Update Your Fireplace Surround, or Countertops to Look Like Marble

Want a quick and inexpensive update to your fireplace, countertops, or almost anything else??? It only takes a few colors of paint, a turkey feather, a few chip brushes and a plastic shopping bag. In this project, I used Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint - White Lightning, Slick Stick, Coffee Bean, Sawmill Gravy, French Linen, and Gravel Road.

I always tape and drape the project I am going to paint before I even bring any products into the work area.

1. First clean well with White Lightning or some other prepaint cleaner/degreaser and rinse if necessary. Allow to dry
2. If you are painting tile, laminate, granite or some other non-porous surface, you will need to use a bonding primer. In this case, I used Dixie Belle Slick stick and allowed it to dry overnight.
3. I then basecoated my surround with DBP Sawmill Gravy and allowed to dry.
4. Next I take the turkey feather and dip it lightly in the darkest color, Coffee Bean, and begin veining my piece. This sets the tone so just get a little paint on your feather and allow it to move over the piece, usually in a right to left downward motion. Make sure the paint isn't too heavy, as you just want light veining.
5. Once your veining is in place, you begin adding color around your veining with a pouncing motion, with your chip brush. I usually begin with a darker color first - like French Linen. Then I ball up the shopping bag in my hand and lightly pat and drag over the colors to blend. You slowly do this with each color. As your bag gets paint on it, simple refold to another area so that it doesn't get too messy. It is better to work in layers, so work an area, and move over slighting to allow the first area to dry while you work the next area a bit. That will help your project to have a very organic look. If any of your veining is still too prominent, layer some color over it and pat with the shopping bag.
6. After your finish is completely dry, topcoat with a water repellent topcoat and allow to dry.
7. Carefully score the edges where the paint meets the tape to be sure you don't damage your finish as you remove the tape and dropcloths.

I have included before and after pics of the fireplace as well as a Youtube video that walks you thru it.