Micro Makeover: Leftover Paint Upcycle Painted Furniture, Refresh Your Shelves or Create a Feature Wall with these Simple Ideas

Wondering what to do with leftover paint? Don’t discard it, get creative with it! Upcycling furniture is a big trend now as we look for ways to be more sustainable in all areas of life. If you love decorating, but painting furniture isn’t really your forte, don’t worry. We’re here to help with our top tips that cover what to do with leftover paint and how to paint furniture. 

Give your shelves a freshen up

When you think about what to do with leftover paint, often the best ideas are hiding in plain sight. Take shelving, for example. Typically, your shelves are neutral in colour, so they blend in with your home décor. Yet with just a little leftover paint, you can not only refresh your shelves, but you can add a bit of wow factor to your space. Here we’ve rung the changes on our floating square shelves, by painting geometric stripes in Mineral Mist and Urban Obsession to create an eye-catching contrast.

In the frame

Again, if you don’t have enough leftover paint for a large project, try this quick picture frame makeover. Almost any wooden frame will do – just clean, sand and apply a suitable primer before you start to paint. Next, choose your colours – pretty pastels work well. We’ve picked Melon Sorbet, Copper Blush, Lemon Pie, Nordic Sky and Teal Tension Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood. Apply two coats, leave to dry, then hang on a colourful wall – ours is in Pressed Petal Dulux Simply Refresh One Coat – to showcase works of art or decorations. 

Upcycle with bold blacks & blues

If you’ve got furniture that feels a little dated, upcycling furniture with a lick of leftover paint can give it a new lease of life. Take a simple pine dining chair and paint the back, seat and legs, leaving a couple of inches unpainted to create a colour-block effect. A really deep, dark blue such as Sapphire Splendour works really well. But if you’ve got something softer like Denim Drift, you could try mixing in a bit of brown or black leftover paint to create the desired shade yourself.

If you’re keen to boost your storage, try upcycling furniture like a dresser, shelving or sideboard. Follow these simple tips and painting furniture can be just as simple as your walls. Start by cleaning and sanding down, then applying a wood primer. To get this look, apply two coats of Black Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood to the exterior and Perfectly Taupe inside. Once dry, add new handles as a finishing touch. 

Paint simple patterns for an instant feature wall

Adding a feature wall can instantly change the mood of your room. And even if you only have some leftover paint to play with, you can still make an impact. Choose a contrasting colour to what‘s on the wall already and paint a simple pattern. Columns of circles are easy to paint and look really striking, especially in tonal combinations such as Sapphire Salute and White Cotton.