Upcycling Vintage Furniture with Painting Techniques
A course by Chloe KempsterFurniture Artist
A course by Chloe Kempster, Furniture Artist
Transform old furniture into beautiful and functional pieces using different hand-painted styles
Each one of us is unique, so the furniture we fill our homes with should be, too. Artist Chloe Kempster uses bold colors and creative designs to give old furniture a modern twist. She sells her pieces around the world and has been featured by Country Living Magazine, The BBC, and more.
In this course, she gives you the tools you need to turn forgotten pieces of furniture into beautiful and functional pieces of art using different painting techniques. Learn to live more sustainably and create bespoke furniture that reflects your personality.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 25 downloads
Materials You Will Need
5 minutes, 54 seconds
Demonstrate Painting Techniques
12 minutes, 40 seconds
Creating a Mood Board and Choosing a Colour Scheme
4 minutes, 59 seconds
Preparation
3 minutes, 32 seconds
One Colour Paint Effect Using Chalk Paint
3 minutes, 35 seconds
Final Project with Botanical Details
16 minutes, 50 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin by getting to know Chloe. She tells you how she turned her passion for upcycling into her dream job and shares the artists and influences who have inspired her work during her ten years as a furniture artist.
Take a look at the different materials needed for the course, from wax to paintbrushes. Then discover how to find the perfect piece for upcycling, taking into account the materials it’s made from, its condition, and more. Chloe demonstrates different painting techniques before guiding you through how to create a mood board and choose a color scheme for your furniture.
Dive into preparing your piece for painting. Then learn how to use chalk paint to achieve a one-color paint effect. Discover the possibilities of waxing for protecting your piece and intensifying its colors. Chloe demonstrates how to achieve an ombré effect with your furniture using multiple colors before adding botanical details to the surface. Add the finishing touches to your piece to make it both functional and professional-looking.
Find out how to care for, clean, and repair your piece. Then, to finish the course. Chloe takes you through the steps involved in staging and photographing your work, ready to share with the world on social media.
What is this course's project?
Upcycle a vintage piece of furniture using a variety of hand-painted techniques.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone with an interest in furniture upcycling. It’s also ideal for people who are passionate about interior design and sustainability.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is necessary as Chloe will take you through each of the steps involved in upcycling your furniture.
You will need an item of furniture, sandpaper, chalk paint, paintbrushes, wax, and other materials specified by the teacher in this course.
Reviews
- 2 months ago
Hermoso!
- 4 months ago
La Professora Chloe explica de una forma sencilla pero a la vez valiosa como transformar una pieza generica en una obra unica y a mi me encanta hacer esto desde muy pequeña, recomiendo este curso me gusta mucho.
- 9 months ago
Perfect
- 1 year ago
Es un curso muy sencillo muy facil de entender y practicar. Me gusto mucho todas las tecnicas de pintura. La expositora excelente. Le doy un 9 de 10
- 1 year ago
Chloe explica de forma maravillosa procesos que son sencillos, pero que con un poco de maestría convierten una pieza ordinaria en una espectacular. Cada tip es oro. Me gustó mucho.
Chloe refined her upcycling skills whilst renovating her home and has since gone on to sell her pieces around the world. She has collaborated with brands including Annie Sloan and Valspar Paint and has had her work featured by The BBC, Country Living Magazine, and more. She also shares her art with over 26K followers on Instagram.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- My Inspiration
- U2
Finding Your Piece and Choosing Your Colours and Technique
- Materials You Will Need
- Sourcing a Piece of Furniture
- Demonstrate Painting Techniques
- Creating a Mood Board and Choosing a Colour Scheme
- U3
Painting Techniques
- Preparation
- One Colour Paint Effect Using Chalk Paint
- Waxing
- Painting an Ombre Effect Using Multiple Colours
- Final Project with Botanical Details
- Finishing Touches
- U4
After Caring and Staging Your Piece
- After Care Tips
- Staging, Photography and Sharing on Social Media
- FP
Final project
- Upcycling Furniture with Paint and Illustration
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners with no prior experience in upcycling or furniture painting. All techniques are explained step-by-step to help you start transforming vintage furniture confidently.
You'll need basic tools like sandpaper or an electric sander, chalk paint, brushes, masking tape, a waxing brush, degreaser, and furniture to work on. A full supply list is provided in the course.
You will learn to source, prep, and upcycle vintage furniture using chalk paint, ombre effects, bold color combinations, botanical designs, and various finishing techniques for a unique look.
Yes, the course teaches blending and layering chalk paint to achieve ombre gradients, textured finishes, and smooth coverage for creative effects on furniture surfaces.
The course guides you on sourcing, evaluating quality, identifying makers marks, and selecting solid wood furniture with potential for successful upcycling projects.
Yes, you’ll learn techniques for painting botanical details, mark making, and pattern design to personalize and enhance your upcycled furniture.
No artistic background is required. The course is beginner-friendly and introduces all painting and design basics needed for successful upcycling.