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Free Ultimate Furniture Painting Guide

Classic Black vs. White Painted Headboard

We purchased both of these fabulous beds at a local European auction and just knew they would be snatched up by clients within days. We couldn't have been more wrong!! Both beds stayed in our inventory for over a year! Why??? I have no clue. But what is even more strange to me is that when one sold…..they both sold….within just a few weeks of each other! I've quit trying to predict or make sense of this market…..it's anybody's guess!

I thought this was the perfect opportunity for me to share almost identical painted headboard / beds in two complete opposite colors. And what is up with the "black and/or white" paint trend right now?? I miss my hot pinks and turquoise orders!!!

* This post may contain affiliate links. I could make a commission at no charge to you if you purchase my recommended products. Please read my disclosure here and my privacy policy here.

Painted Headboard #1 sold …. and the order was for a pure white trimmed in brilliant gold. Here is the "before" photo….

I know….I know…..don't say it! I know its gorgeous and it's a cryin' shame to paint it…but come on people…..it is just too dark and overbearing for some decor. And it will be enjoyed and loved with new brighter colors bouncing off its frame! Like this….

Enough said!

The second painted headboard sold almost immediately after I posted pics of this bed in its new splendor! However…this next client wanted it in BLACK…but with the same brilliant gold. So here is it's before….

Basically the same painted headboard with a little less trim. And here is the end result….

Now let NO ONE mention that my photographer took the white painted headboard photos….and I took the black painted headboard photos…hence the really odd lighting. Whatever….so I'm not a photographer! You can still see the beauty!

The white bed involved a little more work than the black as far as prep work goes. Chalk type paints are wonderful to work with and offer a beautiful finish. But if you are planning to paint with a light color (especially whites) over furniture that is stained wood (especially antiques)…..it is usually necessary to prep the piece to block the tannins. I'm not going to pretend that I understand the chemical reaction (I'm not a scientist just like I'm not a photographer) but I will tell you that tannins will bleed right through porous chalk type paint…and the stain likes to appear when you are completely finished and applying your coat of sealer! No fun! (Read my post here about Tannins & Bleed-throughs.) So I gave the bed a quick coat of Zinsser Shellac

Zinsser Bin Primer. This will assist in blocking those tannins and will also save you a coat of paint!

Cotton

I then painted the bed in Dixie Belle Chalk Type Paint in Cotton. This is a bright crisp white that is a great accent to any color….but look especially nice against a brilliant gold! Whites tend to take more coats of paint…and this bed, even with the primer still required two coats of paint. But it was a fast easy paint job! I then began the tedious detail work of the trim. I used Metallic Masters Olympic Gold. Their metallic paints are creamy and offer great coverage. It required two full coats of the gold to cover the white underneath. I didn't really like the sheer look of just one coat. But it was worth every minute!!!!! I chose Clear Soft Spray Wax by Heirloom Traditions Paint to seal and protect this beauty. It is the "new and improved" version of soft wax in my opinion! I just pour it in a bowl…and brush it onto the piece as if I were painting again. It requires NO buffing and NO re-applying later! It's pretty much just flat amazing….in any color!!!! (This line is now discontinued - I recommend using Best Dang Wax by Dixie Belle as a replacement)

And the white bed is complete!

What is different about the black bed??? Well much less PREP because tannins will never rear their ugly heads through Caviar…..by Dixie Belle Paint Company. It is a rich deep velvety black that is as classy as it gets! I was able to apply this paint directly to the raw wood of the bed. I painted two coats for a nice full coverage. When using black chalk type paints I really like to follow with black spray wax to deepen and enrich the color even more. The spray waxes will be your friend….I promise! I used the exact same brilliant gold by Modern Masters in Olympic Gold

Dixie Belle Top Coat in Satin. (I allowed the black wax to cure for 24 hours before applying the top coat….and allowed about 2 hours of drying time between the layers of top coat).

Shop

The products listed here are exactly what I used on this end table! Dixie Belle Paint company offers amazing products that will make all of your projects successful no matter what your skill level!








If you would like to paint your own furniture ....but lack confidence with where to start....I offer furniture design consultation! Contact me here and we can get you started on your next project!

Don't hesitate to comment with any questions you might have about my painted headboard! And subscribe to my blog for more black-white-and gold furniture inspiration. (And make sure you check your promotions folder, and drag it into the inbox folder if you're a gmail user so you won't miss it!)

Happy Painting!

XOXO,

Tracey

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