Type “Annie Sloan Chalk Paint” into Pinterest and you’re faced with pages of shabby chic eye candy. Of course, the low-VOC, odorless paint from England isn’t just for dressed-down DIY projects, and thanks to new décor store Studio Eleven, you can see for yourself. The Downtown Mall store is an exclusive chalk paint stockist (the only one in our immediate area), with all 31 colors from Country Grey to Old Violet.
But what is chalk paint? Developed in 1990 by popular painter Annie Sloan, it’s the ultimate decorative paint: It sticks to just about any surface, dries quickly, and delivers a velvety, matte finish. It’s safe for walls, of course, but it’s Annie Sloan who launched the painted furniture craze of the last decade, so many of the results you’ll see on Pinterest are of stand-alone pieces like dressers and tables.
Chalk Paint is not all that’s offered at the Downtown shop though. Studio Eleven also boasts a collection of furniture, painted and raw. It offers custom services (“You bring your piece in, tell us what you want, and we’ll paint it for you,” said co-owner Sarah Camden) and workshops to teach you how to use the paint.
