Freshen tired furniture with the art of decoupage

Decoupage, the art of layering paper cutouts slathered in adhesive, is believed to have started in China in the 1100’s, but some historians argue that the practice could be much older.  Wherever it began, the Chinese are definitely credited with transforming decoupage into an art form.  They used the technique to adorn lanterns, windows and of course furniture.

While the technique has been around since the twelfth century, it really gained popularity in the 1700’s when it started being used in Italy and France when Marie Antoinette herself took an interest in the lavish furniture and accessories covered in decoupage.  There was even a period where master works of art were cut into pieces so that they could be used to decoupage an interesting piece of furniture.

Decoupage became even more popular during the height of the Victorian era of the 19th century.  Fashionable ladies used cutouts to dress up screens and furniture.

Decoupage is again seeing a surge in popularity, and why not?  In this day and age where exciting wallpapers, wrap and greeting cards are the norm, it is simple to create an awe-inspiring piece.

I have a client that completely transformed her grandmothers somewhat homely, albeit heirloom dresser into something spectacular by papering it with pieces of gift-wrap she had saved over the years from presents the same grandmother had given her.  She papered the body of the dresser in a plain paper, and then she covered each drawer, leg and the top in the special gift papers.  The end result was exceptional and exciting.

I would suggest spending some time looking through wall-paper books and selecting several coordinating papers from the same collection to fashion your own special piece of furniture.  However, the papers used really do not need to be anything special to make the piece exceptional.  In 2006, when traveling in China, my wife and I saw unique pieces papered in common newsprint.  In the states these pieces would be highly sought after by high-end designers for their clients.

Why limit wallpaper to your walls? Take a page from English artisan Bryonie Porter who wallpapers furniture ranging from simple tables to chests of drawers — she's even wallpapered a piano!

To try decoupage yourself,
you will need the following basic tools:

• The Chosen Furniture
• Surface Cleaner such as TSP
• Plain paper for a template when planning to adhere paper in larger pieces
• Pencil
• The Chosen Paper
• Sharp Scissors
• Glue or Decoupage Medium found at most craft stores
• Foam Brushes
• Basin of Water
• Sponge
• Rubber Brayer (or roller for smoothing)
• Acrylic Polyurethane

Clean the furniture item with TSP to remove any existing wax or oil residue. If needed, use wood putty to fill in nick or cracks. After the piece is completely dry from cleaning and filling chips, lightly sand to smooth the surface.  If you are intending to apply your Chosen Paper in large pieces, use the plain paper to trace the shape of the furniture piece for use as a template.  If you are using a series of smaller pieces of paper a template is not usually necessary.

Set your template over the Chosen Paper until you find a spot that shows of the design of the paper to its best plus. Using a pencil, lightly trace the shape of the template over the image.

Use very sharp scissors to cut out the shape you have just traced.

Paint ordinary craft or decoupage glue over the entire surface of the Chosen Furniture where the paper will be fitted.

Submerge the Chosen Paper into cool water for a few seconds to allow the paper to relax. This will make it much easier to mold the paper to the form of your furniture.

The glue on the furniture should still be wet when you begin to apply the paper. Keep your hands wet to protect the paper, gently move the paper into position, aligning the edges. Starting in the center and working your way out toward the edges, using a damp sponge and wet roller, work out air bubbles along with excess glue and water. Once you have the paper smoothed into place, allow to dry overnight checking frequently within the first hour smooth any reappearing air bubbles.

When completely dry, trim any overlaps with a sharp razorblade knife to cut crisp edges. After trimming the edges, apply three to five coats of acrylic polyurethane following the product instructions.

Finally, be creative!  If gift-wrap or wallpaper is not your thing, consider vintage or colorful roadmaps, Pop Art posters, or copies of family photographs. The only limits to what you can do are the limits of your own creativity!

The photos of wallpaper furniture designs in this article are from
the new Signature Collection Bryonie Porter.