When there’s no room in the budget for new furniture, sometimes all you need to give a piece a new lease on life is a can of paint, a brush and some creativity. Whether you’re changing a room’s colour scheme or just want to upcycle a tired table, these 10 ideas are sure to spark your inner DIYer.
Limited Selection
Just because you’ve picked up your paint brush and chosen a new colour, that doesn’t mean you have to use it everywhere. Limiting what gets a fresh coat is a fresh idea.
Wax On, Wax On
To achieve the same weathered look as this sweet blue child’s bed, paint a base coat of chalk decorative paint, then apply a wax decorative finish to get the exact effect you want.
Triangulating Trends
Turn an unassuming varnished coffee table into a real conversation piece by layering on similar geometric shapes in varying bold shades. For an extra pop, paint the trapezoid created by the intersecting triangles a different vibrant colour.
Wicker Wonders
Don’t limit your painting to wood furnishings – adding paint to wicker (or other natural fibres) creates a lot of visual interest with its woven texture, while still tying in with the room’s larger colour scheme.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Don’t be shy: committing to a bold colour can produce beautiful results, especially when using contrasting colours, such as the bright green on the table and hot pink for the mirror.
Don’t Get Board
In a bedroom, painting a headboard is a simple way to efficiently update the colour scheme. It covers a lot of wall space and instantly changes the feel of a room without too much work.
Vintage Advantage
While the painted yellow chairs add a splash of retro colour to this lively dining room, it’s the coat of sea-green paint added to the table, built-in cupboard and lower walls that really brings home the space’s vintage vibe.
Two Not of a Kind
Even if two pieces of furniture weren’t built as a set, painting them in a unifying matte colour changes that – just like this vintage vanity and mismatched table mirror.
Now Lie in It
While painting a whole bed may seem like a daunting task, once you’ve got the hang of the how-to steps of repainting furniture, no task will seem too big to tackle. You may even be inspired to do the dresser next.
It’s the Little Things
Don’t forget about the little things – sometimes a small piece can make a big impact. This industrial side table gets a bright makeover with a top painted out in yellow chalk paint, while the mainframe stays a matte neutral in grey.
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