You can use candle wax with paint to make your furniture look old.
Paint a couple of base coats of one color of latex paint over the entire surface of the piece of furniture that you want to look old. Use a color that you want to show through the next coat of paint. When choosing the undercoat color, consider choosing a color that older furniture would have been painted, such as cream or a deep brown that could resemble wood stain. Once the base coats are dry, rub candle wax on areas of the furniture that would see the most traffic, such as the edges, to keep the next coat of paint from adhering to them. Now paint a different color paint over the entire piece. Once that coat is dry, rub away the candle wax with steel wool. You can use a lighter grade steel wool over the whole piece to complete the antique look.
Bright red, rust red and antique yellow can combine to make new furniture look old.
Paint a coat of an antique-like yellow over the entire surface of the piece of furniture. Let that coat dry, and then paint the piece a bright red color. While still wet, paint the whole surface a rusty red color. Now rub the two red colors together with a rag. In select spots, where the furniture would be more worn, rub through the paints so that the yellow shows through.
Painting furniture to make it old is all about layers showing through.
Paint the whole surface of the piece of furniture with an antique yellow latex paint. Once the yellow coat is dry, use a dry brush method to apply a pale gray coat to the piece so that the gray appears in streaks and the yellow shows through. Now rub the whole surface with antiquing wax using a rag. Apply another coat of wax every so often to keep up the old furniture appearance.
Sandpaper can be used for a fast and inexpensive antique look.
You can use sandpaper on a painted piece of wood furniture to make it look older than it is. This antiquing technique is fast and inexpensive but won't give you the same detailed results as the other techniques explained. Just rub a light grade sandpaper on the edges of the painted wood furniture and any other areas that would take a lot of wear. This will create a worn look that is similar to that of antique furniture.
