Sheila McGraw, author of Painting and Decorating Furniture, Firefly Books, 1997, adds new life to an old desk by creating a unique look with decoupage and scrap papers. Materials:
Old desk
Paper for decoupage (good-quality gift-wrap, postcards or other paper items)
Latex primer
Latex paint for trim areas
Latex paint for desktop to match background of decoupage
Painting tools (brushes and paint tray)
Painter's tape
Small, sharp scissors
Sponge
Craft knife
Straightedge
Ruler
Acrylic polyurethane
- Apply a coat of latex primer to the desk and allow to dry. Mask off areas to be decoupaged, and paint the unmasked areas, such as trim, with a latex paint that will coordinate with the paper to be decoupaged.
- Mask the edges of the top of the desk, and paint the top a color to match the background of the decoupage papers. Cut out random images from the paper and when the paint is dry, position them as desired on the desktop. Coat both sides of the paper with wallpaper paste, reposition them on the desk top, smooth in place, and allow to dry.
- To add sheets of decoupage to the drawer fronts, first measure the length and width of the surface, and cut the paper to size with a craft knife. Coat both sides of the paper with wallpaper paste (figure A), and position the paper on the drawer front. Gently smooth the paper in place with a sponge, starting at the center of the drawer and working toward the edges.
- When the paper is dry, use a craft knife and straightedge to trim away any excess paper (figure B).
- Protect the decoupaged surface of the desk with two or three coats of acrylic polyurethane, allowing the surface to dry between coats (figure C).
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