How to Decoupage Furniture With Paper to Look Like Leather

Leather can add either high Victorian elegance or rustic charm to your decor. Sometimes, you can even combine the two for an elegant French country look. Leather furniture may seem beyond your wallet's reach, but faux leather costs little more than asking for paper instead of plastic at the grocery store. Old furniture transforms from raggedy to vintage chic with a decoupage technique that leaves you with a faux leather masterpiece. Tabletops, chair seats and even entire dressers can become leather-wrapped works of art.

Furniture
Warm water
Mild dish soap
Washcloth
Towels
Brown paper bags
Decoupage glue
Paintbrushes
Polyurethane sealer

Instructions

- 1
  Wash down your piece of hard-surface furniture with warm, soapy water and dry it carefully. This removes any substances that may prevent the paper from sticking properly. It also prevents mold from ruining your piece over time.
- 2
  Tear up 10 to 20 large brown paper bags into pieces about the size of a dessert plate. Crumple them up in your fists, squeeze them tightly, and smooth them out. The more wrinkles in the paper, the better. Tear away all straight edges, also. The edges must be ragged.
- 3
  Paint a 12-inch-square section of your furniture piece with decoupage glue. Smooth several pieces of brown paper over it, overlapping the edges slightly. Really push the paper down into the glue. Cover the piece this way.
- 4
  Paint over the paper with more decoupage. Use a thick layer to really soak the paper. Let the glue dry for at least 48 hours.
- 5
  Paint a single layer of polyurethane sealer over the faux leather finish. Let the coat dry overnight, then add another. Add a third coat this way, as well. Let the piece cure for about 48 hours.

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