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DIY: Painting Leather with Velvet Finishes

Have any old, ugly leather or pleather furniture you’re thinking about dumping?

Well good news!

You don’t have to get rid of it – you can paint it with Velvet Finishes!

Painting leather with Velvet Finishes will

transform the old and ugly into the new and fabulous!

Paint leather with Velvet Finishes | Design Asylum Blog

You won’t believe how ugly this was before I started.

I snagged this ottoman at a consignment shop for a steal!  It was dirty and the buttons were snarled with dog hair.  Ugh.  I used a shop vac to remove the hair and the Ready product to clean the leather.

leather otto

I chose Luxurious in Velvet Finishes, the neutral black seemed like the perfect color to dress this piece up.  It took, what I call, one and a half coats, meaning after one good coat, I only needed to touch up some of the thin spots.  I pounced the brush down onto the buttons and made sure all of the folds and wrinkles were painted well.

Painting Leather with Velvet Finishes | Design Asylum Blog

I then painted the the legs Understated and slightly distressed them.

The ottoman had nailhead trim that we were careful to avoid, but The Handler easily wiped off the paint that did land there with a damp cloth.

Painting Leather with Velvet Finishes | Design Asylum Blog

The last step I took was to use the dark glaze on the legs.  Because they had great detail, I applied the glaze fairly heavily so that it would get down into the grooves.

http://www.velvetfinishes.com/more-cool-stuff.html#!/enhance-dark-glaze-timeless/p/37603223/category=9624024

I used a lint free rag to drag the glaze back off, allowing it to sit the grooves.

And voila!

How to paint Leather Furniture | Design Asylum Blog

Now check out this cute little number…

How to Paint Leather | Design Asylum Blog

This pleather chair was in ok shape except that the arms had big rips in them.

How to Paint Leather | Design Asylum Blog

How to Paint Leather | Design Asylum Blog

To paint, I cleaned the piece with Ready before I began, then dealt with the rips.  I literally glued it back together with E6000 glue applied with a popsicle stick.  I smeared over then entire split and let it dry, then painted right over it.  One coat almost covered it but you really have to look for it now that the chair is completed.

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/e6000-and-quick-hold-craft-adhesive-set-814004/

To get the color even, it took me four coats of Glamorous, which is more than wood usually requires.

It was worth it,  I love the chair!

I painted it’s dainty little ball and claw feet with Bold and gave it’s toes a a little brightening up with the Glamorous.

And see that awesome abstract pillow?  I painted it with VF too!

This chair sits in my Velvet Finishes filming studio, where I film the VF youtube videos.  Check them out, there is a ton of good info there!

I have people ask me how the leather/pleather feels after painting.  Honestly, the feel even shocks me.  It is as pliable as it was before it was painted.  There is no cracking or any issues.  Pretty cool!

So, do you have leather furniture that could use a makeover?

PIN IT 2A

How to Paint Leather | Design Asylum Blog

Paint leather with Velvet Finishes | Design Asylum Blog

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  1. Sandy says:

    These are so amazing! I love finding steals at thrift stores and yard sales! 😉

  2. leilani says:

    Wow! You have me convinced. The final result is like it came from the store. I painted two velvet love seats last summer. The end result was…not velvety. Haha But I love the transformative power of paint nonetheless. 🙂

    • Kellie Smith says:

      Oh no! Velvet fabric has a nap that might not paint so well! Oh well, worth a shot though!! I swear nothing is safe from my paintbrush either! It works like magic…lol!!

  3. Wow, I’m so glad to know Velvet Finishes works on leather. I’ll definitely be giving this a try.

  4. Wowza!!! I love the way both of these leather/pleather pieces turned out. Velvet Finishes can transform anything!

    • Kellie Smith says:

      Thank you Amy! I was really pleased with the way these turned out! They still feel just like leather!!

  5. I had no idea that it was possible to paint leather! This brings up so many new projects!

    • Kellie Smith says:

      I know Shannon!! Nothing is safe from my paint brush! Lol!!! It works like a charm though!

  6. debbie says:

    Where do I buy velvet finishes paint??

  7. Marie Moser says:

    I am kicking myself!!!!
    I just gave away a brown leather chair that I loved but did not match any longer. Ugh. Would I be a horrible person to request it back? 🙂
    Oh well. I do still have a dark brown leather cube ottoman. Do you think the white

  8. Marie Moser says:

    Didn’t get to finish….
    Do you think the white VF would cover a dark brown leather well?
    I CANT WAIT to try this!!!
    Thanks for the inspiration.

    • Kellie Smith says:

      Hi Marie! So excited you are excited!! Honestly, covering the dark brown with the Minimalistic will require extra coats. The Minimalistic was created as more of a tint to tone down the other colors. It paints up beautifully, but because there is not a huge mix of pigments, it is thinner. What that means from a color stand point is that there are no undertones of yellow or pink or blue – it’s a pure white. So yes, it will work, it’s just to require more coats than the other colors…could be up to five. Let me know if I can help further! Thank you so much for stopping by the blog!

  9. Erin says:

    Is VF liquid resistant?

    • Kellie Smith says:

      Hi Erin! Thanks so much for stopping by!! No, VF is actually water based so it is not water resistant. It can be polyed with a urethane to accomplish that though. Let me know if I can help further!!

  10. Carrie says:

    Thank you for linking up with Friday’s Furniture Fix! This was such a FUN project. I learned a lot from your post. I hope you’ll link up with us again this week. A new party starts now!… Carrie, Thirty Eighth Street

  11. debbie says:

    I have a dark brown leather couch I would love to paint the same color as your foot stool. Does this paint stay on good under use?

    • Kellie Smith says:

      Hi Debbie! We have seen excellent results with painting leather. It seems to wear extremely well. Thank you so much for stopping by the blog!!

  12. Candy says:

    How do you clean it once it’s painted?

  13. Beth says:

    Does this work on vinyl as well or just genuine leather? I see vinyl items all the time.

  14. Lindi says:

    Hey! I love this project! What a great way to same on new decor! I’m asking bloggers to share their leather projects today at the Create with Me party at Love Create Celebrate. I’d love to see you there!

    • Kellie Smith says:

      Thank you Lindi – if I’m not too late, I’ll add my link. Thanks for stopping by!

  15. susan says:

    I was wondering if this would work on the vinyl of a baby stroller? I was given one but it is stained. What could you put over the paint to make it more baby proof?

    • Kellie Smith says:

      Hi Susan, it probably would work fine. The vinyl feels just like material on the pieces we have painted so I don’t think I would add a top coat. You could try it without and then if you felt it needed it, add it later. I haven’t seen any flaking on vinyl… Let me know! Thanks so much for stopping by! -kellie

  16. Sue says:

    What do you think about leather car seats? Do you think it will hold up with that much wear?

    • Kellie Smith says:

      Hi Sue, I haven’t put painted leather to that big of a test yet. I think it wear well. If you try it – let me know the results!! -kellie

  17. Debbie says:

    I inherited an expensive off white leather set from my parents. Because it was in the “parlor” (showing my age), it has little wear. However, I am redoing the room and would live to paint it a different color. I’ve read all comments & am still a little hesitant as it is an expensive set. Therefore, until such time, can place slip covers be placed on leather furniture? And, secondly, do you recommend painting a “small hidden area prior to painting the entire set? Thank you for so many great ideas!! Love reading them!

    • Kellie Smith says:

      Hi Debbie, I apologize for the delayed response. For some reason you were in my spam folder. Yes you should be able to use slipcovers, although it might be hard to get them to stay in place, since leather is slick. And yes, just to be on the safe side I would do a test spot with the paint. We haven’t had any problems though and it looks beautiful on all the pieces we have painted. Thanks so much for stopping by!!

  18. Hi Kellie,

    SO nice to meet you this past weekend at Haven. I have had my kids white leather glider chair that I used to rock them in sitting in the garage forever. I have never figured out how to replace the dirty grungy leather. I am not throwing that chair away after rocking all three of my babies in it. This may be the perfect solution. I’m scared to try but yours turned out amazing. Wish me luck.
    Diane + Dean DIY recently posted…Your Inspired Design #47My Profile

    • Kellie Smith says:

      Yes Diane!! So great to me you as well. Girl, VF paints beautifully on leather and pleather. Please share pics when you have created your new masterpiece!!

      • Cleu says:

        Hi Kellie,
        Great help! I had a dilemma with an expensive burgundy leather couch that I wished it was white. I’m going to try painting (praying that comes out well)!!
        What’s the drying time after painting a leather couch?

  19. Jeff says:

    Hi Kellie- I really like your work and the products seem great. I’ve got my cart full on your website, but I was hoping you could give a bit of 1st time DIY advice. I’m planning to tie in some different pieces in my apartment. I’ll be painting a bar, 4 bonded leather barstools, a coffee table, a bonded leather ottoman, and some wood accents on a leather sofa set. Is there anything I should know before I start? I planned to use your Ready to prep, then 3 different VF paints on the pieces. Is that the right way to handle all of those pieces? Should I also use the Glaze, Gel or Protect? Any other words of wisdom? Thanks!

  20. Robin Aucoin says:

    Where can I find this in Louisiana

  21. JooJoobs says:

    Very, very impressive Kellie.

    What kind of leather are the chairs made from, top grain?

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