You know me; I love me some Boho style. Like, we're life partners kinda love! And opals are just so dang pretty. So imagine the fun I had bringing these two special things together. This is a how-to on creating a unique Tanglewood Boho opal-affect paint finish that I'd love for you to try on your next project.
Let's dive in!
First... think about the primary color you want your piece to be. For me it was "Mermaid Tale", a gorgeous turquoise from the Debi's Design Diary DIY Paint color collection. I selected a secondary color too - "Aviary" - that I dabbed here and there for additional depth. But...
Here's the inside scoop: in order to create this affect, I didn't start with the turquoise. Just the opposite, in fact. As in the opposite side of the colour wheel!
The first color layers on this buffet were actually colors like red, purple, orange, gold and pink. I went crazy with color and had loads of fun with the process!
After allowing the finish to dry overnight, I tackled the primary color layers.
Don't be overwhelmed with this stage of the project because this is where you get to be really creative!
Starting with a spray bottle, spritz the area you're working on with water. You're aiming for just a little bit wet, not dripping.
Using what ever tool you want, brush, pounce or roll on your color layer. One of my favorite brushes to use is part of the Miss Lillian's NO Wax Chock Paint line.
As you work your way around the whole furniture piece with your color(s), spread the paint out so it's very translucent, like a wash. Try not to get too many brush strokes in the finish. If you do, use your roller and a spritz of water to smooth things out.
After your first layer of blended color(s) you may love what you see. Here's the thing though: with a chalk based paint, you don't get the true sense of the color until it's sealed with top coat or wax.
I recommend spraying the piece with water to create the illusion of a finished piece. Do you like what you see? Chances are, you'll feel - like I did - that you'll need a second pass of your primary color(s). Let the paint dry for a few hours or over night, and dive in again with your next layer!
You'll apply your second layer in the same way you did the first - spritz water on the surface and apply your primary color(s). As you work you may want a heavier hit of paint, or just a touch... the idea is to not apply so much that you hide the under-layers of paint you've already applied.
Once you get exactly the look you want, spray the whole piece down with water again to see how the piece will look when sealed. If you love it, great! Let it dry, apply your top coat... and you're done!
It's that easy. It's that fun!
And your results? Your Boho opal-affect furniture piece will be beautiful, it'll be rich and have loads of depth, and it'll be oh so amazingly Boho. Most fun of all: your friends will ask "How did you do that?!"
Now... because I'm Tanglewood Sue, and it's what I do (ha!), I took my piece to the next level by applying some metallic paint and gilding waxes.
Look at that shimmer! I hope you love it as much as I do!!
I hope you'll give my Opal-Affect method a try on your next piece!
If you feel you need some practice and guidance before you apply paint on a project consider joining me for a live, online class. The group is small, which allows me to really interact with you, guide you as you learn, and answer all your questions. Hope to see you there!
One last thing... YES, the opal-affect process is shared in my YouTube channel!
