Ta Da!!!

Here it is with at least one coat on the whole stool. The cross pieces and the top have had two coats.

Ever since I painted my coffee table a few years ago, I have used foam brushes to paint my furniture. They are perfect because they leave no visible brush strokes.

They also soak up less paint than a regular brush. Before, when washing out my brushes, I found that so much paint would get trapped down near the base of the bristles. I would be rinsing them forever and watching all that paint go down the drain. With foam brushes (and the way you can manipulate them and squeeze the paint out on the surface) you can get almost all of the paint out before you have to wash them. Therefore, more of your paint ends up on the object and not wasted down the drain.

Next I will do a light sanding all over with fine sandpaper and then apply one more coat with the second Benjamin Moore sample bottle. I am amazed how much area these 2 oz pots can cover. I will still have one left over.
Hmmm, what to do, what to do?

Finally, after that last coat (and perhaps some more sanding?) I can apply one to two coats of a clear satin finish polyurethane. And then I will be done.

This artsy pic shows off the true color better.

BIG difference, right?
I so have to learn how to control the flash on my Kodak.