How to Distress Furniture to Look Like Habersham Plantation

Place a drop cloth down in a cool, dry, covered area like the garage. Place the furniture on the drop cloth. Be sure to center it in an area where it is easy to access the entire piece.

Use 60-grit sandpaper or sanding block to remove the previous finish from the piece of furniture. Remove the finish by sanding in long, even strokes in the direction of the grain of the wood.

Turn your sandpaper or sanding block on an angle to remove the finish in any nicks or blemishes on the furniture’s surface. Distressed furniture highlights these flaws, making them an intricate part of the design.

Increase the distressed look by adding a few of your own blemishes. Gently strike the surface of the furniture with a hammer. Using a wire brush, rough up edges, door hinges, drawer pulls and other areas that experience natural wear.

Clean up any debris left behind by the sanding process. Use a tack cloth to clean up the debris. Vacuum up anything left behind.

Open the coffee-colored paint, stirring it with a stir stick to combine all particles. Dip a 2-inch, tapered paintbrush into the paint. Carefully paint the edges of the furniture, painting in long, even strokes in the direction of the grain of the wood. Paint all the detailed areas of the furniture that would not be easily covered with a paint roller.

Roll the paint roller through the coffee-colored paint. Carefully apply paint to the remainder of the furniture. Use the paint roller to apply paint in long, even strokes with the grain of the wood. Allow the paint to dry completely and touch up if necessary.

Paint a coat of cream-colored paint over the coffee-colored base coat. Use the same techniques described in Steps 6 and 7. Be sure to use a clean paintbrush and paint roller.

Use 120-grit sandpaper or sanding block to create the distressed finish. Sand away the cream-colored paint from the distressed areas highlighted in Steps 3 and 4. Work in strokes moving in the direction of the grain of the wood, using a light touch. Remove only the cream-colored paint, allowing the coffee-colored paint to show through.