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How To Paint Furniture Boho Style! Chippy Paint & Decoupage Tutorial & Video for Beginners

Updated: Sep 14, 2022


Boho Style painting is great for beginners because it’s quick, easy, & don’t have to worry about being perfect. It’s also the perfect technique for hiding small flaws or damage to your furniture.


I’ve made this full Tutorial & Video so you can see one of the easiest techniques to paint furniture using a minimal amount of products.



In this tutorial, I’ll show you:

  • How to Paint Furniture “Boho Style”

  • How to Apply Decoupage Paper using Clear Coat

  • How to get the Chippy Paint / Distressed Look

  • How to Apply Decoupage Paper

You will see bold colored text in the product list, those are links to each product so that you can locate the products easily if you are wanting to purchase them.



How To Paint Furniture Boho Style


It’s important to clean before you paint so it adheres properly.


I cleaned the entire piece using Dixie Belle’s White Lightning.  


Afterwards, I cleaned it really well with water and a rag to remove any residue.



I didn’t prime before painting this piece because I’m not worried about a perfect texture.


I used two complimentary shades, Dixie Belle’s The Gulf & Pure Ocean to make bold streaks of colors as my base.


Then I came back for a second coat to bring it all together. The first coat won’t look perfect, so don’t worry.



I used the Scarlet Mini Brush to paint, but you can even use Dixie Belle Mini or a Premium Chip Brush if you’re limited on brushes.


You can literally use 1 brush for the whole project!


Starting with the Pure Ocean, dip your brush and get a generous amount of paint on the tip.



Make “slashes” of paint in a few random places.


Lightly mist water in those spots before you paint to keep it moveable.




Without cleaning off my brush, I dip into “The Gulf”, blending & dragging the colors as I go.





If you add too much of one color, come back with the other color to make bolder streaks.


If your brush gets too muddy with paint, clean it off on paper towel.





Use long gentle strokes, drag the colors together and smooth it out.


The best thing about painting boho style? You don’t need to worry about getting the perfect blend or having brush strokes showing through.



I used the same technique with a Dixie Belle Mini Brush on the front drawer to show how you can use just about any brush to do this.




How To Apply Decoupage Paper


For the front doors, I used the “Colorful Tiles” Decoupage Paper by Dixie Belle.


It’s a versatile print for accenting buffets, tables, or even along the sides of drawers for a boho look.


First I painted the recessed areas of the doors using Dixie Belle’s Drop Cloth.


This was because the Decoupage Paper is slightly translucent on the white areas, and the lighter color paint won’t show through the design.





Normally I use the Iron Method for applying Decoupage Paper, but with these doors I’m using a different method.


Here's a video link for my tutorial on “How To Use an Iron to Apply Decoupage Paper here if you want to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yInUHuEhslw



How To Apply Decoupage Paper:


To apply the decoupage paper, I’m using Dixie Belle’s Satin Clear Coat.


You can use any of the clear coats as a decoupage medium. Gloss, Flat, Gator Hide, etc.


Apply a generous coat of clear coat, then position your paper where you want the design.


If you need to reposition it, carefully lift it up and readjust.




To smooth it down and push out any air bubbles I’m using the Scarlet Mini Brush. I like the texture of the bristles for smoothing it out.





After it dries for 24 hours, I apply clear coat on top to seal the paper.


Wait for it to dry before applying a sealer, or you might reactivate the clear coat & get bubbles in your paper.


TIP: If do you get bubbles or wrinkles in your decoupage paper, wait about 30-45 mins for it to dry. You can use Parchment Paper, and a Clothes Iron on the “Cotton” setting with the “steam” off. Set the Parchment between your design and the iron, and gently smooth out the wrinkles.



How to get the “Chippy Look” with a Pallet Knife


For a chippy distressed look, I use a pallet Knife to scrape paint around the raised areas of the doors.




Using very little of Dixie Belle’s Colonel Mustard & Rusty Nail, I work my way around the raised details “scraping” the paint on.



If you add too much paint, you can keep scraping to thin it out, or come back after it dries with fine grit sandpaper to distress it even more.


Remember to allow your paint to dry at least 24 hours before sealing it.





I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and feel inspired to try out this Boho Look I put together. Put some comments down below if you do!


I’m always sharing free painting tutorials and videos, plus easy tips and tricks for painting furniture!


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Dixie Belle Products for this project:



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