Milk paint is a modern, trendy way to bring an antique, vintage look into your home. Designers love the combination of powerful colors and a clear finish that was so popular during the Colonial era, while eco-conscious decorators appreciate the lack of toxic fumes.
One of the main ingredients in milk paint is– as you would expect– milk! Milk acts as the binding agent for the pigments, as polymers act for latex paints. How can you incorporate this unique effect into your decor? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Using Milk Paint
Many crafters opt to make their own milk paint. This approach can easily go wrong and create inconsistent and unappealing results. Furthermore, the paint can go bad quickly. If you want paint that is stable for two weeks and yields consistent results, purchase from a high-quality paint milk supplier.
Kitchen Cupboards
When it comes to decor, sometimes it is best to be bold and go big. Painting your kitchen cupboards with milk paint is a way to transform your kitchen from dated to elegantly antique.
As milk paint is translucent, you have a few options for how you approach your painting project. By putting fewer layers of milk paint over wood grain, some of the texture will remain visible. Alternatively, you can keep layering your paint until the color is opaque and bold while maintaining an antique finish.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with color. When it comes to kitchen cabinets, we often get caught up in the idea that we should have wood tones or whites. Muted blues, greens, and even yellows can be visually striking when coordinated with the surroundings.
Frames
Applying milk paint to picture frames or mirror frames is a subtle way to create an antique or rustic look. The difference between antique and rustic comes down to the style of the frame and your painting technique. For an antique look, choose ornate, oversized frames. You would be surprised how stunning an old, gaudy framed mirror can look with an application of milk paint.
To take the rustic approach, choose simple, wooden frames. Apply milk paint in slow layers and practice dry brushing to get the desired effect. Well-placed mirrors can make a room look larger than it is, which is particularly useful in small places.
Bottles, Jars, and Vases
Apply milk paint to assorted bottles, jars, and vases to create simple yet impactful accent pieces. For added country charm, use vintage milk bottles and arrange dried flowers within. These also make a lovely last-minute gift.
Rather than simply having your painted bottles and vases act as accent pieces, make them functional. In the bathroom, an assortment of these decor pieces can be used to hold bath salts, cotton swabs or balls, and toothbrushes. You can even purchase a clear, glass soap dispenser and upgrade it with a quick application of paint.
In the kitchen, mason jars can be used to store dry goods in lieu of canisters. This is also a popular choice for centerpieces in rustic or country-themed weddings and events.
Walls
Another bold way to incorporate milk paint into your home decor is to paint your walls. Choose a few different, complementary colors that you would like to showcase. Then layer them accordingly for a unique, textured look. For example, layering a terracotta shade with a goldenrod yellow could create an exotic, southern atmosphere. Increase the textured effect by adding drywall compound to the wall intermittently throughout the painting process.
If a full room of milk paint is too overwhelming for you, create a single accent wall. The bottom coat of paint will be the same color as the other walls. From there, add layers of milk paint in a lighter shade of the same color family for an old-world, blended appearance.
