DIY Club Project! Lock 'Em Up - I'm a Big Kid Now

This project was one of my "life" priorities in the last couple of weeks. My little boy is growing up and he wants a big kid room {he has been asking for 2 years now}...and finally mom has opened her eyes and realized he is right...he needs a room re-do! These photos are not the final redo, just a piece of the much bigger puzzle. We'll be painting the walls, and furniture, and getting crazy soon...but for now....

A few weeks ago, I was at one of my favorite thrifty-junking hot spots - the dump - or more precisely The Last Chance Mercantile {this amazing store at our dump with the best prices and even better finds!}. My son always goes, but is usually not happy about it. As we pulled up I saw a locker and so did he...and I saw his face light up. He was actually begging me to get it...and I did.

The locker was in good condition, but the color was a hideous pukey-beige color. I figured it would be easy to spray paint it...NOT! It just was not working - I was not getting that shiny pretty - I mean manly - color. I was getting a blotchy mess that showed every imperfection - apparently pukey-beige is good at hiding imperfections.

About this time I realized I needed to take action. It needed a better finish, and as luck would have it as I was going through my Tickled Pink posts that week, I saw what Freckled Laundry had done to her nightstand - she faux-zinced it. I loved the finish and had most of the DecoArt supplies, so I figured might as well try it. So, I must give Freckled Laundry credit for the inspiration for this redo. This just shows how versatile this effect is - looks great on wood and, personally I like it for my metal too. I have a wood project in mind as well!

The yellow on the walls is not staying.

We have a little Percy Jackson obsession here

and the room is going all blue.

Lock 'Em Up - I'm a Big Kid Now

Click HERE for pdf instructions

Supplies*
DecoArt Americana Paint in Primary Blue, 8 oz.

DecoArt Americana Paint in Titanium White, 8 oz.

DecoArt Americana Paint in Black, 8 oz.

DecoArt Elegant Finishes in Metallic Silver, 1 jar
DecoArt Americana Glazing Medium, 8 oz.

Rockler, Norton Sanding Bug

Rockler, Foam Brushes

Rockler, Bag of Rags

Chip Brush
Spray Polyurethane
Wipe on Polyurethane
Drop cloth/newspaper/etc. for covering work area
Gloves (optional)
Locker or piece of furniture

Diy It!

1- If necessary, lightly sand and clean/wipe down your piece.
2 - Prime piece {or in my case give your project a bad spray paint job!}

3- Mix three colors of metallic paint {I used Primary Blue or your desired color}: a dark, medium, and light. MIX blue paint, Shimmering Silver, and Titanium White in three varying shades. MIX WELL!

4 - Use a rag to apply and blend the different shades. I began with the darkest {because I wanted it darker rather than lighter...usually I would begin with the lightest...does that make sense?}. There is no right or wrong here - my piece was big, so I used long vertical strokes and this paint dries pretty quickly - work in sections.

This is the locker and paint pre-glaze.

I could have stopped here and been happy,

but I wanted more texture and depth.

5 - Mix a glaze for the lighter patina. Use a 1:1 ratio of water and glazing medium. Add Titanium White and Shimmering Silver.

6 - Mix a glaze for the darker patina. Use a 1:1 ratio of water and glazing medium. Add black and Shimmering Silver.

7 - Rub on the lighter patina. Make it heavier in some areas. I used a combination of the rag and the foam/chip brushes.
8 - Rub on the darker patina. Make it heavier in some areas - like in the vents and handle area. I used a combination of the rag and the foam/chip brushes.

 Close ups of the finish...

after glazing with the lighter and darker glazes.

9 - Step back as you do this to see where you need a swipe or rub of the patina...trust your eye - then rub, swab, rag, or brush away!

10 - Depending on your desired look, you can alternate between the light and dark glazes.

11 - After your piece is completely dry, apply a clear coat of spray polyurethane to keep the paint from rubbing off - it is acrylic. Then finish it with a wipe on poly after the spray {that is a Miss Mustard Seed tip via Freckled Laundry!}.

 Thanks again Freckled Laundry 

for the inspiration!

Click HERE for pdf instructions

So what do you think?
My hubby is not sure.
I love it,
but more importantly my son thinks
it is the best thing ever -
that does not plug into a wall or play Pokemon games!
It seems like a lot of steps, but honestly it goes quickly.
I cannot wait to faux some more furniture!

Join the Party at the DIY Club!
The August link end Thursday night {8/12}!

DISCLOSURE: As part of the DIY Club, I have been supplied with vendor sponsored products to complete my projects. The opinions are projects are my own. See, my disclosure policy for more information.