Decorating & Design
Paint Project: A Quirky DIY Avocado Chair
Updated on June 8, 2020
Avocados are beloved by millennials on toast, but the favored fruit is showing up just about everywhere, from holiday ornaments to earrings. Felix Sloan, the son of paint maven Annie Sloan, updates a plain chair and makes it a fun focal point with a hand-painted, crackle-effect avocado design using Chalk Paint® and a hairdryer. The crackle effect lets the undercoat show through to add texture and interest while the freehand design is purposefully loose — the trick is to work quickly!
Create your own masterpiece! This project created for the latest issue of The Colourist, Annie Sloan’s bookazine of DIY projects, can be adapted to any freehand design. You may find it helpful to make some rough sketches before you begin.
You will need (you can buy Annie Sloan products through the following retailers):
- 1 x 1 L Chalk Paint® in Greek Blue
- 1 x 1 L Chalk Paint® in Old White
- 1 x 120 mL Chalk Paint® in Graphite
- 1 x 120 mL Chalk Paint® in Lem Lem
- 1 x Small Chalk Paint® Brush
- 1 x Small Flat Brush
- 1 x Annie Sloan Detail Brush Set
- 1 x 500 mL Clear Chalk Paint® Wax
- 1 x Large Chalk Paint® Wax Brush
- Hairdryer
Paint the chair legs and seat using Chalk Paint® in Greek Blue with a Small Chalk Paint® Brush.
While the Chalk Paint® is still wet, paint avocado shapes using Chalk Paint® in Lem Lem with a Large Flat Detail Brush from the Detail Brush set.
Ensuring that the Chalk Paint® in Lem Lem is still wet, paint over the top using Chalk Paint® in Old White, creating plenty of texture.
Paint all three avocado motifs with a second layer of Chalk Paint® in Old White.
Paint the central avocado stone over the top of the wet Chalk Paint® in Old White with Chalk Paint® in Graphite. To achieve the crackled effect, direct a hairdryer on a high heat over the wet avocado motifs. Felix relies on working quickly, applying wet paint onto wet paint to create a pleasing blend of colors. Don’t overwork it!
Leaving a border of Chalk Paint® in Greek Blue around each avocado motif, paint the seat of the chair in Chalk Paint® in Old White using a Small Flat Brush.
Continue painting the chair with Chalk Paint® in Old White until all the avocado motifs have a blue border and a clean edge. “I chose to extend the Chalk Paint® in Old White to the base of the chair under the seat,” says Felix.
Apply two coats of Clear Chalk Paint® Wax using a Large Chalk Paint® Wax Brush. Remove excess with a lint-free cloth. Allow each coat to dry overnight. It will cure in five to 21 days, and then the chair will stand up to normal use.
The groovy, curvy shape of the avocado is a great fit on a sculptural chair and is an inexpensive way to personalize a budget find.