How to Distress Paint with Vaseline (Love Grows Wild)

I’m at the tail end of re-decorating my living room right now, and although at this very moment it looks like complete and utter chaos, it’s actually starting to all come together. I’m down to the little finishing touches like pillows and accessories, and I’m beyond excited to show you all the full reveal of what the space looks like! Because I’m sure you’re all dying to see where I curl up and watch my favorite reality TV shows at night, right??

One project I tackled this week was the area above my faux fireplace. Earlier this year, I made these awesome-sauce DIY Barn Wood Shutters that I just adore. They were super easy and cheap to make, and it added a ton of texture and dimension to that blank wall space. Seriously, LOVE them. What I didn’t love… was the color I picked. (You can see the original color here.) I wanted to keep the shutters a natural wood color to let all the beautiful wood grain show through, but the color I chose didn’t go well with the two-tone paint job I did on the fireplace mantel. Bummer, dude.

So I took this opportunity to test out a paint trick I’ve wanted to try for a loooong time, and it worked so perfectly that I decided it deserved its very own blog post! It’s THAT good! If you’re a fan of vintage, distressed furniture but not into the hours upon hours of sanding it takes to achieve that look, this tutorial, my friends, is for you: How to Distress Paint with Vaseline!

Supplies:
Vaseline
paint and brush
damp rag

STEP 1: Apply a thin layer of Vaseline to the edges of your project and anywhere you want a distressed look. Note: Your paint will NOT adhere where you’ve applied the Vaseline, so make sure to use it judiciously!

I find it easiest to scoop up a blob of Vaseline and apply it with my finger, but you can also use a cotton swab if you want. If you’re going for a rustic look, don’t worry about being precise with the Vaseline. Apply a little more in some areas and a little less in others to give it that natural aged-over-time look!

STEP 2: Paint your project.

You may notice in the photo below that the paint didn’t want to adhere over the edges where the Vaseline was applied. That’s good!

STEP 3: Allow the paint to dry slightly (not wet to the touch), then use a damp rag to rub over the areas that have Vaseline. The paint should wipe away easily, exposing the layer underneath the paint. How do you like that magic??

It would have taken me forever to sand all those little spaces between the boards, so this Vaseline trick was the PERFECT solution for giving these shutters an aged, distressed paint finish. The best part… I didn’t have to sand a single thing! Now THAT makes me a happy girl!

Here are the shutters hung back up above my fireplace:

I had a surplus of rope in my overflowing craft stash, so I wrapped a few pieces inside some glass cloches and vases for a little wink and nod to summery, nautical decor.

I have a million fun ideas for decorating my new white, bright shutters, but for now this simple, minimalist look will do the trick. Just a few more projects left to go, and I’ll be ready to show off the full living room reveal! Stay tuned!

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More Painted Project Ideas:

Chalk Paint® Refinished Media Console

Two-Tone Fireplace Makeover

Dry Brushing Paint Technique

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!

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