Synopsis: Milk paint, an ancient finish, is enjoying a revival, partly due to its non-toxic nature and versatility. Elia Bizzarri uses it to create a rich, layered look on his Windsor chairs. He shows how to layer black over red to produce a classic finish that not only reveals the beauty of the wood, but also adds a depth and warmth that you don’t get from thicker, more modern paint.

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Milk paint is an ancient finish concocted from milk curds, lime, and pigments. By the time Windsor chairs had their heyday back in the 18th century, thicker and more efficient paints had long since replaced it. But in the last few decades there’s been a revival of milk paint, and it’s now often seen on Windsors and other furniture. Why?

If most paints are a wool coat, milk paint is a silk dress. Exceptionally thin, milk paint…