Furniture Painting and Decorating With Stencils!

I’ll bet you have a few things in your house that could benefit from a furniture painting makeover.



Just think about it for a second. Have you been wondering what to do with that ratty old dresser that's been collecting dust in the garage? Do you have furniture in your house that you inherited and just can’t get rid of but can’t find a fit for them in your house? Are you thinking of getting rid of that old rocking chair because it just doesn't fit in with the new decor?

Why not save yourself the hassle of throwing things out and then having to spend money to replace them? Breathe some new life in those old pieces by re-designing them with a little paint and some fresh new stenciling ideas. If you think furniture painting might be the solution you've been looking for, but have never done it, here are some tips to help you get started. Using stencils while furniture painting is a great way to decorate! Custom hand painted furniture adds an exclusive feel to any room whether it’s a formal living area or a child’s room. Stencils can be applied to parts of the furniture as an accent or spread over the whole piece to create an entire scene. Look at these samples below for some ideas of what you could do. Make sure you scroll down to find out how you can get these stencil designs for your next decorating with stencils project.

In the picture above, I added a wine motif to this two drawer bureau which could be used as a buffet or side table. The stencils are only used on the top drawer in the center. This creates a classic feel that would fit well in a formal room with a traditional theme. P.S. Click on the picture for more details!

The beauty of taking on a furniture painting project yourself is that you can match the theme of your space. And stencils help you get the images in place.

Get more details on this project at Sea Stencils . Plus find the stencils used to create the scene!

Here's an example of using stencils over the entire piece of furniture to make a scene. Four frog stencils are placed in different areas for a rain forest motif. The background was painted before the stencils and was simply done be using the stippling effect or pulling an artist brush through several different colors of green. Very easy to do! A great look for any room that begs to brings nature inside.

The most fun you can have furniture painting or actually with any form of decorative painting is preparing for a new arrival. Decorating a nursery is so much fun. You get to work with so many soothing colors and the stencils available for baby are so cute. With a nursery, you get to really choose a theme and build it up from there more than with any other room in the house. The armoire below was decorated with a scene using farm related stencils painted on the door. The frame of the door was given a faux wood grain finish. This was done by dipping a brush into a variety of tans and browns squeezed onto a palette. Then running the brush in long strokes along the frame and allowing the bristles of the brush to dispense the variety of browns creating a wood grain effect. The farm stencils on the door were placed so that the appearance is like looking out of a window and onto a farm yard.

So you have a piece of furniture you want to paint? And you want to personalize it with a stencil motif? There are a few things to consider before you begin your furniture painting project.

In what room will the furniture be placed? What is the theme for that room? What is the color scheme? Is it contemporary or traditional? Making some decisions are essential, since you need to design the furniture to suit the space it will occupy.

You probably already have a stencil design in mind since that is how most furniture painting projects usually get started. If not, then consider your theme while shopping. There is no shortage of stencil designs available to you so the real problem is just deciding on one. Are you going to use a single layer or multiple-overlay stencil? If you need more information on the different stencil types available, then click here for the full scoop on the basics at About Stencils. Now, what colors are you going to use in your stencils? If you are painting the furniture before stenciling, then what color are you going to use for that? Choosing the right colors is essential to the success of your furniture painting project.

You need to consider the whole design to make sure that the colors of your stencils will blend perfectly with the color of the furniture. You also want to keep in mind the color scheme of the room that it will occupy. For a great article on choosing the right colors, click here for a helpful stenciling technique. You'll also see how the wrong colors can ruin a decorative painting project. Plus, get some great tips on making your stencil colors look good on the background.

Once you have decided on the base paint color for your piece of furniture, the next thing you should know is that a flat paint is recommended. Most craft paints will pool or simply not adhere very well to a semi- or high-gloss paint.

If your piece is already painted and the stencil colors are not sticking, try using a fine sandpaper to take away the top layer of the gloss.

When the project is completed, you can put a coat of polyurethane or use a clear spray paint if you want a semi- or high-gloss protective finish. Read the instructions on any product you use and talk to the experts at the store where you buy these items. They can be a great source of help for your furniture painting project.

Always make sure that your surface is clean and free of dust before painting. After you have painted the base color you should add any accents that belong to the background. For example, on the Frog Stencil Dresser above, the leaves and forest accents were painted before any stencils were used. Of course, when the stencils are finished you will want to add some finishing touches to pull it all together.

Oh yeah! Before you put paint on a piece of furniture there is something else you need to consider. Painting something that may be considered an antique could ruin its value. If you have owned the piece for a while, you already know enough about its history. However, if you want to paint something you picked up from an auction or a yard sale, you might want to do some research. Just to be safe.

Furniture painting is a great hobby that is fun and easy with stencils. Best of all you can create custom accents for your home. What better way to decorate than with your own creativity. So use your imagination and create some Great Works of Art!

In our effort to bring to you a complete solution for all of your stenciling needs in one place, we now have a catalog for you to browse a large variety of designs. So, check out our Stencils Catalog for your next project.

Below is a sample of the design books that we offer. These are the stencils used as examples on this page. Each book will come to you as a downloadable pdf file in your e-mail. Just check your e-mail after purchase for the link to connect to your file and print or save. It's that easy!

All designs can be adjusted to fit your project size. Instructions are included. Pages are 8.5” x 11”.

This collection includes 4 designs- a Wine Glass, a Chianti Bottle, a Wine Bottle and a Bunch of Grapes with Leaves.

This purchase is of a PDF file with 31 pages.

Price: $9.95

Aaaahhhh...the lazy days of summer at the beach. This collection includes 6 designs- a Fish, a Crab, a Seagull, a Conch Shell, a Scallop Shell and a Seahorse.

This purchase is of a PDF file with 32 pages.

Price: $9.95

This book contains 4 cute Red-Eyed Tree Frogs for you to paint in your next project. Bring a little of the rain forest to your home. There are 37 pages in this pdf file which includes the stencils of all 4 frogs (each has 5 overlays) and complete instructions.

Price: $9.95

With these stencils you can create the perfect barn yard setting for your little one. This collection includes 9 designs- a Cow, a Chicken, a Pig, a Sheep, a Lamb, a Horse, Fence, a Barn and a Tractor.

This purchase is of a PDF file with 40 pages.

Price: $9.95

Joann.com carries a variety of high quality acrylic paints, great for stenciling. You'll find brands like Delta Ceramacoat, Folk Art, Americana and DecoArt. They also provide paint applicators and many other arts and crafts supplies.

If it's more of the fine art supplies that you are looking for then go no further. Dick Blick Art Materials is the right choice. They also offer a wide variety of stencil making supplies.

If it's the bargain that you are looking for then try CreateForLess . They have the Delta Ceramacoat and DecoArt acrylic paints, plus a few pre-cut stencil designs.

MisterArt.com has a dedicated section for all of your stenciling needs.

Return to Home Page from Furniture Painting with Stencils.

Return to Decorating With Stencils from Furniture Painting with Stencils.