Upcycling old furniture items is an incredibly rewarding process, and it's a more sustainable way to fill your home with beautiful, standout homeware. A lick of furniture paint can transform a drab old sideboard or chair into a unique home accessory that oozes personality, so we've gathered the best furniture paints on the market to help you get going with your projects!
From chalk paint to satin, and leading names in the field such as Annie Sloan, you're sure to find a perfect match for your furniture in our roundup. Take a browse, and treat your furniture to a fresh new look.
Best furniture paint at a glance
- Best for a cosy kitchen Rust-Oleum Chalky Finish Furniture Paint
- Best chalk paint Annie Sloan Chalk Paint
- Best for a sleek finish Little Greene Intelligent Satinwood
- Best budget-friendly furniture paint Wilko Quick Dry Cupboard & Furniture Paint Slate Grey
- Best for garden furniture Cuprinol Garden Shade
- Best for a bright and colourful home Frenchic Al Fresco
If you're not sure about what kind of finish to go for, jump to our short guide: what kind of paint is best for furniture?
You can also find the best tools for the job with our roundup of the best painting tools.
Best furniture paint for 2024
Rust-Oleum Chalky Finish Furniture Paint
Best for a cosy kitchen
- 750ml
- chalky matt finish
If you're a fan of neutral furniture paint shades, hessian - a warm beige with a biscuit-like feel - is a lovely option. It'll match an array of colour schemes, and works particularly well in cosy, country kitchens.
Rust-Oleum's chalky finish offers a flat matt look so it's perfect for rooms with a rustic vibe. Whether you've got an old dressing room table in need of a revamp, or wooden kitchen chairs showing their age, a coat of hessian furniture paint is a sure winner.
Buy now from Amazon for a 36% saving!
SQUIRREL_13090049
Read our guide on how to make your own chalk paint.
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint
Best chalk paint
- Buy now from Homebase (from £8.00)
- 120ml
- chalky matt finish
Annie Sloan's chalk paint is a favourite of ours here at YourHomeStyle and the queen of chalk paint's range is perfect for all of your upcycling tasks. With furniture you can often go bolder with your colour choices, and we love the vibrancy of Barcelona Orange. The dark orange would look stunning against a dark blue wall, or teal perhaps, or you could place a Barcelona Orange cabinet in a cream room for a fun pop of colour.
You won't need to bother with sanding or priming, and this furniture paint can be applied to both furniture and walls. If you need some inspiration, learn how to upcycle a dresser with Annie Sloan chalk paint.
Buy now from Homebase (from £8.00)
Little Greene Intelligent Satinwood
Best for a sleek finish
- Buy now from Little Greene (£37.00)
- 1L
- satin finish
Suitable for wooden furniture, as well as skirting boards, Little Greene's Intelligent Satinwood is available in a range of stunning colours. The hard-wearing, scrubbable finish is perfect for wooden cabinets and furniture prone to knocks, and it'll work a treat on your window frames too.
Buy now from Little Greene (£37.00)
Wilko Quick Dry Cupboard & Furniture Paint Slate Grey
Best budget-friendly furniture paint
- Buy now from Wilko (£9.99)
- 750ml
- satin finish
There are plenty of affordable furniture paints around if you're decorating on a budget. Wilko is always worth a look for budget-friendly DIY essentials and the brand's cupboard and furniture paint is an absolute bargain at just £10 a pot. This slate grey colour can be applied to wood, melamine and MDF so it's a handy pot of paint to have to hand. Expect a subtle sheen with the satin finish - a top pick for a smart, sleek look and a great choice for hiding imperfections.
Confused about paint finishes? Discover the difference between satin and gloss paint.
Buy now from Wilko (£9.99)
Cuprinol Garden Shade
Best for garden furniture
SQUIRREL_TEXT_13102549
- 1L
- matt finish
There's no reason why your upcycling projects have to be limited to indoors only, treat your garden shed to a new look too. Cuprinol is an affordable and popular paint brand with plenty of tempting colours to consider. We've opted for this bluey-grey 'Forget Me Not', ideal for a stylish garden with a more muted, pared-back aesthetic. There are lots of colour options in this range so have a browse if you're looking for inspiration.
Designed to enhance the natural grain of your wooden garden furniture, Cuprinol Garden Shade offers an on-trend matt finish. You can also use this paint on brickwork and stone, so it's a handy choice if you like matching garden furniture pieces.
Great for large surfaces, this paint can be applied with a spray as well as a brush. With six years weather protection on wood, you're sure to enjoy a smart garden for many summers to come!
SQUIRREL_13102549
Read our list of the best chalk paint brushes for the perfect finish.
Frenchic Al Fresco Paint
Best for a bright and colourful home
- Buy now from Frenchic (£17.96)
- 500ml
- low, flat finish
A splash of pink is the perfect way to liven up a space. Frenchic's Al Fresco paint is a trusty all-rounder. Suitable for wood, laminate, UPVC/composites and metal, you can use this paint around the home as well as the garden. Frenchic boasts impressive eco-credentials as well as exciting colour palettes, as a water based paint with minimal VOC content.
A pink bedside table can work a treat, or if you're thinking outdoors, a sweet pink garden bench can look lovely. This soft pink is part of the brand's limited edition range so grab it while it's around for a unique garden accessory.
Planning a bathroom makeover too? Check out the best anti-mould paints to buy.
Buy now from Frenchic (£17.96)
What kind of paint is best for furniture?
This will of course depend on the material of the furniture. More often that not we're upcycling wooden furniture, but you can find multi-surface paints that work on MDF, laminate and melamine too, so there's a paint for every project!
- Chalk paint is a favourite amongst upcycling enthusiasts. Offering a matt-finish, the paint is easy to use as it rarely requires preparation. Easy to find too with plenty of striking colours available, chalk paint is a great choice for furniture. A coat of wax is recommended for added protection. For more on this popular paint, read our chalk paint guide.
- While matt finishes have risen in popularity, especially in shabby-chic and modern interiors, glossier finishes are easier to clean. This makes them a suitable match for furniture that's often knocked and bashed, such as kitchen chairs. A satin finish is an excellent middle ground as it does a better job at hiding imperfections when compared to gloss, and is easier to clean than matt.
- While oil-based paint is hard-wearing, we'd always recommend a water-based paint as it's far more environmentally-friendly, dries more quickly and is low-odour.
Head over to our guide on how to paint furniture for more detail on preparation, finishes and brushes. We've also reviewed the best wood primer.
