Painting Furniture: Household Tips

Colors

• What colors you use on your furniture depends on the effect that you are trying to achieve. A folk art or primitive look can be achieved through the use of pastels, milk paints or tones that are associated with antique furniture, such as light gray or navy blue. A more contemporary look, or the brightness that people often look for in children's rooms, can be achieved through the use of brightly colored high gloss acrylics. High gloss paint is also appropriate for areas where children may be eating or completing crafts because it is easily cleanable.

Stenciling

• Stenciling is a fun and interesting way to liven up an old piece of furniture. Stenciling works by laying down a piece of cardboard or paper with designs cut out of it, and then painting over it so that the designs are left on the surface underneath the stencil. Stencils on furniture can be a simple border of circles, swirls or diamonds, or an elaborate decorative image in the center of a door or table top. Multicolored stenciling effects can be achieved by using multiple stencils with different parts of the design cut out.

Antiquing

• Antiquing, also known as distressing, is the practice of making a piece of furniture look older than it is by abrading, denting and wearing it. This is often done with antique reproduction furniture in order to make it look like the real thing. This practice can be done in conjunction with painting, particularly when using traditional paints such as milk paint. After the paint has been applied and has dried, rub the piece briskly with fine emery paper or steel wool on the parts that would typically receive the most wear: edges of tables, lower stretchers where people rest their feet, and around door and drawer handles.

Preparation

• The paint job on a piece of furniture is only as good as its preparation. Be sure to clean the furniture thoroughly before painting, and to prime any bare wood with the appropriate primer before applying the finish coat in order to strengthen the bond between wood and paint.