Decoupage is the art of decorating with paper. You can decoupage just about anything, but in this tutorial we are going to start simple with a nice flat surface. An occasional table (the fancy version of a side table).

It really is so simple, and can transform the most plain piece of furniture into a real statement piece with both style and function for your home. I have a number of these small plywood tables that I spotted in my local charity shop. No longer wanted and to be honest….a little sad looking. So I bought them all and will decorated each one differently.

What you will need

A small table – new or old will work fine.
House paint or Chalk paint (you choose the colour).
Paint brushes (small to medium).
Paint roller (small).
Vintage wallpaper for your decoupage print (you can also use photos, magazines, scrapbook paper).
Ice-cream container (for paint and glue).
Measuring tape, ruler and pencil.
Scissors.
Clear Varnish.

Lets Get Started

First you need to prep your table for painting. A quick light sand usually does the trick. But if your table is in bad condition you may want to fill any holes with a bit of filler (from a hardware or DIY store).

Some of the things needed to prep your table

Once prepped and sanded you can start on the painting. I like flipping the table upside down and doing the underside and table legs first with a medium size paint brush. The top can then be done –  I really like using the small paint rollers for this size of furniture. It is fast and leaves a smooth even finish.

The perfect sized roller for small furniture

Once all dried, check if you need a second coat. I applied 2 coats to my table. I decided because my table wasn’t perfect I would go for a distressed look by sanding down the edges of the table top and legs. This really helped my table to have a unique shabby chic feel to it.

Notice I have sanded the edges for a distressed look

Then its time to choose your wallpaper and prep it for glueing to your table top. You will first need to measure your table top and then align the measurement over your wallpaper to get an even centred image. Instead you can cut out different shapes or patterns from your wall paper and glue them separately. Personally, I loved my wallpaper and wanted to use an entire piece to cover the top.

Choose your wallpaper then cut a piece for your table top

Then it’s glue time! You can use modge podge for this. Or make your own by adding a little bit of water to PVA or white craft glue. With a small brush apply the glue to the entire piece of paper then place it where you want it on the table top. Use a small hand towel to stroke the paper firmly into the table and wipe up any glues from the edges.

It will need to dry for around 12 hours (overnight works best). Then finally brush the entire table top and underside with a clear varnish/laquer. Or alternatively you can use a clear varnish spray (from hardware, DIY store). This will seal and protect the paper really well and make it easy to wipe clean.

You are done! Doesn’t it look amazing! Well Done!!!