Do you hate all the prep that goes into painting furniture? Do you wish you could skip the sanding and priming and have a brushstroke-free final product? Well, I’m going to let you in on my secret to perfectly painted furniture. And the best part is, there’s no sanding and no priming needed!

How to paint furniture without sanding or priming

Do you have a table, chair, end table or even a desk that needs a new lease on life? Painting furniture is not only a great way to bring new life to an old piece but it’s also a thrifty way to redecorate a room. I love adding a new color to a piece of furniture to bring a completely new look to a space. I’ve done it so many times and the effect is always amazing.

Why Painting Furniture Can be such a Hassle

But I know what you’re thinking – painting furniture is such a process! Between sanding and the priming, painting furniture just seams laborious! Sure it can be, but it doesn’t have to be. It all depends on what products you use!

Wouldn’t It Be Amazing To Have A Product That Allows you To Skip The Hassle?

Here’s where I let you in on the secret to perfectly painted furniture…

When I want a quick makeover that still has amazing, long-lasting results, there’s a line of furniture paint that I always turn to. It’s called Velvet Finishes and it’s my secret weapon for painting furniture. Their paint provides beautiful rich colors with a soft, velvety finish. The best part is that there’s no sanding or priming needed!

Before and After Photos of Perfectly Painted Furniture

Look at these items that I have previously painted. The only thing that I did to the dresser before painting it was to wipe any dust off it. Then I applied the paint with a paintbrush, allowed it to dry and applied a second coat. That was it! 5 years later, the paint is still holding up amazingly despite 2 moves!

Navy Blue Painted Bureau With Velvet Finishes Paint Set In Bedroom
*affiliate links included for your convenience*

Kelli Smith Products for Painting Furniture Seamlessly

Whether you’re new to DIY or an old pro, you’re going to love this line of products developed by Kellie Smith. Every piece I’ve painted with this line has turned out simply stunning.

Beautiful Navy Bureau with Velvet Finishes Paint
Mint Green Rocking Chair with Velvet Finishes Paint

Love to color your world? Check out the amazing lineup of colors available in the range:

Velvet finishes paint colors

If there’s not enough choice for you there the Velvet Finishes website also has color recipes for you to mix up a whole other slew of beautiful, bold colors.

Velvet Finishes Paint for Perfectly Painted Furniture

My personal favorites colors?  Exotic, a beautiful shade of color and Handsome, a gorgeous navy-blue.

Other Considerations For Perfectly Painting Your Furniture

If you are going to paint something that has some sheen to it (like these IKEA nightstands that I painted) it’s a good idea to prep with the READY product. This easy spray-on product removes dirt, grime and deglosses to prepare your surface to take the paint.

Velvet Finishes Products- Ready and Protect for perfectly painted furniture

And while a few coats of paint is all you need, if you know your piece will get used a lot, I also advise adding a top coat of PROTECT, a satin poly that goes on slightly white and dries to a beautiful finish.

I used both READY and PROTECT on my Guest Room Nightstands and they have held up perfectly to regular use. My Handsome Dresser doesn’t have any additional product other than paint and is also still holding up perfectly!

Interested in a more neutral color?  Check out my painted coffee table make-over—Velvet Finishes Farmhouse style!

Now that you know the secret to perfectly painted furniture are you ready to paint that piece of furniture you’ve been wanting to make-over? Velvet Finishes by Kelli Smith allows you to paint furniture without all those extra steps, saves time and money and achieves beautiful results.


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22 Comments

  1. Can I use the velvet paint to paint over black furniture?

    1. Jenna Shaughnessy says:

      Yes! It may need an extra coat to cover but I’ve used it over the dark Ikea laminate with no issues!

  2. I’m tackling all of the outdated oak trim in our house and was wondering if this would work for that? Seems like it would take a lot less time!

    1. Yes it would work! Regular latex paint and a good primer would work too with just a light sanding.

  3. Beautiful work! Is this paint similar to Annie Sloan chalk paint, without the waxing afterwards?

    1. Hi Julie,

      No it’s very different to chalk paint. It looks like regular latex paint when dry, it does not have a chalky finish.

  4. nanci delucia says:

    How many bottles of this would I need for 2 large dressers and 2 night stands?

    1. Hi Nancy, it will depend. The 32oz would probably be enough for 1 dresser and 2 nightstands if they are already dark and you are painting them dark. On the other hand, if they are dark and you’re going white or vice versa you might need more.

      I painted a stained coffee table the other day and used almost a full 32oz but my navy dresser only needed about half the 32oz container.

      I hope that helps!

  5. Reta Owen says:

    Where can u buy this paint?

    1. Hi Reta, there’s a link right on the side bar or you can click here.

    2. Rachel Offley says:

      Can I get this in the UK?? Looks fabulous!

      1. Hi Rachel, yes – it ships internationally!

  6. Have you tried Farmhouse Paint? It’s water based with no prep, no wax and no topcoat needed!

    1. Hi Morgan! I have not heard of farmhouse paint before. Is it more of a chalky finish paint?

      1. Hi Jenna! It’s actually water based so it’s not too chalky. It goes on very smooth!

  7. I just painted twin bed frames (headboards, rails & footboards). Have been looking for a topcoat. Would I be able to use the Protect over Sherwin Williams acrylic latex satin paint and if so would I need to sand it first. I know you don’t have to sand when using the velvet finish Colour but I didn’t use that

    1. Hi Theresa,
      Yes the Protect will work over a regular latex paint. Once the bed frames are painted and completely dry, apply the Protect. I would suggest two coats, letting each coat dry for at least 2 hours. You don’t need to sand between coats. It will go on milky at first but will dry completely clear.

      1. Wow. Thanks for replying so fast!! I know you don’t need to sand between the Protect when putting on more than one coat but do I need to sand before applying the Protect over the Sherwin Williams paint since it is not the velvet finish paint?

        1. Nope! Just brush it right on once the paint is dry! You may want to sand in between coats of paint for extra adhesion…but if you use a primer first you’ll probably be fine. You don’t need to sand the paint before the Protect, though!

  8. does this work on laminate ?

    1. Absolutely! If it’s very shiny I would recommend using the Ready protect first, though. Just spray it, leave for a few minutes and wipe off!

  9. Yes, believe it or not, I always think about your orange or exotic table and someday will paint a piece of furniture this color. Thank you for posting about the paint you used.

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