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How To Get a Layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture

This post is sponsored by Velvet Finishes, however all opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links are included in this post.

Rarely do furniture projects go as planned around here.

In fact, they often go full speed ahead, jump the track and end up over the bridge in the opposite direction of where I had intended it to go.

But then there are those few.

Those few little pieces that when I’m working on them, it’s just like they whisper to me, “But what if…”

And sometimes that “what if” ends in a big ball of fire.

But sometimes, every once in a while, those “what ifs” end in something pretty cool.

How to get a layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture

From far away, this little table might not look like much.

But it’s not just a blue painted table, y’all. Look a little closer…

Easy furniture painting technique - create a Caribbean Blue finish by layering colored glazes.

It’s actually a blue-green table that I’m calling Caribbean Blue. See all that glorious color layering going on there? It was so easy to do.

And I’m going to show you just how easy.

How To Get a Layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture

How to get a layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture - the supplies.

Step 1

My table looked like this to begin with:

How to get a layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture - the table before.

It was a remnant from Grunt’s Grandmother’s estate sale. It had a few dings and dents as much old furniture will, but it had pretty good bones. I started by cleaning and deglossing it at the same time with Velvet Finishes Ready. Simply spray it on, let it sit a minute or two, then wipe it clean with paper towels or an old towel.

Step 2

Like I said, I had a different plan originally for this table. I was going to paint it in Velvet Finishes Baroque and then outline it so to speak, along all the lines and corners with white. So, I started by giving it about two coats of the Baroque.

How to get a layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture - first coat of paint.

I just painted it on with a good paintbrush. It covered really well and stuck to the table nicely. The photo above is after the first coat.

Step 3

Once I got finished with the Baroque, was when the table whispered to me.

You know – the “What if….”

And so my mind wondered to making some colored glazes to layer on top of the green.

And then I thought about how well blues and greens often go together, so I pulled out my Handsome and Modern paints and started mixing up glazes.

How to get a layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture - mixing the colored glaze.

I started with Handsome. Making colored glazes is super easy with Velvet Finishes. All you do is add a little bit of their Enhance Clear Glaze to a plastic cup, add a little paint to it and mix.

How to get a layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture - mixing the colored glaze.

Since this was a small table, I didn’t need much of either at all. I added a splash of glaze, then a trickle of paint and mixed.

Then, you just paint it on with your paintbrush.

How to get a layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture - applying the colored glaze.

The photo above shows one layer of the Handsome. Work in small sections. If you get more than you like in one spot, just wipe it up with a cloth.

You can add as many layers as you wish. I ended up doing one layer of the Handsome glaze, then two layers of the Modern glaze to get my Caribbean Blue look. I made the Modern glaze the same way as the Handsome, just switching out the Handsome color for Modern, which is a lighter and brighter blue than the Handsome.

How to get a layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture - easy furniture painting technique.

The Enhance Glaze also works as a topcoat, so you’ve got some added protection built-in there.

How to get a layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture

If you prefer to have more green than blue, then you could flip-flop my instructions and paint the blue on first, then come back with green glazes.

Easy furniture painting technique - create a Caribbean Blue finish by layering colored glazes.

I think it has a worn and weathered type look, but in a modern way. What do you think?

You might also want to see…

How to Create a Beachy Colored Look with Paint – gorgeous layered, washed out color.

How to Make Furniture Glaze in Any Color – yep, ANY color! And it’s easy!

How to Paint a Plaid Pattern without Measuring – All you need is tape!

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How to get a layered Caribbean Blue Look When Painting Furniture - easy way to paint furniture by layering on colored furniture paint glazes.

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Comments

  3. Josephine says

    I love the color! When I had a house in Boston, I painted it pink with white trim, but the front door was very close to you Caribbean. The paint I used was called Trader Vic’s. You are probably too young to have ever been to a Trader Vic’s bar, but they were great.

    Reply

    • Jenna says

      Oh that color combo sounds gorgeous, Josephine! Nope, never been to a Trader Vic’s bar, but with a name like that, I bet it was awesome!

      Reply

  6. Patty says

    I love the color and the depth, the layering of the color is just gorgeous. It must be the glaze that gives it the depth.
    I have been wanting to try velvet finishes for the longest time, but I haven’t seen it around here, where do you buy yours, I might have to order some.
    I have two antique cabinets I have been wanting to paint, but just haven’t seen any colors that screamed THIS IS IT you know what I mean? Well this color screamed at me this morning. I pinned this so I can look at your tutorial as needed.
    Thanks so much Jenna I have been wanting to do this for years now.
    I have a question one of the cabinets is an upright narrow small kitchen cabinet, the other is a very low kind of long cabinet that I want to put legs on and I was thinkinking hairpin legs, what do you think mixing a little mid century mod with antique, yes or no?

    Reply

    • Jenna says

      Thanks, Patty! I love this color too. All of my paint came from VelvetFinishes.com – I linked to everything in the supply list in the post. I totally think hairpin legs would work. I love mixing that mod style with antique – I think its an unexpected touch that modernizes it a bit too!

      Reply

    • Jenna says

      Thanks, Julie! The paint is all Velvet Finishes and came from VelvetFinishes.com. I linked to everything under the supplies list in the post. 🙂

      Reply

  8. Pat says

    I love this! I’ve been thinking of painting a buffet a deep turquoise…I’m thinking now this would be perfect!! Wanna come over and help? 🙂

    Reply

  9. Susan the Farm Quilter says

    Oh, this is beautiful!! You managed to hit on my favorite color of the moment!! At first I thought you had used UnicornSpit on this beauty…have you tried that yet?

    Reply

    • Jenna says

      No, I haven’t tried that yet, Susan, but I’ve got to! Yea, me and this color are having a moment as well – the cabinetry I just put in my office is a very close color to this too!

      Reply

  12. Peggy says

    Love the table! Also love the chairs and sheep print you found! I REALLY love the sheep and wish I had a place to hang it in my home. Did Grunt Labor go for the sheep?

    Reply

  15. Beth says

    This turned out beautifully! Not sure if your open to giving out suggestions, but I have this small circular table that was my mother in laws and would love to do something with it?! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!! I would love to attach a picture of it but can’t seem to figure out how to on this thread?
    Thank you in advance!

    Reply

  16. Tom Field says

    Great job – looks fantastic. It’s always so sad that so much furniture – often great quality at that – is discarded, when it actually has so much potential to be revitalised, as you’ve shown above. I’ve ‘upcycled’ a few times in the past and I’m inclined to now do it again soon. Thank you!

    Reply

  22. Judy says

    What a gorgeous transformation. I will be featuring this at my Winter Blues Wednesday party that opens each Tuesday evening at 8pm EST. Please stop by and pick up an I’ve Been Featured button. Thanks.

    Reply

  23. Rhonda says

    Stunning! It turned it beautifully. The hardware really makes the blue pop. Thanks for the inspiration, and sharing on Sunday’s Best. I love your creativity.

    Reply

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