Trunk Makeover With Americana Decor Satin Enamels

This post is sponsored by DecoArt. I only work with brands I know, use, and love, so you can trust that the information I’m sharing about Americana Decor Satin Enamels is reliable. This project is featured in a roundup of my 10 best painted furniture projects.

Trunk Makeover With Americana Decor Satin Enamels

Did you catch my recent post on working with DecoArt’s new Americana Decor Metallics line? I mentioned that I’d be doing another post spotlighting the Satin Enamels line, which is today’s post!

I’ve been a big fan of DecoArt and their Americana Decor paints for a while, specifically their fabulous chalky finish paints. But now the Americana Decor line is rolling out four brand new lines:

• Americana Decor Satin Enamels
• Americana Decor Metallics
• Americana Decor Outdoor Living
• Americana Decor Color Stain

These products are brand new, so they don’t even have pages up on DecoArt’s website yet, but the links above link to their product description pages. They’ll tell you how you can use these paints and what colors they come in.

Today I’m going to be talking specifically about working with the Americana Decor Satin Enamels line. I used Satin Enamels in Smoke Grey on the nesting tables, and for today’s project, I’m using the lovely Dove Beige.

When I built our coffee table, it replaced this trunk. We used to live in a tiny one-bedroom apartment and really needed the extra storage space, but now that we are in a two-bedroom unit, we have ample closet space, so we decided to get rid of this trunk. When I heard that I’d be doing some painting for DecoArt, I threw it in storage (aka my dad’s shop–thanks, dad!) because I knew it’d be the perfect piece to work with.

Since the Satin Enamels formula is specially designed for painting cabinets and it cures to a durable finish, it’s ideal for high-use areas like a coffee table trunk. I wanted to use a paint that would be durable enough to withstand the use of a coffee table but polished enough to look good sitting in a room.

Here’s what I used for this project:

• Trunk
• Americana Decor Satin Enamels in Dove Beige
• Americana Decor Metallics in Champagne Gold
• Water-based primer
• Power sander with 100-grit sandpaper and 220-grit sandpaper (assorted sandpaper here)
• Chip brushes, Frog Tape, and drop cloth
• Optional: A small roller to apply primer and spray paint in oil-rubbed bronze for the hardware

And here’s how made over my trunk!

(Remember to wear a mask and eye protection while sanding and working with wood, and wear an appropriate mask while working with paints, stains, and finishes. Follow the directions and warnings from your particular brand. Do not use any tools without proper training, precautions, and supervision.)

Step 1: Sand & prep

Before I could start painting, I had to do a bit of sanding. Actually “a bit” is an understatement. I was more like a sanding slave for a few hours. This trunk had a few layers of paint on it already, and while I could have just painted over it, I wanted to ensure I had a really clean and blemish-free surface.

I didn’t sand the trunk all the way down, but I took off the top layer of paint and then smoothed everything out. I used 100-grit sandpaper on a sheet sander to break down the paint and then used 220-grit sandpaper to polish the entire thing by hand. Then I rolled on a quick coat of primer.

Note: The Satin Enamels instructions say to sand lightly between coats when painting on raw wood and to lightly sand already painted or sealed surfaces before applying. Since I wasn’t sure exactly what material, paints, and finish I was painting over, I opted for a primer coat. You probably won’t need that on most projects.

Step 2: Apply coats of paint

I applied two careful coats of Dove Beige to the entire trunk. This paint dries pretty quickly; I painted the first coat on and then let it dry for a few hours while I worked on something else. Then I did the second coat. I’m all about maximizing my time and not having to wait 24 hours between project steps!

Here is the trunk just after the second coat went on:

Step 3: Paint in accent design

After the second coat was completely dry, I used Frog Tape to tape off a design and filled it in using Champagne Gold from the Americana Decor Metallics. Immediately after painting the design, I carefully peeled the tape off and let the design dry. Peeling the tape off while the paint is still wet helps to ensure super clean lines. The only thing that sucks about that is having to reapply the tape perfectly for the second coat of gold, but I’d rather do that and guarantee super crisp lines.

The two photos on the left were taken just after I peeled the tape off. The photo on the right is the paint completely dry.

Step 4: Finish the hardware

Neither the Satin Enamels nor the Metallics require a finishing protective coat, so my last step was spray painting the hardware with oil-rubbed bronze and screwing it back on. The hardware was also painted with a few coats of paint, but I’ll spare you the details of stripping that paint off, cleaning the hardware, and spray painting it. It was kind of a nightmare.

But look how good it looks!

Would you believe it? I love it! My brother was over while I was taking some photos of the trunk, and he actually ended up taking it home.

Do you want to get your hands on these paints? Here’s how you can:

• The Americana Decor Satin Enamels are available in Hobby Lobby and Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores right now. Start checking A.C. Moore by June 24th and Michaels in August!
• As for the Americana Decor Metallics, they’re available in Jo-Ann now and will be available in A.C. More by June 24th.

Both lines, as well as the Color Stains and Outdoor Living lines, will also be available on the online DecoArt store in the future!