!

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  10. Kris, the chippiness of the door adds a great dimension! All your work and effort paid off :)
    Susan

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  11. I love the door, what a great addition to your room. Always so pretty and always so inviting.

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  12. Kris,
    Sometimes it takes awhile to achieve exactly what you see in your mind's eye. Even humidity can alter the effect of a paint techinque and I happen to feel sanding is an effective technique. But whatever formula (milk paint) or sanding it turned into a warm dimensional architectural addition to your lovely room. The natural slipcover will really look nice. All those different shades in and between in shades of white add warmth and uniqueness. I always enjoy a visit to your blog, it is one of my favorite blogs.
    XO,
    Vera

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  13. The door looks great. You have the patience of a saint - I am very quick to get uninterested in a project when it doesn't go the way I want it to. Shame on me.
    I'm excited to see how your slip cover works on your couch. I would love to have one for my sectional.
    Happy Summer and have a great sunny week.
    Mary

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  14. Kris,
    Like how the door now looks in your room...it has a lot of POP! Maybe you should just sand the panels on the doors of the other piece.

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  15. Well Kris,
    You know with how I paint that I would so be loving your door, it adds all the rightness to your space demanding attention and standing out just as well but, with a seamless blend. As for the armoire I love your idea of doing something to it?
    Maybe a chalk paint finish in a time close to white in the darker whites of cream and only in areas like the trim and inset of the doors then distress it here and there along the harder edges, around the door pulls and across the crown moldings making it look as if it has been bumped and distressed with many moves.
    Loving the interest you are adding to your whiteness! Always so inspiring to view your white life of beauty.

    See you soon doll.

    Xoxo
    Dore

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    1. Hi Dorie,
      Yep I actually am trying something to the doors only on this piece to see how that comes out. So stay tuned. I would love to find two identical or smilar doors to replace the stock doors on that armoire. I just would love to re love two unique and pretty doors on the cabinet for some character and warmth. So I am on the hunt but until I find them I am trying out something a little different today. Hope to have a post soon. Thanks for your input.
      Kris

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  16. When you said "boring" I almost laughed out loud! But your new door really does make a wonderful difference. Great job! Can't wait to see the new slipcover!

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  17. Your door turned out great. I agree with Dore on the painting of the amorie, that sounds beautiful. Di

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  18. Even if the milk paint was a bit of a disappointment, I think you gave your door some fun personality!
    Mary Alice

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  19. I love what you did with the old door. Your post is very interesting. Great job!
    Kisses
    Alessandra

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  20. I much prefer the the door the way it was before the repaint though....

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  21. LOL I had the same experience. Either the stuff doesn't stick at all or it sticks like glue. I'd rather take my chances with paint and sanding... :) LOVE that door!!

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  22. Kris your door looks awesome, I love the chippiness. I have an end table that I did with MMS milkpaint in Linen and I found that if I hit it in spots I wanted it to chip with a hair dryer it worked great. Can't wait to see what you do with the amoire maybe Terry can cut out the centers of the doors and then add small square rabbit wire inserts? I did that to that little cabinet in my dining room and I love it. Looking forward to seeing the slipcover!

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  23. Love how the door turned out!! I just picked up some white paint to paint a wood trunk that we use as the coffee table in front of the sofa. I'm just going to sand it in places to get that chippy look...I haven't found any place around here that sells milk paint.
    ~Cindy

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  24. Well, I've never tried mild paint and may not bother to try but I sure do love the way your door turned out, the first and second time. It does make a nice visual change from just the plain white next to the armoire. I love everything you do :) BTW: if you have a chance, Monday is my special kiddos birthday and I'm hoping to get 29 birthday wishes on my blog, would love for you to stop by :) Thanks and Blessings to you, Cindy

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  25. Thanks for your honest opinion about the paint! (I was honest about AS chalk paint in one of my blog posts and felt like a traitor for even writing it! But I had to be honest!) The door looks great. I know you'll come up with something great for the armoire.
    xo Kathleen

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  26. i used milk paint back in the 1990's, it does have a mind of it's own:) love the look you were able to get the 2nd time around, kris. it gives your door texture and now it pops next to your tv cabinet:) tfs the slip link, too!

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  27. I've not tried milk paint yet... interesting that it wouldn't peel on the first try. I like the armoir white but I understand the "need' to do something haha! I look forward to seeing what you come up with Kris! Enjoy your day!

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  28. I love it! I haven't tried milk paint yet, scared to when the CP works so well. Can't wait to see your new slip cover...
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  29. it looks wonderful the perfect touch to accent this room too. Hugs!

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  30. Kris, it came out really pretty, and your little sander worked really well on the first one. I've tried milk paint a few times now, with mixed results; I find it hard to sand and not so consistent, but that's its nature. :) I've decided I prefer AS Chalk Paint,but I can't always splurge :)

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  31. I so love your doors that you find. I am hoping I will find one that isn't to big for the new house. I would love the look somewhere. I have never tried Milk Paint and I am one that like the control of the paint too. I will probably stick with what works for me. Can't wait to see w hat other changes you decide.

    Cynthia

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  32. I luv the patina on the door it really gets the job done. It looks great it's like it's saying hey look at me know you now I'm here.
    Thanx for sharing. Jo from Anne's Attic - Design http://fulcolbaxia.wordpress.com come on over and see some great DIY projects. I need your help I have a goal of reaching 25 followers. Would you help!
    Have a great day!

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  33. I really like how your door turned out and how it looks in the room! You're right - you got just as nice of a chippy distressed finish from the sander as with the milk paint. I haven't tried any of the "new age" paints out there but have seen a lot of pieces they were painted with. Some have really neat effects, some are just sloppy looking. I would like to try them sometime but for now, I think I'll stick with my trusty sander :) Hugs, Leena

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  34. I loved the new design in your old door Milk Paint.
    www.aaafencedeck.com

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