Create Your Own Antique Furniture

What you need:
tinted painter's wax
three colors of paint
crackle medium
sandpaper
small paintbrush

1. First, sand the furniture so that the paint will stick. Apply your first color, keeping in mind that this color will show the least out of the three.

2. Once it has dried, add the first wax layer. Apply the wax with a piece of cloth and cover the entire surface.

3. After the wax has set, apply another coat of paint in a different color than the first layer. Once it is dry, add another layer of painter's wax.

4. Next, gently brush the crackle medium onto the surface and allow it to dry. Paint over it with your final color. Once the paint is applied over the medium, it will instantly crackle. If it dries and you pass over it again, you will lose the crackle, so it's important to make sure you cover it completely and evenly in the first try.

5. Once the final layer of paint has dried, it's time to gently sand the surface. The harder you sand, the more layers you will remove, so be gentle. Ideally, the areas that should show the most layering are the corners and high points. The best technique is to pass over the entire painted surface gently and go a bit tougher on the corners and high points.

6. Evenly apply another layer of tinted wax until you have achieved the aged look you want. This final step will seal the surface, so there is no need for a finish.

And now you've got your very own "antique" furniture piece. I did this to my coffee table and always get compliments on it...everyone thinks that it's an actual antique!