16 Clever Painted Furniture Ideas for an Easy Style Boost

When painting furniture with lots of intricate details, like this mid-century cabinet, reach for a paint sprayer instead of a brush to achieve a drip-free finish. Thin, even coats of blue paint help play up the paneled door design. A new cement tile top adds a punch of pattern.

Applying a brown glaze on newly painted furniture can mimic an antique look. This technique works best on pieces with architectural details such as columns, scrollwork, and grooved designs the glaze can catch and emphasize. After painting your piece, brush a brown stain or glaze onto the surface using a horsehair brush, then wipe off using a lint-free cotton cloth ($4, Lowe's). Use a soft dry brush to feather in the coloring and spray with a clear, low-sheen lacquer ($20, Amazon) to finish.

Add new dimension to an old dresser with square wood dowels and a fresh paint color. After cutting the pieces to size and sanding the edges, use a pin nailer to attach the dowels at evenly spaced intervals to the drawer fronts. Coral paint highlights the grooved design. When painting wood furniture, be sure to clean, sand, wipe down, and prime all surfaces before painting for best results.

Update an old file cabinet with paint to repurpose as stylish storage. After removing the drawers, pulls, and label holders, spray the cabinet with an oil-base primer ($7, The Home Depot). When dry, sand the surfaces, wipe clean, and paint with your desired colors before reassembling.

Vintage furnishings with pretty silhouettes and decorative details make great candidates for painting. Make an antique feel brand-new with a refreshing color, like the bright green hue that coats this vintage secretary. A creamy white color gives the interior a clean, cohesive look.

You don't need to paint an entire dresser or desk to completely change its look. For a fun pop of color, try painting just the sides of the drawers. Choose a vibrant hue that contrasts with the piece's overall color for maximum impact.

Accent a simple table and chairs with spots of neon green, yellow, and magenta against bright white. First, paint the set white using a product like Amy Howard One-Step Paint ($40, Amazon), which doesn't require stripping, sanding, or priming. Once dry, tape off desired areas and add neon color-blocking details. Apply clear wax over the dried paint and buff to create a durable finish.

Peppy green paint was only the beginning of this gorgeous dresser makeover. The enamel semigloss gives it plenty of shine, but the detail work makes this piece really stand out. To replicate the look, paint around the edges of drawer fronts and decorative details with a paint pen or a small paintbrush dipped in white enamel paint. A steady hand is a must, but you can also use a straightedge or painters tape to help you out.

If you just want to dip your toe into painting upholstery, give a pillowcase a painted facelift. We updated this plain blue cushion with a herringbone pattern in just a few steps. Slip cardboard inside your pillowcase while painting to prevent paint from bleeding through. Tape off desired angles and apply paint using a stencil brush.

Mimic the look of a stylish table runner by painting a pattern on a tabletop. To showcase this table's wood grain, we watered down our paint slightly so the texture and pattern of the grain would show through. Stencil on your design and when the paint is dry, sand lightly and apply a clear sealer or wax coating.

Achieving a trendy ombre look on your furniture is easier than you think. Select colors from the same paint strip and use the lightest on the top drawers, the next darkest on the middle drawers, and the darkest on the bottom drawers. You can also accomplish a similar effect by diluting a bright color with varying amounts of white paint.

Blue paint adds a splash of color to this metal side table. Adding a hand-drawn pattern makes it even more special. We used a white oil-base Sharpie marker ($5, The Home Depot) to draw on the stylish fishnet pattern.

Go asymmetrical in your pattern placement for a unique twist on this painted furniture idea. To paint stripes, tape off the areas you don't want painted and fill in with your desired color (or several colors!). For extra panache, extend the stripes from the front of the dresser to the top, too.

Give a new piece timeworn appeal with a little distressing. The trick is to thin the paint with water to help create the antiqued look. This technique will help current pieces look at home in cottage, farmhouse, or country decor.

You don't need to be an expert or a full-fledged artist to give a flourish to plain pieces. Having the right tools in your back pocket will make all the difference. The keys to this geometric dresser are a straight edge, pencil, and painters tape. After taking out the drawers, prime and paint the drawer fronts. Using your tools, block off a geometric pattern. To get this tonal look, we used three shades of the same color and applied them at random to the drawer fronts. Another secret to this dresser's success? We alternated direction and flipped the pattern upside down on adjacent drawers. Once your paint is dry, reinstall the drawers and admire your handiwork.