Oops! I forgot to take the before pic but imagine a plain solid oak drop leaf side table. All brown and sort of blah~one candle-check valspar paint in ocean breeze-check and a piece of sand paper-check. Rub candle along edges that you’d like to be “distressed” and then apply 2 coats of paint. When paint is dry take your sandpaper and rub along edges where you used the candle. The paint will not adhere to the wax so you have a perfectly distressed finish.
