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Updating a Vintage Fan with Chalk Paint

July 6, 2015



CREATE   |   Published July 6, 2015






I admit that I enjoy finding things that fit into my style without spending a lot of money.  It isn't that I'm cheap....I just like to get a lot for my money.  And honestly, isn't that what most of us want?!?!  Sometimes the items that I desire are really pricey, and vintage fans are one of them.  For that reason, I've never bought one.






But I recently found a metal fan at Goodwill.  It isn't really old and was in a shade of blue that wasn't really my taste.  But knowing what a little paint can do, it had to come home with me.  The most important part of finding great deals is being able to see what something can become and not just what it is right now.



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That is the secret is being able to have the decor you want without spending a fortune!









The project began with me tearing everything apart, which made painting the fan pretty simple.  There isn't a whole lot holding these fans together....just a couple screws and nuts.  Everything came apart easily and I stored the metal hardware in a little container to ensure nothing got lost.






It was really surprising to see just how many wires it takes to run one of these old fans.  To me these seems like a fire hazard just waiting to spark!  Since this fan is going to be purely decorative, I removed the electrical cord.  The copper wires were left inside, though, because it is pretty neat to see how it was constructed.






Everything except for the brand label in the front was painted with two coats of black chalk paint.  To get a nice textured finish, I applied the paint with Martha Stewart brand sponge pouncers (affiliate link).  Using these makes going over metal easier than using a brush.   I was really on the fence as to whether or not paint the blue label in the front.  I'm still kind of on the fence, but knew it would be easier to go back later on and paint than it would be to remove the paint if I didn't like it.  Any thoughts?









When everything was dry, I sanded some areas on the blade and anywhere than might receive some wear on the body of the fan.  Then everything was rubbed with Miss Mustard Seed's antiquing wax (affiliate link) to age it a bit.  All the pieces were screwed back together and I now have a beautiful old fan perfect for my decor.









The best part of this idea is that the fan doesn't have to be old to transform it.  Even a modern day plastic fan would look a little older with this paint and wax treatment.....just be sure to skip the sanding step.  Nothing would scream DIY more than the white plastic showing through your paint!









Have you been wanting an old fan to sit around but haven't wanted to pay the price?  I hope that this DIY is the answer you've been looking for!





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Learning to Make a Home
anderson+grant is a lifestyle blog dedicated to helping you to create a slower, simpler home with contemporary style.

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