Furniture Painting Styles-Part 2

Durable Coating-It's tough and resilient. And it's best for high-use areas like kitchens and kids' rooms.

Sand and wipe the surface. Apply a coat of latex primer; let dry. Apply two coats of latex color; let dry in between. Finish with polyurethane.

Want a truly distinctive look? Try these:

A Crackling finish is fashionable, easy and fun to do. Just buy a glaze that will make the top coat of paint "crack", exposing underlying layers of color and giving a piece an authentic-looking antique finish.

Sand and wipe the furniture piece. Working in small sections (no more than than one side, drawer or door at a time), apply a base of coat of latex paint (this will be the color that's exposed); let dry. Brush on crackling glaze; let dry. Apply top layer of latex accent paint; let dry. Finish with a coat of butcher's wax.

Combing-By mixing store-bought clear glaze with regular paint, you can keep paint wet longer, allowing you to manipulate it with a comb to create unique patterns.

Sand and wipe furniture piece. Apply a base coat; let dry (practice with paint and comb on a spare board while waiting). Mix glaze and paint for second coat. Apply with brush; drag with comb. Let dry. Finish with butcher's wax or polyurethane,

Give your room a custom-designed look by extending its color palette to include painted pieces. For added impact, vary the paint technique on each piece, or combine a few on one furniture piece.

Creating Special Effects:

Stenciling-For a delicate and lacy look, sand and wipe the furniture piece. Apply a base coat; let dry. Hold stencil (doilies will work also) in place. Dab on paint; let dry. Lift stencils.

Sponging will produce soft texture and color.

Sand and wipe furniture piece. Apply base coat; let dry. Wet sponge with paint. Tap on furniture, rotating sponge to vary the pattern; let dry.

Sponging and stenciling soften the hard edges of furniture with texture, pattern and a muted blend of colors.

Stamping-The effect here is that of a delicate detail.

Sand and wipe the furniture piece. Paint on a base coat; let dry. Brush stamp with a thin coat of paint. Press stamp onto piece; then lift. Let dry. Vary the direction of stamps for a more natural look; add details (vines, leaves) with a brush, if needed.

Layering has the effect of graceful antiquity.

Sand and wipe the furniture piece. Apply a base coat and let dry. Apply a top coat; let this dry for 2 hours ONLY.

Using a nylon pot-scrubbing pad, wipe off the top layer here and there (worn corners and edges look natural).

Leave the piece unprotected so the finish will continue to "age." Or coat with butcher's wax to preserve.

Layering gives new furniture pieces a "history." Just like heirlooms left to age gracefully on their own, layered pieces also have colorful (even though "fictional") pasts.

Decoupaging conveys pure romance.

Sand and wipe the furniture piece. Apply a base coat and let it dry. Sand, wipe and apply a second coat. Cut out shapes as close to the edges as possible. Arrange the shapes. Then, glue them in place.

Cover the design with a thin layer of decoupage. Let it dry. Sand and wipe. Repeat until the surface is entirely smooth.

Decoupage is a great way to add a pattern (or patterns) without painting!