23 Gorgeous Painted Furniture Ideas (Before and After)

New Life for Old Furniture

Have you ever drooled over gorgeous painted furniture on Pinterest, Facebook, or Instagram and wondered if it were possible to DIY a piece for your home? We’ve all been there. I still do it!

I’m here to tell you that you CAN do this! You can give your old furniture a fresh new look and a color scheme that complements the design style of your home. It’s a cost-effective way to change the looks of an old piece of furniture, transforming it into a more up-to-date style. 

Whatever brand of furniture paint you decide to use, Annie Sloan, Fusion Mineral Paint, General Finishes, Dixie Belle Paint, etc., The one thing that matters the most is the prep. Cleaning, repairing if necessary, using the right grit sandpaper to smooth the surface, and a good stain-blocking primer before painting. CLICK HERE to learn more about how to prep your furniture before painting. 

Each and every before and after piece in this article has a step-by-step tutorial with a complete product list. Everything you’ll need to be successful with whatever painted furniture ideas you have in mind.

Your furniture painting journey may be as simple as starting with a fresh coat of paint to update your grandma’s buffet that you can’t part with for sentimental reasons.

What Are You Waiting On?

Don’t make the mistake of shoving your favorite memory in a corner when you can easily bring it up to date to match your decor style with paint. Your Grandma would approve.

With so many colors and shades to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect one that suits your taste.

Below are 23 painted furniture ideas to give you the inspiration you need to complete that project you’ve been wanting to tackle.

Also, you might want to check out Kandice over at Just The Woods Blog for her ultimate guide for painted furniture ideas for even more inspiration.

How To Paint Wood Furniture with Chippy Milk Paint

You’ll find many brands of milk paint on the market, and not all are created equal. Some brands promise a chippy look, and some are famous for their smooth, silky texture. 

If you’re looking for a chippy paint finish, the technique I did on this China hutch is perfect for those who aren’t afraid of you getting what you get. The chippy finishes have a bit of a learning curve. 

My two favorite brands for this look are miss mustard seed and old fashioned milk paint. 

I’ve used chalk paint also to create a chippy look, but it doesn’t compare to the same chippiness my heart desires. 

CLICK HERE for the complete tutorial for more ideas on chippy painted furniture.

UGLY Drawer Fronts Get a Makeover

Sometimes, drastic measures are needed to bring old pieces up to date before you paint. 

Covering the drawer fronts with plywood and adding a frame with wood trim was the perfect solution to bring these 1980s nightstands to today’s more sleek modern style that I love. 

These side tables are now the perfect addition to my existing bedroom furniture. CLICK HERE to learn more about how you can achieve this look.

Wood Coffee Table Makeover: Before & After

Bring me all the broken, ugly furniture because I love a challenge. Hubby found this small coffee table on the side of the road, and somehow, it magically jumped into his truck. It’s funny how that happens. 

CLICK HERE to see the tools I used to transform this curvy 70s table.

A Pop of Color Statement Piece

For this chest of drawers, I had a dream. A PURPLE painted furniture DREAM! 

Sometimes, you only need a single color to make a statement in a room. 

THIS palatial purple dresser is stunning if I say so myself. 

Would I ever rock a purple piece of furniture in my home? Maybe. For all of you old schoolers out there, I admit I’m a Donny Osmond fan (he wore purple socks), and I’ll just leave it at that. 🙂 Marie was okay, too.

Another bold color is yellow. CLICK HERE to see the happiest pieces of painted furniture ever. 

Edgy Antique Dresser Makeover with Paint

Not every antique dresser I find gets painted unless wood damage can’t be repaired. But I will go to extreme measures to salvage beautiful wood furniture, even if it’s only a portion of the piece. 

The top part of the wood dresser was damaged, but the bottom two-thirds was still salvageable. 

I look for fun ways to salvage them, like this artistic design meshing with the wood and paint—artwork on the top and beautiful wood on the bottom.

The only other option for many of these pieces is the landfill. So, if I paint them (or part of them), they will get a new life and maybe live another 100 years.   

CLICK HERE for more details on this artistic design and how you can add this one to your painted furniture ideas.

Painted Antique Washstand Makeover 

Here’s another landfill rescue I walked right by and had to make an emergency call to the hubs for a pick-up. 

I’ll never pass up these antique washstands, no matter what their condition is, and this one had a few. 

CLICK HERE to get all the details of this two-toned paint and wood finish combo makeover.

MCM Cedar Chest Makeover – Painted Furniture Ideas

What a great piece! I love the look of mid-century modern furniture, but this cedar chest had a lot of issues. Veneer everywhere. They always do! Well, at least mine do because I find many of my furniture pieces curbside or pay very little for them. I have a lot more time than money. Repairs are never an issue.

I love a good challenge, and this one was no exception to the rule. The changes I made were perfect in keeping the clean look of this chest with a single color paint finish.

CLICK HERE for more on this gorgeous PINK chest.

DIY Black Painted Dresser With Wood Drawers

This was a special dresser that I did for my youngest Grandson. My daughter-in-law wanted a masculine look that would grow with him, and she came up with the idea of a black with wood drawer design. I love her painted furniture ideas.

I think it’s a winner, just like my Grandson! He’s a real sweetie!

CLICK HERE to learn more about the color and paint we chose. Black and wood is a classic look that works well in a boy’s room.

DIY Wooden Bar Stool Makeover | Plant Stands

It was the find of the year for me, and I was happy to bring them home. I love it when a piece of furniture can also be used as decor. 

This fun paint finish is simple enough for your first-time DIY furniture painting project. 

CLICK HERE to see more of the bar stool makeover – plant stands.

DIY Faux Linen Paint Technique for Furniture

This stunning paint finish has been all over Pinterest, and with good reason. It’s beautiful, and it’s easy to do. 

Turn a plain wood piece of furniture into a stylish painted furniture piece with a sophisticated look. 

CLICK HERE to learn more about this faux linen paint technique.

White And Wood BOHO Dresser Makeover

Try your hand at this charming neutral BOHO paint style. White paint and natural wood tones can add so much to a simple wood dresser. 

Keeping furniture colors neutral allows you to decorate your room with colors that can be changed easily when you want to. We creatives LOVE change, and this is a simple painted furniture finish that feels earthy and serene. 

CLICK HERE for the tutorial on this BOHO neutral painted dresser.

Metallic Gold Paint for Wood Furniture

I found what I think is the best brush-able gold metallic paint for furniture. It’s a latex paint, which allows it to be applied with a roller and a paintbrush. It levels out well with minimal brush marks when applied correctly.

CLICK HERE for more info on this gold metallic painted dresser technique.

Steamer Trunk Redo | How to Paint Metal Furniture

Whether you’re considering painting a piece of metal furniture or an old metal steamer trunk like this one, I’m sharing my best tips for a beautiful finish you can accomplish with a paintbrush.

CLICK HERE for the tutorial with the product list.

SHOCKING Dresser Redo – BEFORE AND AFTER

This vintage chest of drawers had seen better days, and typically, I would NEVER try to repair a piece in this BAD condition. There’s a story there, and I’m sharing it with the paint wash finish and the doodle art I gave it after all the repairs. 

Whew! I’d rather paint than repair, but it was ultimately worth it.

CLICK HERE to get all the Deets on this dresser redo.

Priming Laminate Furniture Before Painting

When I picked up this MCM credenza, I didn’t realize the top was laminate; the legs were ugly, and the lower had wood veneer overlays but was still in good condition.  

I painted the top and gave the lower a modern mid-century design.

But before painting, a priming adhesive needed to be applied before painting over this piece of laminate furniture to ensure that the paint would stick. 

This piece would be perfect now for a home office or even a TV stand. 

CLICK HERE to learn about how you can paint over laminate furniture.

Silk All-In-One Mineral Paint… My Honest Review

This classic blue was the perfect color for this dresser makeover. I used an all-in-one paint, and it didn’t disappoint.

CLICK HERE to get my review and the step-by-step tutorial.

Unique Salt Wash Paint Technique for Furniture

This “janky” chest of drawers needed a lot to cover up its surface damage. Let’s just say this piece was well-loved. 

I used a texture additive to my paint called SALTWASH to cover up the surface damage on those janky furniture pieces. 

It was the perfect solution for this vintage piece.  

CLICK HERE to learn more about how to use this fun texture on your next DIY furniture project.

WoodUbend Mouldings for Painted Furniture

WoodUbend is a great way to add unique details and flair to furniture pieces that lack style and character. This flat-faced art deco buffet turned out stunning!

CLICK HERE to learn how to apply them to your furniture and decor.

How To Get a Natural Wood Finish on Furniture

You know I had to sneak in a wood finish without paint. 🙂

No, I don’t paint every piece of furniture, and this buffet sideboard was my exception. It still had its original finish, and the wood was in great shape.

It’s now a beautiful addition to my bedroom furniture with a trendy natural wood finish. 

CLICK HERE to learn how to strip and remove an original finish to reveal the natural wood finish.

Paint And Stain Combo – Painted Furniture Ideas

This paint and stain combo was a beautiful way to keep some of the originality of this art deco bar with a touch of manliness. 

Can you imagine pouring your favorite drink from this treasure?

CLICK HERE to see more details and up-close photos of the interior of this painted beauty.

How to Paint a Piano with Chalk Paint

Painted furniture ideas aren’t limited to just “furniture.” Unless you consider a piano a piece of furniture. 

Why not? Of course, I could have refinished this antique oak 1920s Kimbal upright, but that would have been a massive undertaking. Guess what? I painted it in one day with only a few coats of paint! SCORE! 

I got this piano for my Grandkids to play. It’s another freebie that would have ended up in the landfill, and now it brings joy to all who sit and plink the keys. No one in the family plays, but we have fun pretending.

CLICK HERE to learn how easy it was to paint this massive beast. I know it weighed at least 300 lbs or more. Thank goodness it had rollers.

How To Paint Furniture Without Brush Strokes

The most common question I get is how do you prevent brush strokes when using chalk paint on furniture?

I have the answer and a video tutorial that will explain how.

CLICK HERE to watch the video tutorial and learn how to get a smooth finish without brush strokes in your chalk paint. NO BRUSH MARKS EVER!

So much furniture, so little time! LOL, If I had a dollar for all the painted furniture ideas that popped into my head… trust me, you don’t want to live there. It’s messy. 🙂 But FUN!

Thanks for joining me, and I hope this has inspired you to grab that old piece and get to painting. I promise the results will surprise you in a good way.

Until the next project… xo, Do