How to Gray Wash Furniture

Color washing is a combined paint-and-glaze technique that gives furniture a weathered, layered appearance -- it makes even the newest wood fixture look like a vintage find from a consignment shop. Once you master this coloring technique, you can apply it to any piece of furniture that you want to give age and personality. It is best to use monochromatic colors when color washing -- for example, if you want to give your furniture a gray wash, use a complementary shade of dull blue along with it.

Can of gray emulsion paint
Can of complementary emulsion paint (i.e., blue)
Can of color glaze
Large, soft paint brush
Cheesecloth
Rag

Instructions

- 1
  Paint a base coat on your furniture with acrylic emulsion paint. For a gray wash, try using a dull blue color, which complements the wash. Allow it to dry completely.
- 2
  Mix your glaze and gray emulsion paint according to the instructions on the container. This varies depending on the glaze you are using.
- 3
  Paint the furniture in broad strokes with a large, soft brush. As you go, gently wipe down the furniture with a cheesecloth to distress the wet gray mixture, exposing the blue underneath. You can also experiment with dipping a rag in your gray mixture, wringing it out and pressing it against the furniture to create staggered and uneven splotches of color.
- 4
  Allow your furniture to dry completely before using it.

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