Affordable furniture is not always at our fingertips and sometimes it’s necessary to include or hold on to pieces of furniture that have been pre-loved or in your home for some time. These have often moved from room-to-room and taking a fair share of knocks and scrapes along the way.
A wonderful way to revitalise old furniture and have everything matching together well in a room is to paint everything white. Likewise, an affordable buy can be made to look more expensive with a good coat of paint – especially as part of a whole decorating scheme.
Like a blank canvas, white furniture can recede into the background rather taking centre stage and, if part of a collection of white pieces, together they will appear unified - be they made of wicker, timber, plywood or laminate.
White furniture can lend itself to any interior look you love. A classic look for a Hamptons style interior is for it to be brimming with white furniture. Modern country decor looks perfect with a touch of white – perhaps with a table top left with its original timber tones. Even the most contemporary home can carry off an upcycled piece if painted in a crisp white finish.
Renovating your furniture with a fresh coast of white paint is a fun weekend project that can be done in a small space, garage or on your balcony – even indoors with enough good ventilation.
How to repaint your timber furniture
You will need:
Drop sheet
Sandpaper & block or orbital sander for larger pieces of furniture
Paint:
Undercoat
White paint of your choice
Protective varnish (optional)
Paint brush
Mini foam paint rollers
Paint tray
Rags for drips and wash-up
Soft brush for applying varnish (if using)
Method:
- Remove handles and any hardware – consider swapping them or a new set for a complete makeover, otherwise give them a good clean and scrub.
- Sand entire piece by hand or with an orbital sander for larger pieces – a quick job is OK – you’re after a rough surface for the new paint to cling to.
- If you’re changing the anchor point for new handles, fill holes with putty, allow to dry properly and area sand again.
- Wipe over all surfaces to remove paint residue and offer a clean surface for fresh paint.
- Prime first with undercoat, allow to dry (check can for timing).
- Paint all over with your white paint of choice.
- Reapply until you’re satisfied with the coverage and allow to dry completely – best left overnight if possible.
- Apply protective varnish coat if using and allow to dry completely – again overnight if possible.
- Replace hardware and enjoy!
Top tip:
Don’t stop at furniture – make the look complete by spraying wicker baskets, plant pots, light fittings and accessories in the same white paint.
You might also like:
How to upcycle a chest of drawers
How to upcycle your op shop finds in a weekend
