It’s just as easy to eye-ball as you paint but if you want extra insurance, just tape off the glasses.
‘White Chocolate Minimalism’ Is the Dreamy Style Defining Interiors
Patricia Shannon is a freelance homes writer for Better Homes & Gardens with over a decade of editorial experience. Her areas of expertise include decorating, cleaning, and how-to content. Patricia is also a regular contributor with Southern Living and Coastal Living magazines.
Published on October 16, 2023
Too much is never enough—until you’ve just about had it with maximalism and are ready for a fresh start. Perhaps that’s why we’re seeing the pendulum swing toward a more minimalist approach when it comes to interiors. The newly dubbed ‘white chocolate’ aesthetic is taking the design world by storm. But pulling off a tone-on-tone look isn’t for the newbie decorators, unless of course you’re armed with some expert knowledge. Luckily, Lauren Robbins of Lauren Robbins Interiors and Andi Morse of Morse Design have the look locked down. Here, they share their top tips for getting it right with white.
Pay Attention to Tones
You might think achieving a tone-on-tone look is easy enough, but there’s a backstory there that’s worth paying attention to. “The undertones of paint colors are what really allow them to work well together when layering various shades of white,” says Robbins. “When selecting your color palette, it is important that your whites all come from the same family tree and share similar undertones.”
Stick with grays for a more modern approach that skews cooler and yellow if you’re looking to go warm. When the underlying tones in your paint colors tell the same story, you’ll ensure they also work nicely within the space.
Incorporate Natural Elements
When working with a white-chocolate minimalist aesthetic, issues can arise if you don’t strike the right balance with natural elements. “Whether it’s a stone coffee table, wood console, or rattan side table, these additional textures add depth to a monochromatic space and keep it from feeling flat,” says Robbins. In fact, incorporating natural elements is a given no matter what project the designer is working on, thanks to their versatility and ability to morph into just about any style.
Morse likes to employ wood tones to deliver both contrast and a subtle pop. “Pick wood tones to complement the white-on-white look that mimics the architectural features in the space,” she says. “Accessories can also go a long way in bringing out the features.”
Let’s paint!
Place a small puddle of Black on your foam plate. Dip the stylus into the paint and add dots to the outside of the wine glass bowl where it meets the stem.
Here’s what it looks like from inside the glass. That’s the pollen!
Do all four glasses and let them air-dry for a while or do like I do. use a hairdryer to speed things up.
NOTE: Dots take a while dry. Be careful not to smear the dots as you handle the glasses. If you make a boo boo, use the rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab or paper towel to wipe things off.
Place a small puddle of Citron Green on your plate and load the Deerfoot in the paint.
Stipple the paint over the dried dots. Dry. Repeat.
Clean the brush in rubbing alcohol using the paper towel to get all the paint out.
Here’s what it looks like from inside. Pretty cool huh? Seriously, coming up with glass painting designs is so much fun. Why not check out my other projects?
Paint Petals
Use the #10 Filbert loaded in Coral Blush to create petals.
Place the loaded brush about a 1/2 inch below the rim of the glass. While applying pressure, pull the brush down meeting up with the pollen area.
I created petals in 2-3 strokes as you can see here. Each glass has 4-6 petals depending on how much pressure I used. Just leave a space between the petals.
Let this coat dry or use the hair dryer before going over the petal again for a more solid, opaque coverage.
Here’s what the second coat looks like. It’s still streaky but less transparent. With this kind of paint, you will always see streaks. But that’s a good thing! It makes the petals look more realistic.
Some glass painting designs will show more streaks and ridges than others. In this case, i like the texture and the look of the streaks.
Here’s another peek inside. You can see how each individual petal is made up of multiple strokes.
Don’t worry about ridges in the paint, it all adds to the look.
Make sure everything is good and dry for the next step.
Add a puddle of Primary Yellow to your plate. Using the same brush, first load it in the Coral Blush then side swipe it into the Primary Yellow. Blend the colors a little on the plate then go over the petals again to add a lighter value and to create a bit of interest.
Doesn’t that look lovely? I’m falling in love with my new wine glasses! At the same time it’s got my head buzzing with new glass painting designs for the future! Uh oh!
To paint the stem, you’ll need a puddle of both greens – Hauser Medium Green and Citron Green. Make sure the Filbert is dry before continuing. If there’s alcohol in the brush the paint won’t stick to the glass.
Working with the glass upside down, use the same brush to pull strokes of Hauser Medium Green down the length of the stem starting at the base and pulling up to cover the pollen area. Cover the whole stem. Do 2 coats, drying in between.
To create more interest, load the brush in the Hauser Medium Green and swipe it into the Citron Green to add a lighter value or highlight like we did on the petals.
Here you can see the two greens of the stem. Clean your brush thoroughly.
Using the #8 Filbert, pull some leaves of Hauser Medium Green up from the base of the petals.
Apply pressure at the base, then release the pressure as you pivot on the chisel of the brush to create a fine point. (You can practice on a clear transparency sheet.) Place the leaves between the petals.
Do a couple of coats and then swipe the brush into the Citron Green to create a lighter value.
And here’s another peek inside. All done!
Now you have to paint the rest of the glasse!
YELLOW TULIP, the petals are Primary Yellow with the final highlight using White.
RED TULIP, the petals are True Red with the final highlight using White.
VIOLET TULIP, the petals are Vivid Violet with the final highlight using White.
Stems and leaves are the same greens.
Finishing
It’s really important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when you want glass painted items to last for a long time.
These wine glasses will be top rack dishwasher safe if you follow the following instructions to the letter.
THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR
AMERICANA GLOSS ENAMELS ONLY
If you painted this project using another manufacturer’s paints,
please follow their instructions, as results will surely vary.
1. Allow the glasses to air cure for 4 whole days or longer.
2. Place the glasses right side up in a cold oven.
3. Turn heat on to 325F. When the temperature has been reached, set timer for 30 minutes.
4. When time is up, turn heat off and open oven door.
5. Allow glasses to come to room temperature before removing.
