How to Repaint a Room Textile

Prewash textiles such as curtains, tablecloths, pillowcases or other loose fabrics to remove sizing. Do not use fabric softener. For upholstery, vacuum to remove any surface dirt, and then clean if necessary by wiping with a wet cloth. Let dry.

Spread out the textile or upholstery on your work surface. If you plan to create detailed designs, hold down two sides of the cloth with clips or heavy objects. Don vinyl or latex gloves and wear old clothes.

Assemble your paints. Use special fabric paints available from craft supply retailers, or mix your own by combining regular acrylic paint with textile medium in equal parts. Acrylic paint by itself will dry stiff, but the textile medium adds "give" to the fabric. Mix paint colors on plastic disposable plates.

Experiment with the wet-on-wet technique for a dreamy, abstract look. Fill a spray bottle with water and dampen the textile, and then use large round brushes or sea sponges to swirl on areas of paint. Or, apply paint quickly, and then spray with water to saturate the cloth and make the painted areas expand in cloud-like shapes. Sprinkle kosher salt on wet paint to create dozens of little star-like images. When the fabric dries, brush off the dried salt crystals.

Try a splatter effect for your own Jackson Pollock imitation. Load a flat 2- or 3-inch brush with paint, hold it over the fabric and tap the brush with your other hand to flick drops of paint over the surface.

Draw detailed designs either with a thin artist's liner brush, special fabric crayons or fabric paint applicator bottles, which are fitted with a thin tip to allow a small amount of paint out at a time. Dimensional paint is another way to draw thin lines. Hold the applicator bottles just as you would a pencil to create raised lines on the textile.

Paint repeat designs with a stencil. Purchase a stencil in the design you want, or cut your own out of cardboard or plastic with a craft knife. Lay the stencil in place, tape down the edges and dab paint inside the stencil with sponges or stencil brushes. Stamps will create similar repeat designs.

Paint upholstery pieces by using special spray paints made for upholstery. Wear a dust mask to avoid breathing in the paint droplets. Hold the spray can 6 to 8 inches from the piece, and then spray in long, sweeping motions to cover the entire piece. Let the coat dry, blotting up any thick paint accumulations or runs with paper towels. Repeat with as many coats as needed to get the overall color you want.

Let all textiles dry for at least 24 hours before handling them. If you plan on washing the textile, heat-set the paint by ironing on the wrong side after letting it dry for at least 72 hours.