Creative people always want to make changes to things that seem boring and too simple. It is much more pleasant to use exclusive pieces of furniture of your own design. In the framework of this article, we will consider the decoupage of furniture with our own hands.
What is decoupage?
Decoupage is a decor technique, which is the decoration of an object with the help of a cut out element. As such an element, you can use a drawing on paper, a napkin. To fix the picture and protect the decorated object, varnish is applied over the picture. In the photo - decoupage of furniture, made using a paper base with images of flowers.
With the help of this technique, you can not only update old furniture, but also give zest to some things and interior items. Even a child can do decoupage. To create an aesthetic appearance of a decorated object, it is necessary to act with great care and patience.
To perform the furniture decoupage technique for beginners, you will need the following materials:
- Sharp scissors.
- GluePVA.
- Brushes.
- Primer coat.
- Acrylic paints.
- Lacquer.
It is not necessary to buy the necessary materials in specialized stores. Over time, when you gain experience in this area, for decorating more serious things, you may need special napkins or paper with the image of the desired decor.
List of materials on which you can use the decoupage technique:
- Wood.
- Plywood.
- Plastic.
- Glass.
- Porcelain.
A porous surface is not suitable for decoupage, as well as a surface that has the ability to deform, such as rubber.
What interior styles are suitable for decoupage?
Decoupage perfectly complements Renaissance style furniture. Its characteristic design elements can be presented in the form of rounded coils, images of flowers, beautiful branches. The decoupage technique is able to combine several furniture elements into one set by introducing identical elements. Let's give an example: the image of flowers on the fabric of upholstered furniture can be copied and the cabinet can be decoupage using these elements.
Recently, pop art design is gaining popularity. Your own portrait in this style will be a great backdrop for a closet or coffee table. Just imagine how nice it would be to receive a piece of decoupage furniture with your pop art portrait as a gift. You can take as a basis for decoupage the work of popularartists: Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein or Jasper Johns.
For high-tech decoupage, images of elements of a rough and well-formed space environment are used. Pipes or rounded metal planes, glass elements are the most obvious signs of high-tech style. In this way, you can decorate a kitchen set or a coffee table. Do not use backgrounds for decoupage that include more than 3 colors. Characteristic shades for the style are black, gray, white. Possible accents in the form of red, blue or green elements.
Performing the decoupage technique
The technique is easy to perform, but there are some subtleties. You need to cut the picture with maximum accuracy and accuracy. The more precisely you cut out the application, the more realistic and more aesthetically pleasing the final result will look. Before fixing the application, the surface of the object must be sanded and primed. The choice of adhesive depends on the surface. You can use ordinary PVA glue or buy a special composition for decoupage. If you decide to decoupage furniture with napkins, then put them one by one on a dense file. Apply glue and apply to the surface. The napkin will be fixed on the surface, and the file can be easily removed. Furniture decoupage masters always use this technique. If you do not use this little trick, you can ruin the application. When you start lubricating the napkin with glue, it will become very fragile, and there is a high probability that it will simply tear when fixed.
Afterfixing the picture, the first layer of varnish is applied. On this layer, you can draw and accent with paints. To form a more durable surface, a final layer of varnish is applied. If you do not want the surface to be glossy, use a matte varnish.
Decoupage chair
A chair with seat and back on a wooden base is perfect for decoration. First you need to process the surface of all the wooden elements of the chair. To remove old layers of paint or varnish, use a sandpaper or a drill with a sanding attachment. Wipe the surface of the wood to remove all dust. If the surface of the chair has flaws in the form of chips or some other irregularities, use wood putty. When it is completely dry, smooth the surface with sandpaper.
Print all parts of the chair. Surfaces that will not be decorated with decoupage can be painted with interior paint or varnished. For the seat and backrest, choose a suitable pattern on a paper basis. In this case, it is a political map of the world. Apply glue to the paper surface of the pattern and wait a few minutes. Then glue the design to the wooden elements, smoothing the surface with a dry cloth. Make sure there are no bubbles or wrinkles. If necessary, make cuts along the edges of the seat to form a continuous surface without wrinkles. Apply multiple coats of varnish for a durable finish.
Decoupage cabinets
Dismantle the handles and take measurements from the front surfaces of the cabinet drawers. Choose the right image and cut it into pieces according to the size of the boxes. The surface of the boxes must be sanded and cleaned of dust. Pay special attention to the processing of the edges of the front panel. If you do not clean them well, then the varnish will peel off over time, and defects will occur.
The remaining elements of the cabinet can be painted in a suitable color or leave the wood texture by updating the surface with a layer of varnish.
The choice of image depends on your interior. If the main design details have the same color scheme, then you can create an accent with a bright pattern. It is better to leave the cabinet handles in the same color as the main elements of the cabinet.
Decoupage in the form of a photo
This piece of furniture will be 100% exclusive. If you chose an old photo, then along the edges you can make accents on the wear of the photo. To make a large paper photo layout, contact a printing company. They will make a poster in the right size for you. The paper should not be very thick, as there may be problems with gluing in places of bends.
Old black and white photographs are suitable for decorating furniture made in a classic style. It is not necessary to cover the entire surface with paper, only the central part can be decorated. The part of the furniture surface that is not involved in decoupage can be painted or processed in a retro style. This technique is called artificial aging. Even inexpensive types of wood with special processing can give the texture of elite tree species. One way to achieve this effect is to burn wood with a gas burner, followed by sanding the surface.
Coffee table decoupage
You can make a blank for such a table yourself in Photoshop. Choose the photos you like and make a collage in the form of randomly arranged pictures. Measure the countertop, taking into account the folds along the edges. Take the finished layout in digital format to the printing company.
In the case of table decor, epoxy resin can be used instead of varnish. When dried, the resin gives a coating that is indistinguishable from glass. The table will look more professional, and the workmanship of such a tabletop is much higher in comparison with varnishing.
If the photo is black and white, then black acrylic interior paint is ideal for processing the rest of the table.
In closing
Don't be afraid to ruin your furniture by experimenting with decoupage techniques. If you are dissatisfied with the result of your work, you can always make adjustments to it. Watch workshops on furniture decoupage before you get started. If you strictly follow the technology and perform all actions carefully, then the end result will certainly please you.
