I've used Annie Sloan chalk paint for years and love it. It's expensive, though, so I'd tried a couple of different craft store 'chalk paint' offerings in hopes that they'd be a good (and cheaper) option. They weren't anywhere near the caliber of Annie Sloan's paints.

When I noticed the positive reviews for Renaissance Chalk Paint, I decided to try some colors in the small 8 oz size before spending more money on the quart or gallon sizes. I started with Robin's Egg, Old Linen, Snow, and Argentine.

So far, of the cans I've tried, I've found it fairly comparable to Annie Sloan's chalk paint. The paint brushes on with a similar texture and thickness. It also dries in a similar time frame (which, with chalk paint, is fairly fast). As with other good chalk paints, it can be sanded to allow bare wood or other paint layers to show through. Also, adding a final coat of dark antiquing (or other color) wax to any of the dried chalk paint colors will alter the color and give an interesting effect (just be sure to first use clear wax first before adding the dark or you'll get dark splotches).

I did notice a couple of minor differences. The Renaissance paint seemed to cover a bit better than the Annie Sloan with the first coat. Also, the Renaissance paint seemed to leave a tiny bit more noticeable brush stroke marks. Of course, with chalk paint, those brush marks quickly disappear with a light swipe of fine-grit sandpaper after the paint has fully dried.

One concern I may (or may not) have is the durability of Renaissance chalk paint. I've always been amazed at how well Annie Sloan chalk paint sticks to whatever I put it on--even with minimal prepping of the to-be-painted surface. Only time will tell if this Renaissance paint sticks as well without peeling. I'll alter my review if it doesn't hold up.

Since Renaissance Chalk Paint is, unfortunately, in a similar price range to Annie Sloan (Renaissance only *slightly* less), I'm not likely to switch over from using Annie Sloan. However, Renaissance offers whole new color chart options besides those available in the A.Sloan line. So it gives me more color choices between the two different chalk paint brands.

I'd assumed that the "Robin's Egg" color by Renaissance would be very close to A.Sloan's "Duck Egg," but the colors are actually very different (as you can see from my pic). The Annie Sloan "Duck Egg" (on the left) is a slightly darker greyed blue, while Renaissance's "Robin's Egg" is really quite blue with a slight greenish cast (maybe almost a turquoise). In fact, in a side-by-side comparison, the 'blueness' of the Renaissance paint makes the A.Sloan paint not appear blue at all. They're both very nice colors.

To show some other color comparisons, I've painted some swatches of chalk paint in some grey/beige tones that are available in the two chalk paint manufacturer lines. I've labeled them with the brand name and color. The two in the middle are Renaissance choices -- one a cool grey (Argentine) and the other a warmer beigish-taupe (Old Linen). The Annie Sloan paint on bottom is a much more yellowish-beige color (although it's referred to as a grey -- Country Grey). The top color (AS's French Linen) is a darker grey/taupe.

I am very impressed with this kit!
I set out to refinish a 31-year-old, solid wood dining room table. What allured me to chalk paint was the fact that virtually no preparation is needed before you paint. I simply cleaned the table! No sanding, no priming, no etc. NICE!
This paint goes on very smoothly. Included with the kit is a large and small brush which is great for covering large surfaces (big brush), and more detailed areas (small brush). I used two coats (let the first dry completely before applying a second), but you could definitely get away with only one coat as the paint is that thick. Just a note, though: I used the "Graystone" color, and I believe with other colors one coat of paint wouldn't do the trick. So, just be cognizant of that.
After you paint, you have to apply a sealing wax. This kit comes with a light wax and a dark wax as well as a wax brush. This wax is very easy to apply, it smooths over the table like butter. I used the light wax for the top. Then, I tried to get fancy and combine the light wax with the dark wax to do over the edges of the table. This was a messy endeavor. I don't heart the dark wax and do not like the darker finish that comes with that. It is all personal preference, however. Just be prepared for some mess.
The kit also includes a buffing cloth (not in the product picture) that is used to remove excess wax and buff/shine your table. Take your time with this step. You want to make sure excess wax is removed before you sit down to the table to eat a meal (trust me).
This kit also comes with rubber gloves. I didn't use these, but after the dark wax debacle, I wished I would have. (Wax on my hands and in my fingernails allll weekend.)
On the side of the paint can is a website address where you can find how-to directions as well as several instructional videos. This was extremely useful and I recommend utilizing the help.
I'm very happy with how my table turned out. I still have a half can of paint left, which is good as I realized that the table leaf was still in my front closet with it's original brown color (yikes!).

I recently just finished my Oak kitchen cabinets with Renaissance Chalk Paint in Old Linen. I had done lots of research and decided to try this product and so happy that I did! I did not want a super white color and Old Linen was exactly what I was looking for. I'm so ready to try more projects with this paint! Also Renaissance Paint was very responsive to any questions/inquiries I had. Great customer service!

Brightened my kitchen up so much and I love it!

I absolutely love this paint! The Ivory is a tiny bithe darker than I hoped, but I still love it! I was going to get annie Sloan, but the price for a quarter is about $15 more than this brand, so I decided to try it out and I'm so happy that I did! I have tons of other furniture I plan on refinishing and will definitely be going with this brand again. I was able to refinish my entire piano with 1 quart of this (every last drop was used!). My piano was SUPER dark and I was nervous that I'd need 3 coats, but 2 coats was perfect! I've added a before and after pic of my piano that I refinished.

Let me first start off saying the kit is well worth it...I ordered it so I could change the color of my island and at first I was going to paint the whole thing...but once I painted and waxed the top the island looked perfect...so I'm adding before and after pics...and this was my first time ever using chalk paint and wax. .I will definitely order again and a little goes a long way....