Choose a paint colour in a contemporary shade, pair it with wallpaper and bring your grandmother’s old-fashioned furniture back to “life”!
Here we give you instructions for reviving an old chest of drawers and a desk. But you can create a distinctive result by applying the technique to any object or piece of furniture you like.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
wallpaper (offcuts left over from papering a wall)
paint (strongly contrasting colours for a modern result)
wallpaper paste
brush
scissors or a utility knife
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Remove the knobs and any hardware from the drawers. Prepare the varnished wood surface for painting by sanding it with sandpaper, or, if you want to remove old layers of paint, follow the steps in our guide “How to strip paint from wooden surfaces”, which you can find here.
Once you have completed the appropriate preparation, paint the piece in the colour of your choice and leave it to dry thoroughly.
2. Measure the surface you need to cover, allowing an extra margin of paper all around for trimming. Once you have cut the pieces you need, spread a thin layer of paste on the back of the wallpaper and fold the pasted surface in half, leaving it for a short while to soak in.
3. Using a pencil, mark the exact dimensions you need on the pieces of wallpaper, then cut carefully along the lines with scissors or a utility knife.
Place the wallpaper on the wooden surface, making sure it is centred and fits properly into the corners. Press the paper down with strokes from the centre outwards, smoothing out any bubbles on the surface.
4. Once you have finished hanging the wallpaper, screw back on the knobs and hardware you removed from the drawers.
You can also buy new knobs from the shops for an instant update that gives your furniture a more contemporary look.
