DIY Painted Chess Set Using Frog Tape®

Alright, friends! I’ve got my first DIY of 2021 under my belt! Felt good to get my hands dirty for a fun and simple project, that you can do too! I’ve teamed up with Frog Tape® to showcase the trend “Live Well.” Taniya Nayak, HGTV designer and Frog Tape® spokesperson, has come up with five trends for 2021: Rest Easy, Eat Well, Work Hard, Live Well, and Play Hard. You can find the description for each and the colors they’ve paired with each HERE. I love using these as a starting point for designing in the new year! They’re all great.

Thrilled they’ve assigned me to “Live Well.” Taniya says, “This trend embodies all of the activities that enhance our lives and make us whole – spending time with family, reading a good book, listening to music, watching your favorite show or playing a board game. Create a space that works for all these meaningful, happy moments. Think knit throw blankets, worn leather sofas and knobby rugs. For a color palette, consider those that exude comfort and familiarity like deep navy, light blues and greys, and a touch of cognac.”

Taking clues from the colors assigned, and creating a space for living and playing, I decided to paint a chess set!

The game of chess is totally on trend right now, with shows like Queen’s Gambit rising in popularity. And let’s face it- we’ve spent a lot of time at home this year! Lots of people are gathering in a cozy spot for family time. Our younger two have learned to play and have really gotten into it. I thought this would be a fun opportunity to give them a personalized set. You can choose whatever colors you want! I’ve looked for fun sets before, and they’re pricey. (I may or may not have had my eye on an acrylic chess set from Jonathan Adler, at a whopping $600. Lol! My bad.) The set I used was only $25, and I spent about $25 on four different colored paints, that I got in sample sizes.

Step 1:

Lightly sand your surface! I didn’t bother prepping the chess pieces, but lightly sanding the board is a good idea.

Step 2:

I started with painting the chess pieces, using SW Naval and SW Copper Mountain.

Step 3:

Then I got to work painting the chess board. I liked the idea of using two tones of the same color, so I went with SW Dorian Gray and SW Grizzle Gray. I taped off the border, and then alternated taping off and painting the different colored squares.

It’s important to peel away the tape before the paint is fully dry. This insures a smooth pull-away. Frog Tape® always leaves a clean line for me! Another important step, after peeling the tape way, is to wait for the paint to fully dry before putting tape on top of the first set of squares that you’ve painted and moving on to the next. That’s the tricky part about painting a checkerboard pattern! Patience is a virtue, otherwise this is super easy:)

So once these dark gray squares were dry, I put tape on top of those in order to paint the light gray ones next to them.

Step 4:

Seal it for added protection! I would suggest Miniwax Polycrylic. Goes on clear!

Step 5:

Find a cozy spot to enjoy it in!

There you have it, friends! A fun project to start the new year! The trend “Live Well” evokes a feeling of warmth and comfort. Live well in the cozy spaces you create. And grab some Frog Tape® for your next project!

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Cheers,

Haneen

• This blog post is sponsored by Frog Tape® and contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.