Everyone’s style and design preferences are different and can change with time. Rather than purchasing new furniture every time you’d like to restyle a space, consider painting your existing furniture. You can revamp the aesthetic in your kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or entire home at a lower cost. Read the blog below to explore a variety of creative painted furniture ideas.
High Gloss Painted Furniture Ideas
High gloss paint can modernize any piece of furniture, from dressers and cabinets to chests and desks. One fun high gloss painted furniture idea is to make wooden furniture look like marble. Start by painting the surface with a white base coat.
Next, combine a few grey paint tones together in a container. Dip a portion of a cotton rag into the paint, then dab and swirl it onto the white base before it’s fully dry. Take your time blending the colours and replicating the marble effect. Seal the surface using a high gloss clear coat.
Furniture Painting Ideas with Detailing
Add a pop of interest to any bookcase, coffee table, or television stand with paint detailing. You can choose to start by repainting the entire unit or adding to the existing surface if it’s in good condition. Bold reds, golds, and black can turn an ordinary furniture piece into a focal point. You can also create an understated look by painting neutral ornate details onto earthy-toned surfaces.
For example, you may paint the carvings that are already on Victorian furniture or add small painted flowers by hand. If you’re painting furniture with intricate carvings or details, you may consider using a paint sprayer to avoid drip lines.
Painted Dresser Ideas
Dressers come in all shapes, sizes, and styles which means there are near limitless possibilities when choosing to paint them. You can paint the whole dresser one colour or paint the drawers, handles, and frame a different colour.
There’s also the option to paint designs on by hand or use stencils. For example, if you’re painting a child’s dresser, you might paint on polka dots or animal prints. Take painted dresser ideas to the next level by replacing old knobs with new fixtures, such as adding brass knobs to the dresser you’ve painted blue, black, or white.
Painting Furniture Ideas with Stencil Designs
There are thousands of stencils available, ranging from simple geometric patterns to elaborate floral designs. One fun painted table idea is to use a stencil to create the illusion of a table runner. Finish the look with a clear sealer or a wax coating. With a stencil, you can transform a dull or outdated shelving unit, cabinet, or side table into an art piece. If you’re planning on painting a stencil onto a veneered surface, make sure to prepare the area with a clear premier beforehand.
Here are a few types of stencils you may consider:
Furniture Painting Ideas with Earth Tones
Earth tones can make just as much of a statement as saturated colours. Earthy colour palettes also pair well with a multitude of styles including, rustic, farmhouse, cottage, bohemian, and mid-century modern. Earth tones can vary from pale green to burnt orange, giving you plenty of options to explore. You may consider painting your kitchen cabinets, bed frame, dining room chairs, or end tables in an earthy tone to complement a room’s current or new aesthetic.
Here are some examples of earthy tones for painted furniture:
Try Stripes for Funky Painted Furniture Ideas
Funky painted furniture ideas can include vertical and horizontal lines either on their own or in combination with one another. The stripes can be all one colour or multiple colours depending on your preferences and style. Stipes are great for tall furniture such as dressers and bookcases as well as for furniture that’s low to the ground, such as coffee tables and toy chests.
If you’re painting the stripes onto the furniture yourself, make sure to use painters’ tape to create straight lines. Additional striped furniture painting ideas include crisscrossing lines, grid patterns, and unevenly or evenly spaced lines.
Furniture Painting Ideas for Cabinets
Redesign China cabinets, display cabinets, or curio cabinets with a fresh coat of paint on the inside, outside, or both. Add a beautiful backdrop to your new paint job by wallpapering the interior walls of the unit. You could also alternate paint colours on the shelves for a fun twist.
If you have a filing cabinet that could benefit from a spruce, a couple spray paint coats could be the answer. All the various components give you a lot of room for creativity as well. For example, the frame could be painted black, the drawers white, then the label holders and handles gold.
Furniture Painting Ideas to Refresh Kitchen Islands
Paint is a great way to refresh your freestanding kitchen island, built-in island, or a peninsula. Select a bold colour such as navy blue or forest green to create a focal point or match the colour of your island with the cabinets and counters for a cohesive design.
A satin finish is recommended for kitchen islands and cabinets because it’s easy to clean and durable. Depending on the style of your kitchen, you could paint your island just about any hue, such as red, yellow, orange, white, grey, or black. Additional kitchen island painted furniture ideas include matching the colour to your backsplash, décor, tiles, or countertop.
Ombre Painted Furniture Ideas
Ombre is a fun dresser paint idea that can look classy or playful depending on your colour choices. The effect appears similar to a paint swatch with either an ascending or descending colour gradient. Dressers are the ideal furniture piece for the ombre look because the colours can be divided amongst each row of drawers.
For a DIY project, you may consider progressively mixing white to a dark base rather than buying each individual shade of paint. When painting a surface without clear sections for each colour, lightly feather the wet paint from lightest to darkest to achieve to achieve the ombre look.
Furniture Painting Ideas with Geometric Patterns
With the help of painters’ tape, a ruler, and a pencil, you can draw and paint stunning geometric patterns on any flat surface furniture piece. There are also a variety of geometric stencils that you can use to paint your furniture.
Consider playing around with your colour selections, making each section a different colour or creating a gradient effect throughout the design. You can also go for a classic and clean aesthetic by painting a gold geometric pattern on a black surface or a black pattern on a white surface, and vice versa.
Distressed Painted Furniture Ideas
Distressed furniture is the perfect addition to a farmhouse, cottage, coastal, and rustic styles. In addition to looking amazing, distressing furniture can also hide minor scratches and imperfections in the process. Start by applying a base coat and waiting for it to dry completely.
The next step is to add a top coat in a contrasting colour. Once each layer is dry, use a sander or paint scraper to reveal the base coat of paint. When you reach the distress level you desire, seal the furniture with a clear or wax topcoat.
Colour Coordinated Painted Furniture Ideas
Having mis-matched furniture can disrupt the aesthetic you’re trying to establish. As much as you may like the furniture, the mix of colours and styes can clash with another. Painting the furniture in coordinating colours can solve all your problems. After painting, you can perfect the design by replacing outdated or unmatching hardware.
Painting furniture ideas also works on new furniture. For example, if a store has a wardrobe that you absolutely love but it isn’t available in the colour you want, you may be able to purchase and paint that unit.
Vintage Painted Furniture Ideas
Limewash is often used on walls, but it can also give furniture the appearance of naturally aged discolouration. It can be applied to painted or unpainted furniture. However, if you’re putting a limewash on an already painted or metal surface, it’s best to use a primer beforehand.
Examples of vintage furniture you may paint include armoires, mirror frames, and bedframes. A brown glaze or stain over painted furniture is another method of giving it a vintage appearance. Consider finishing the piece with a low-sheen lacquer.
Painted Table and Chairs Ideas
Bring new life to your table and chairs with a burst of yellow, green, or white paint. Alternatively, you can use neutrals or pastels to bring a subtle touch of beauty back to your dining room table and chairs. Use a combination of bright colours to paint a child’s table and chairs set.
Kids’ furniture painting ideas may also include painting designs such as ladybugs, a rainbow, or soccer balls on the tabletop. Many of the above painted furniture ideas can be applied to table and chairs as well, including distressing the paint, adding stripes, and using geometric patterns.
Related article: The Cost Of Painting A House
Let’s Make Furniture Painting Ideas a Reality Today
Prestige Painting and Contracting is a premier painting company that’s ready to help you revamp your home’s aesthetic appeal with your painted furniture ideas. While some furniture painting projects can be done DIY, it can be challenging and frustrating to move and paint large furniture on your own.
To guarantee your happiness with the final results, contact Prestige Painting and Contracting for all your furniture painting desires.