Antiquing With Decoupage

Update old furniture with antique decoupage.

Experiment with a variety of decoupage techniques to give an antique look to your projects. Whether you choose to apply an antiqued look with crackling or add vintage imagery to old pieces of furniture, decoupage glue can be used for a wide range of antique looks. For a modern look, pair a piece of furniture painted a bold modern color with an antique decoupage finish.

Crackling

Apply your chosen imagery and do a two-step crackling process on top of it to create a crackling antique effect. Refinish a sideboard for a dining room with an antique crackling finish. One idea is to affix printed paraphernelia from travel destinations you have either visited or wish to visit on the top of the sideboard. Paint the first type of paint over the vacation imagery and let dry. Next, add the crackling top coat and let dry overnight. Cracks will appear as the treatment dries. The crackling effect will vary from formula to formula, so to achieve your desired look experiment beforehand.

Fabric

Look for antique or vintage fabrics for decoupage projects. One idea is to decoupage the fabric to a blank canvas and frame it for an alternative to paintings in a dining room or bedroom. Another idea is to use Victorian fabric to refinish the front of a dresser, armoire or dressing table. For a shabby chic look, refinish the rest of the piece in stark white tones with or without crackling. Look for fabric with Victorian ladies, flowers, landscape scenes and other old-fashioned motifs.

Paper

For a vintage-inspired antique look, browse flea markets, garage sales and secondhand stores for one-of-a-kind imagery you can use for decoupage. One idea is to make over an old jewelry box with decoupage. Look for images such as dolls, floral prints, maps, old story books and other antique-looking paper. Decoupage your chosen imagery to the top of the jewelry box. Paint a coat of the decoupage glue over the image to seal it and give it a finish. Experiment with different types of glue, including matte and high gloss, to determine your favorite finish.

Faux Leather

Use decoupage glue to design a faux leather feature for an original antique look. Whether you choose to do the top of a table or the back of an antique chair, faux leather decoupage will give an antique patina to furniture new or old. Rip sheets of brown paper into random shapes and sizes and affix them with the decoupage glue. Coat the entire piece with decoupage glue for a glossy finish. Finish a side table with faux leather and remove the drawers to finish the face of them to match the tabletop.

References

• Decoupage Paper Craft: Decoupage Method
• The Artful Crafter: Decoupage Methods
• Decorating Ideas Made Easy: French Country Furniture