Painting Harlequin Diamonds on Furniture

Clean and prime the furniture. Sanding can be helpful, as well.

Paint the furniture with the lighter of the two colors in your harlequin pattern. Wait for the paint to dry completely before continuing.

Draw the harlequin diamonds onto your furniture. There are several ways to do this. An easy method is to cut a diamond from paper. Draw parallel lines on the furniture, with the distance between the lines the height of your diamond. Line up the diamond pattern so that it fits exactly inside the lines. Trace, then repeat the lining up and tracing until your entire surface is covered. This method is not the most accurate, but is very easy and requires no calculations. Erase stray lines or paint over them with more light paint.

Put a small pencil mark in every other diamond in rows on your furniture. It is easy to start getting confused with a repetitive pattern, so this will remind you as you work which diamonds are going to be the second color.

Tape off half the diamonds on your pattern with painter's tape, with the edge of the tape on the outside edge of diamonds that will be the second color. Taping them all at once is more difficult because you must be more accurate with the placement. The tape will keep your edges straight.

Paint the taped-off diamonds with your second color. Wait for the paint to dry, then move the tape or use new tape to paint the rest of the diamonds. Wait for these to dry completely before continuing.

Correct any errors or make any necessary touch ups with more paint, then protect your work with a clear sealer, such as a clear varnish or polyurethane.