The makeover of this vintage chest of drawers combines the elegance of decoupage with a pop of paint, perfect for those who love unique and personalized furniture.
What you’ll need:
- Vintage chest of drawers
- Cleaning solution
- Sandpaper (120 grit)
- Drill
- Hardware (screws, knobs)
- Decoupage paper
- Paint
- PVA glue
- Wallpaper smoother
- Craft knife
- Primer
- Paintbrush
- Roller
Prep:
- Clean and prep the furniture: Firstly, give the drawers a good clean with any degreasing cleaning solution. If the drawers are sticky, you might need to lightly sand them down for better movement.
- Remove the hardware and drawers: Label the drawers to ensure they go back into the correct spots.
Decoupage the Drawers:
- Decoupage the drawers: Now the fun bit! Choose your favourite decoupage paper and cut it to size. The one I’m using in this project is from It’s So Chic Furniture Art. Apply a thin layer of PVA glue (I use Mod Podge) to the drawer surface and smooth out the decoupage paper with a wallpaper smoother, eliminating air bubbles. Use a craft knife to trim any excess paper, and sand smooth the edges with 220 grit sandpaper. Then, once it has fully dried, seal it with a couple of coats of varnish.
Paint the Body:
- Sand and prime: Lightly sand the entire chest of drawers and apply a coat of primer for a smooth painting surface. I use Zinsser Cover Stain, which is brilliant for blocking bleed-through and providing a good adhesion base to the furniture surface.
- Paint the body: Now, decide on your paint colour and apply it to the body of the chest. For this project, I used Vintage with Grace Mineral Paint in the shade Delamere – a deep forest green to complement the vibrant colours of the decoupage paper.
- Stencilling: Once I stepped back and looked at the decoupage drawers and painted body together, I knew it needed something more. So, I stencilled the entire body of the drawers using Roberson Liquid Metal in Classic Gold and some Indian Inlay stencils.
- Paint Wash: Once the stencilling had dried, I used a paint wash (50/50 ratio paint to water) over the entire body of the drawers. For the first coat, I removed the paint wash by dabbing at it with a cloth (this is called ragging). For the second coat of paint wash, I removed the excess with a scrunched-up ball of brown paper. This added lots more texture to the finish.
Final Touches:
- Glazing and waxing: The final step was using a sponge to wipe a very thin layer of the Roberson Liquid Metal in Classic Gold over the surface of the decoupaged drawers and body of the drawers to add a metallic shimmer and then finishing off with a layer of black wax over everything to add depth and age to the finish.
- Reattach the hardware: Lastly, put the knobs or pulls back on the drawers and step back to admire your one-of-a-kind creation!
My Tips:
- When positioning your decoupage paper, ensure any important details like eyes on faces are fully on a drawer to avoid an awkward cut-off.
- Use a sharp blade to cut the decoupage paper to prevent tearing.
With a little creativity and these easy steps, you can transform a tired piece of furniture into a stunning statement piece for your home!
If you have any questions or want to share your own furniture makeovers, please leave a comment below.
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See you on the next flip!
Brenda xx
