Before and After Furniture Makeover Using Decoupage!

I have been wanting to decoupage a piece of furniture for some time now. After watching what seemed like a hundred You Tube videos, I decided to finally try it myself. I chose Sandrina Rice Paper Decoupage, by Decoupage Queen to use on a dresser I found recently. It is a large design that will perfectly cover the entire front of the dresser. Considering the only decoupaging I have ever done were on small boxes, this was going to be quite the challenge.

I purchased this dresser on Facebook Marketplace a few weeks ago. I cleaned it up and then filled in veneer that had chipped off.

To prevent any bleed through, I put three coats of Kilz primer on.

I love this Decoupage paper and was really excited (albeit nervous) to try it!

As I mentioned before, I watched dozens of YouTube videos on how to decoupage. Each had their own way of applying the paper. I chose to use wallpaper paste because it gives you more placement time. I knew I would need that!

After trying a few ways to place the paper, I settled on centering the rose and then cut off the excess on top.

Everything was ready to go. I applied the wallpaper paste and started to lay the paper. Right off the bat I knew I made a mistake trying to put the paper on with the dresser standing up. It was impossible to control and the paper started to rip.

I called for my husband (if I am honest screamed for him) to come and help me lie the piece down. We laid it down and I went back to work. And he was only too happy to go back to what he was doing. I can be intense when something is going wrong. He is the best husband!

Once I had the dresser down, it was much easier to handle. I also cut the paper to work one drawer at a time. The second mistake I made was trying to use my hands to smooth the paper. I could not get the wrinkles out and was getting frustrated. At this point I decided to just go for it and used a chip brush. It worked great and really smoothed it out.

All in all, the decoupage experience was successful. I was able to repair the torn paper by using extra pieces of paper and decoupaging over it.

I was a little afraid of having to decoupage over the molding. This is where I really thought things would go south, but they didn’t, and I am really proud of the way it came out.

I let the decoupage dry overnight and the next day I put three coats of Polycrylic water-based polyurethane to seal and protect.

Next step was painting the dresser base.

I chose Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in CoCo.

It looks like cocoa.

Using a round brush I went every which way to add some texture.

For detail work I used a small brush moistening the brush to help the chalk paint go on smooth.

I was extra careful as to not get chalk paint on the decoupage around the drawers.

To add depth, I did a ragging technique using Annie Sloan chalk paint in Olive, Coco and Chateau Grey and Waverly chalk paint in Celery.

You simply add color to create high and low lights.

Then use a damp cloth to tap the paint, taking some off, moving it around, until you like how it looks. I liked the results, but after it dried, I felt it was to gray for the decoupage paper design. I mixed together Annie Sloan Olive and Old White and water to create a wash. I brushed it on and wiped it off leaving a pale green glaze that now perfectly complimented the design.

I let it dry overnight and added clear and dark wax to seal and age it.

The finished piece! I can see this piece in a bedroom, foyer, office, garden room, really anywhere.

I was able to keep original hardware. I just added a little Rub N Buff.

I would call that quite the transformation!