Revamp a wardrobe
Give wooden furniture a new lease of life with a coat of paint and pretty floral wallpaper panels. By Caroline Rodrigues
You will need
● Sugar soap
● Sponge
● Fine-grade sandpaper
● Lint-free cloth
● Primer/undercoat (optional)
● Paint brush
● Paint suitable for wood, such as eggshell, water-based acrylic paint or furniture paint
● Pencil
● Steel tape
● Wallpaper
● Scissors
● Wallpaper paste or Repositionable Adhesive Spray, £8.99 for 400ml, Plasti-Kote
● Small roller (optional)
Wash down the furniture with sugar soap dissolved in hot water, then rinse. When the wood is dry, sand it lightly to remove any loose paint and provide a key for the new paint. Next, dust it with a lint-free cloth. If you’re painting bare wood, apply a coat of primer/undercoat first.
Paint the cupboard and leave it to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Apply a second coat and leave it to dry.
Measure the panels and use the pencil and steel tape to mark them out on the back of the wallpaper, positioning the panel shapes to ensure any large motifs are placed centrally on the front. If the panel has a shaped top, as pictured here, press a sheet of thin paper against it and use the pencil to mark out the shape, then trace or copy it onto the wallpaper. Cut out the shapes.
Mix the wallpaper paste according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and smooth it on the back of the wallpaper. Stick the paper panels to the cupboard, sliding them into place. Remove any paste that seeps out at the edges with a damp sponge. For a neat finish, use the roller to smooth the paper, working from the centre of each panel towards the edges. Alternatively, spray the back of the wallpaper panels with repositionable adhesive spray, then press into place.
For a speedy revamp, try Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paints, £16.95 a litre. They come in a range of colours and can be used for painting furniture with no stripping, sanding or priming needed, and can even be painted straight over old varnish or wax.
Use the above techniques to wallpaper the back of a shelf unit. Take out the shelves, if possible, to make it easier to paper the back.
For a rustic country effect, remove the wooden door panels from a cupboard and replace them with chicken wire, or insert fabric panels for a French touch.
The wardrobe is painted in Pale Duck Egg water-based eggshell, £15 for 750ml; the panels are papered in Heligan Eau De Nil, £30 a roll; both Laura Ashley
