Autumn Inspired Makeover

It’s officially Fall! Foliage changes, cooler weather, pumpkin lattes, what more could anyone want? We took a cue from all the warmer and weathered colours of fall and decided to give a decorative table a weathered fall look using one of the new Fusion Milk Paint colours, Aperol Spritz. Even though this colour is named after a summery drink, the depth and warmth of this colour make it perfect for dressing up your home with an Autumn Inspired Makeover.

Below is a list of supplies you’ll need to complete a similar Autumn Inspired Makeover.

Fusion TSP Alternative + Wiping Cloths
Fusion Milk Paint Aperol Spritz
Fusion Ageing Wax + Wax Brush
180 grit scuff pads/paper
Staalmeester Round Brush
Buffing Cloths
Cup/Bowl for Mixing Milk Paint
Handheld blender/whisk for mixing milk paint

Preparing Your Furniture for Paint

The first thing we did to prep this table was give it a good cleaning. We mixed a 4:1 ratio of water to Fusion’s TSP Alternative in a spray bottle for easy application. This method is great to degrease and clean away dust and residue. We just spray and wipe using wiping cloths!

Next, we wanted to lightly scuff sand the surface to give us more adhesion. We wanted a rustic and chippy look to this piece so we used a 180-grit scuff sponge to knock down any flaky finish. Afterwards just used a damp cloth to wipe away the dust.

While you’re prepping, you can mix up your milk paint ahead of time. Top Tip! Let the mixture sit for at least 15 minutes to dissolve the pigments, so making your milk paint ahead of time will help to get a smooth consistent mix.

For this project, a mix of 1:1 ratio of Fusion Milk Paint Aperol Spritz to water and mixed using a hand-held blender. The texture and colour looks almost like a creamy, summery milkshake.

Milk Paint Magic

After your milk paint has had some time to set up, you want to give it one more light stir before dipping your brush in. Some pigments may have settled to the bottom, so mixing prior to painting will give you better coverage. The first coat of this colour was absolutely stunning.

The first coat can appear very translucent. Sometimes this can happen depending on how thick you mix your milk paint and other times it’s the nature of the colour. Just trust the process.

Ageing your milk paint finish

After a second and third coat, the coverage was great and we noticed some crackling and crazing this is an indication of where the milk paint would start to chip.

A sanding sponge was used lightly all over the entire piece to remove the chipping paint, as well as knock down any pigment and smooth out the surface for a buttery finish.

Sealing Milk Paint with Wax

The next step really kicked this colour and finish up a notch. We used Fusion Mineral Paint Ageing Wax to highlight the ornate details and give us an authentically aged finish while providing some protection and instant patina!

See this video on how to apply wax to Milk Paint by Fusion!

Just apply with a wax brush, let sit for a few minutes and wipe away using a lint-free cloth. Make sure to leave some wax in the cracks and crevices to really highlight your details.

An authentic paint finish

We have said it before, and we’ll say it again! Milk paint is the only paint that can give you a truly weathered and authentically aged finish. No other type of paint can replicate the ageing, the crackling or the chippy. It is milk paint magic.

Our makeover result is no less than a truly unique and beautiful fall finish. Perfectly weathered, perfectly aged and tons of character!