We adore crafting with Decoupage, even with furniture that we have previously transformed. Such was the case with this piece of furniture that unfortunately did not match the style of the room it ended up living in. As such, we decided to overhaul its look using a mixture of Posh Chalk Deluxe Decoupage, WoodUbend Appliques, WoodUbend Trims, Posh Chalk Pastes and Posh Chalk Pigments. Read on for a full breakdown of how we completely transformed this old dressing table mirror.
Step 1: Crafting with Decoupage: Application
When crafting with Decoupage, the first step is to paint the chosen surface in white. This is done to make the colours on the somewhat translucent Posh Chalk Deluxe Decoupage Paper pop (we had decided to use Clear Sand by Magic Paint). This is especially important for projects like ours where the furniture piece has some remnants of an old coat of paint left on its surface which would show through the design otherwise. This was done on both the top surface of the Dressing Table as well as the front panel of the drawer as we had decided to use decoupage on both.
We then allowed these painted surfaces to dry and cut out our desired sections of decoupage, we were not going to need to blend the edges of our decoupage in this case so this was done in straight lines with scissors. As our surfaces were rather small and we had opted to use the Bouquet of Flower and Posh Script Decoupage Designs in A1 sizes, we had a lot of decoupage paper left over after cutting out our desired sections so we set these to the side for use on future projects.
Now it was time to start applying, we started by brushing a thin layer of the Posh Chalk Pigment Infusor to the front panel of the drawer while lightly spritzing the surface with water due to how dry the wood had become. We then placed the cut-out section of ‘Bouquet of Flowers’ onto our surface and smoothed out any creases with a dry Posh Chalk Large Smooth & Blend Brush; starting in the centre, lifting and stretching sections as we went. We also folded the excess Decoupage over the corners of the drawer and carried out the same process. This was done to create a seamless finish.
To complete this application, we applied another layer of the Posh Chalk Pigment Infusor, fully saturating the surface to ensure a strong adhesion. The infusor also acts as an outdoor-grade sealant which protects the Decoupage from any elements it may be exposed to. After we were satisfied with the application and had allowed the surface to dry somewhat, any excess that was not stuck down earlier was trimmed off using a knife.
This process was then repeated to adhere the section of the Posh Script Decoupage onto the piece’s top panel. This second application presented a slight challenge as the Dressing Table had a screw sticking up that was not removable. We had to allow this to push through the decoupage and then ensured the writing on the design lined up straight with our surface before completing the adhesion process. We never said that crafting with Decoupage was easy!
Step 2: WoodUbend Application
Next, it was time to put our WoodUbend Appliques and Trims onto our piece. We had opted to use the TR743 Modern Bead trim to create a border around our mirror, and we began by warming it up with a heat gun. Once our trim was nicely warm and malleable, we put a thin strip of glue along the entire surface we wanted our border to rest on, then spread this around with a dry paintbrush to ensure there was glue covering the same amount of area as the trim’s footprint.
As the mirror has squared right-angle corners, we realised the easiest way to create a seamless border would be using a mitring technique. To do this we adhered strips of trim to each straight edge of the mirror, leaving a small amount of overlap on each corner. Next, to ensure the adhesion was completed, we warmed up the middle section of our freshly applied trim in situ and pressed it onto the surface firmly. Then, while they were still warm and easy to manipulate, we cut the overlapping end pieces off and pressed the sides together to fuse them.
In some corners, we had to use sandpaper to make the join look seamless. We then removed any excess glue that had leaked out from under our trim with a wet paintbrush. Using the same application techniques, we also attached the WoodUbend Applique WUB2152 to the top section of our mirror and wrapped the TR743 Trim around the bottom edge of the base section.
Step 3: Painting with Pastes & Pigments
Now it was time to begin painting! To best match the style we were trying to achieve, we selected the Posh Chalk Metallic Brown Van Dyke Paste and began painting the entire mirror section using a Posh Chalk Mouldings Brush.
As we progressed, we gently spritzed the surface with water to dilute the paste in situ and help create a lovely vintage feel that would much better match the rest of the decor in the room it will be used in. The Brown Van Dyke paste was then applied to both of the arms that hold the mirror up, the sides and bottom of the base section and the sides of the drawer. This keeps the piece cohesive looking and created a fantastic seamless finish when fully assembled again.
Once we were satisfied with this paint job, we decanted some of our Posh Chalk Pale Gold Pigment onto a WoodUbend board and gradually added Posh Chalk Pigment Infusor until we had created a thick golden paste. Our freshly created pigment mixture was then used for detailing around the piece. The trims we had applied were coated with it as well as the boarder edge around the top surface where we had used the Posh Script Decoupage and wooden pieces that hold the mirror in place. Then finally, we gently brushed some onto the peaks of the applique that we placed at the top of the mirror.
Step 4: Ageing & Shading
To complete the vintage feel we had been aiming for we decided to create a glaze coloured with Magic Paint’s Profumo d’Oriente. After gently brushing this across the surface where we had applied our Posh Script Decoupage, we wiped the excess away with a cloth leaving us with a subtle yellowing on the previously white surface. Finally to complete our piece we used the Posh Chalk Black Patina to create a shading effect by applying it around all of the different edges on our piece.
We then used our Posh Chalk Patina Extending Wax to blend this into the rest of the piece with a Posh Chalk Wax Extender Brush, creating natural looking shading across the whole piece. As well as helping to create an aged look and hiding any potential imperfections, this also provides a protective outer layer. We now loved the way the dressing table looked…hopefully you understand why we adore crafting with Decoupage so much!
In conclusion, our project to overhaul the dressing table mirror’s look by crafting with decoupage has been a resounding success. By combining all of these techniques and products, we’ve transformed the piece into a beautiful and cohesive addition to the room. The applique and trim create a stunning border around the mirror, the metallic brown and pale gold paint jobs add a touch of elegance and the ageing and shading techniques used to create a vintage look have further enhanced the piece’s aesthetic appeal. With this project, we’ve not only given new life to an old piece of furniture but also demonstrated the versatility and creativity of using Posh Chalk and WoodUbend products in your projects!
Products Used: Which can be found online at Patina Lane,, linked below
