Decoupage furniture in Provence style

Several centuries ago, a special technique for decorating furniture appeared in Medieval Germany. At that time, not everyone could afford to have decorative items or a thing painted by hand. Often, they simply decorated boxes, chests of drawers or cabinets with paper drawings, covering them with a layer of special varnish on top. This is how decoupage appeared, which is still popular today. This is a technique for decorating surfaces that imitates artistic painting.

Ease of execution allows even people without artistic skills to turn any interior item into a work of art. Lace, paper napkins, fabrics are used for decoration, which can be used to decorate any surface, be it wood, glass or plastic. Decoupage of furniture in the Provence style is especially popular. There are other trends: shabby chic, Victorian and ethnic, simplicity.

To decorate various objects using this technique, the following are used:

• special napkins;
• postcards;
• wallpaper;
• printed illustrations;
• lace;
• various fabrics;
• old newspapers.

Modern masters combine various techniques and materials in their works to decorate objects. They combine different types at the same time.

Types of decoupage

1. Volume.

With this method, the elements are specially glued to each other or multi-layering is achieved using a modeling mass. It is used to decorate children's rooms, create three-dimensional pictures, and restore furniture.

2. Direct.

An applique or design is glued onto the pre-painted surface of the part, then covered with a fixing layer of varnish.

3. Smoky.

This type of decoupage imitates artistic painting. This effect is achieved through special techniques of using paint. A light haze is drawn along the clear boundaries of the drawing, and the image merges with the background.

4. Deco patch.

This technique combines decoupage and patchwork. It differs from the others in that not a whole drawing or element is glued, but small pieces of one image. It is used to decorate jewelry and accessories, figurines.

5. Back.

It is used to decorate glass objects. To do this, the image is glued face down to the surface and covered with varnish on top.

To give the product a unique look, decoupage masters often use special techniques:

• abrasions are created;
• a craquelure varnish is applied, which after drying becomes covered with cracks;
• to give a different color, the surface of the object is tinted with spots of a different paint;
• create gold or silver leaf;
• simulate darkening by drawing shadows.

Preparing for work

Before you start decorating, you need to properly prepare the selected items. First of all, you should sand the surface, especially old furniture, you need to completely remove the paint layer. Then everything is covered with a primer, after it dries, you can move on to painting the main background.

Further decoration is done according to the chosen decoupage technique. The drawing is cut out or carefully torn out of the napkin, placed according to where it should be, the surface of the base should be pre-coated with glue. Straighten with a brush, trying not to damage, then glue with another layer of glue, applying it over the drawing.

Decorate the edges with paint, decorating the surface to your taste. Allow all layers to dry. To speed up this process, you can use a hair dryer. After drying, cover the surface with two layers of varnish. The varnish can be either special for decoupage or regular for working with wood. To remove all the unevenness, the surface is sanded with sandpaper.

Among the variety of types, craftsmen very often prefer decoupage in the Provence style. This style got its name in honor of the French province. It is characterized by the use of floral motifs and cold shades in the design of objects. Rustic, cozy and calm style. Decoupage of furniture in the Provence style allows you to create a corner of southern France in your room. The use of pictures with a marine theme is also allowed. The shabby look is combined with hand painting and whitewashed surfaces.

Decoupage of a chest of drawers in the Provence style. Master class

The main thing is to choose the right bedside table, it should match the style. The best choice is one with drawers and carved elements. Prepare the necessary materials: acrylic paints, glue, decoupage varnish, brushes, napkins with beautiful floral motifs, two-step craquelure, foam sponge, matte aqual varnish, baguette paste.

Let's get to work.

1. We thoroughly sand and degrease the surface of the nightstand.
2. We cover the drawers, table top and side corners of the chest of drawers with primer.
3. We cover the furniture completely with beige acrylic paint.
4. We glue the patterns with decoupage glue and lightly sand them with sandpaper after they have completely dried.
5. Using grey, draw a border on the drawers and sides of the chest of drawers.
6. We apply craquelure to the beige color, let it dry and repeat the procedure again.
7. The cracks that formed after applying craquelure are filled with gold pigment.
8. We treat the entire nightstand with aqualak.
9. We take the baguette paste and draw monograms on the drawers and sides of the chest of drawers, along the entire contour.
10. We decorate monograms with gilding.
11. Using a sponge, we blot all the edges of the furniture we are using, taking gold, brown, black and green paints.
12. We cover the entire surface of the chest of drawers with finishing varnish.

After the varnish dries, you can use the furniture for your pleasure. Such a bedside table in the Provence style will decorate any room and give it a unique charm.

Decoupage of interior door  

Sometimes it happens that the door does not fit into the existing interior of the room. There are cases when it is simply necessary to age it. Decoupage in the Provence style will help to get out of a difficult situation. To decorate interior doors you need:

• Treat the door surface with a soap solution and remove all dust and dirt.
• To avoid damage to the walls by paint, it is necessary to seal the door frames with masking tape.
• Apply primer and paint the door in a color that matches the style.
• Apply white acrylic paint.
• Wallpaper is glued immediately, and napkins should be pre-wetted with water. Decorate at your discretion, choosing the desired pattern.
• The surface of the napkins or wallpaper should be coated with another layer of glue. Leave until completely dry.
• If necessary, remove any uneven areas using fine sandpaper.
• The entire surface of the door is completely covered with varnish, preferably in several layers.

Restoring a table with colored wallpaper

It happens that old furniture that has lost its original appearance is stored in the apartment for many years. It is a pity to throw it away, because it is dear as a memory or maybe inherited from relatives. Let's consider how you can restore a table using ordinary wallpaper. For work you will need:

1. Wallpaper with a beautiful colored pattern;
2. PVA glue;
3. Acrylic varnish;
4. Sandpaper;
5. Roller and brushes.

Before decorating the table, you need to degrease its top with alcohol and then thoroughly process it with sandpaper. Take the wallpaper and measure the length we need, leaving a little for allowances. Coat the back of the wallpaper and the table top with glue. Try to glue it evenly, leveling the surface with a roller. Sand the side parts of the table with sandpaper and cover it with several layers of decoupage varnish. Let it dry completely. Now such a table will decorate any living room.

How to Decorate an Old Coffee Table

This master class will help any beginner to decorate an old coffee table using decoupage technique.

Materials required:

• napkins, old newspapers or any image on paper;
• PVA glue;
• acrylic paint;
• primer;
• knife and scissors;
• brushes and stencils;
• varnish.

The first thing to do is to polish the coffee table with sandpaper until it is completely smooth. Apply the primer and wait until it dries. Prepare the paper with the image, remove the thick layer from the napkins, leaving only the top layer.

We coat it with glue from the back side and, pressing, glue it to the surface. We remove unevenness and bubbles. We paint the contours of the image with acrylic paint of white or black color. We decorate the corners of the table with the same paint through a stencil. After everything dries, we apply a layer of varnish.

Decoupage of kitchen furniture in Provence style

Despite the huge selection of products on the market, sometimes you want to have something original. Decorate your kitchen set in the Provence style, You can create a "French village" corner in your kitchen. Floral motifs in delicate shades will look good on such furniture.

You can use not only paper images for decoration, but also various fabrics. This decoupage technique allows you to show your imagination. The only downside is that plastic furniture is unsuitable for decoration because of its glossy surfaces. The necessary materials are purchased. Wooden cabinets are sanded and covered with a layer of primer. Then they are painted several times with acrylic paint. Paper drawings or fabric appliques are applied, pre-coating them with PVA glue. After the glue dries, you can additionally decorate with paint and apply patterns with stencils. The final stage is covering the entire surface with varnish.

A little imagination, diligence and uninteresting furniture will turn into a real work of art. The room will be filled with coziness, will acquire charm and unique style.

VIDEO: Decoupage of furniture in Provence style