What to paint

What to Paint

You can decoratively paint almost anything, and the techniques you will learn in this course can be applied to so many different projects. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

Furniture

This course focuses on painting wooden furniture and accessories, although the skills are transferable to other materials.

There are a few different ways to acquire a piece of furniture to paint.

• Upcycle an inherited piece of furniture.
• Source something secondhand from antique fairs or charity shops.
• Buy a new piece of furniture.

I would recommend starting with something small and building up your skills and techniques before going for something bigger.

Types of furniture you could try are:

• chair
• side table
• shelves
• bookcase
• chest of drawers
• sideboard
• grandfather clock
• bed frame

Ideally, you want the furniture to be unpainted, otherwise, it will need stripping and sanding back which massively increases the amount of prep time required.

Small Household Items

This could be:

• candlestick
• lamp base
• picture or mirror frame

Lampshades

I would recommend using card lampshades - I like the Parchment Card lampshades from Vaughan.

Architectural Details

When first beginning to paint your home, it can be a good idea to start with the more contained details such as:

• fire surrounds
• window frames
• panelling
• fitted furniture
• architrave
• kitchen cabinets

Walls

Once you're ready to move onto walls, the possibilities are endless.

• A circus tent-style mural is a good first project.
• Simple stencil patterns.
• Organic murals.

Murals vs. Wallpaper

Choosing to paint a mural rather than opting for wallpaper enables you to work with the architecture of your space. You can adapt the pattern to fit within awkward spaces, and even create beauty out of otherwise difficult to decorate areas. In terms of affordability, paint is much cheaper than wallpaper making it a budget-friendly option.

Sourcebook

Places to source antique furniture

Ardingly Market

Kempton Market

Manufacturers of new furniture

Scumble Goosie

Rowen and Wren

Craft Mill

Hobbycraft

Tess Newall paint your own chair kit

Tess Newall paint your own lampshade kit (now ready to buy!)