Thanks FlyingScot. I do know a couple who make their own chalk paint and use it to fix up furniture that they get from yard sales. Apparently they make a good return on the investment. I thought about making my own but since I'm doing several big pieces in the same color, I decided to go with the name brand so I wouldn't have to worry about pigment differences from one can of paint to the other. Also I figured the wax brush will be easier to use on the relatively large surfaces that I'm painting. It's not the least expensive route, but still a bargain compared to the cost of a whole new bedroom set.

I painted the first dresser over the weekend but haven't waxed it yet. I need to do that tonight or tomorrow. Overall it came out nice. It's not perfect but I"m okay with that. Given how bad I am at DIY projects, I'd say it's a resounding success so far. I am still figuring out how much water to add to get the right consistency, since the paint is pretty thick out of the can.

On Monday I bought the new dresser to replace the broken one. I got it at a small, local store that sells both finished and unfinished furniture, all solid wood. It wasn't cheap but it was less than I would have paid for a comparable finished piece at any of the other stores I looked at and I think it was a good investment. I also got a good price on new brushed nickel knobs to replace the wooden ones on both dressers, though I'm toying with the possibility of returning them in favor of some white and silver ones that I saw at World Market last night. Anyway I want to paint the new dresser this weekend.

I'm still not sure what color I want to paint the nightstands. Gray or blue or ...?

To answer your question, Emily, the chalk paint has a chalky, matte finish, though the wax adds a bit of gloss. The benefit for me (and many other people) is that sanding and priming are not generally required. Though I hear what FlyingScot is saying about sanding and I think I will need to sand and/or use some wood filler on some of the living room furniture if I decide to paint that too. But my bedroom furniture already has a smooth finish for the most part. There was one knot on top of the dresser I've already painted that could have used some filler, but otherwise it was okay.

This is the website for the paint I'm using:

http://chalkpaint.com/

And some "inspiration" -- that Giverny side table looks nice, maybe that's the color I'll use for the nightstands.

https://www.anniesloan.com/inspiration

https://www.anniesloan.com/inspirati...rny-side-table