Decoupage (or découpage) is the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cutouts onto it in combination with special paint effects, gold leaf and so on. Commonly an object like a small box or an item of furniture is covered by cutouts from magazines or from purpose-manufactured papers. Each layer is sealed with varnishes (often multiple coats) until the “stuck on” appearance disappears and the result looks like painting or inlay work. The traditional technique used 30 to 40 layers of varnish which were then sanded to a polished finish. This was known in 18th century England as the art of Japanning after its presumed origins.
I’ve been cutting magazines up and laying them out in my own ways, or on my walls, or on objects, since I was a little girl. I may not be all that original, but I am experienced. My orange coffee table from Aspen recently got an Orange County makeover with an inspirational decoupage treatment.
It’s always fascinating to look back at my decoupaged items and see what my thoughts, goals, dreams, inspirations, and even fears were at any given time. This one definitely represents my transition from Aspen to Newport Beach, with a real focus on inspiration for happiness, confidence, and humor.
I love spray paint projects, because they’re so easy. Using the matte spray paint to give the coffee table less of a glossy finish than you get with Mod Podge made this project special. Plus, the matte over gold spray paint is really nice too, making the gold less … gaudy. Re-imagining furniture can be really easy!