Suitcase decoupage: original ideas and design instructions

In order to give the interior a touch of a certain style and fill it with a special atmosphere, it is absolutely not necessary to buy expensive items in stores. You can create them yourself. Today we will focus on a step-by-step master class for decorating an old suitcase in Provence and vintage styles.

This technique dates back to the Middle Ages. Decoupage was popular during the reign of King Louis XVI of France. This technique was first mentioned as an art form at the end of the 15th century in China. Later, in the 17th century, decoupage became popular in Europe, then it was fashionable to have pieces of furniture in interiors decorated with motifs in Japanese and Chinese styles.

The essence of the technique is simple and consists in sticking pictures on various interior items. Such an applique always looks beautiful and gives a special charm to individual items. All the necessary materials can be bought in specialized stores.

The variety of pictures is so great that you can easily pick up images for every taste, including vintage and Provence styles.

For decoupage you will need:

• cards for decoupage;
• fine-grained sandpaper;
• acrylic paste;
• stencil;
• acrylic primer;
• PVA glue or special glue;
• acrylic paints;
• narrow roller;
• brushes;
• masking tape;
• scissors;
• ruler;
• pencil;
• palette knife;
• acrylic lacquer.

Before you start decorating an old suitcase, you need to prepare it.To do this, use a fine sandpaper to go over the entire surface, paying special attention to unevenness. If the item is so old that holes have formed over time, it is necessary to patch the surface with an appropriate piece of leather. The patch is attached with glue or self-tapping screws, which are subsequently putty. For this, putty or acrylic paste is used.

Assess the interior condition of the suitcase. If necessary, remove the old lining inside. To get rid of the musty odor, first wipe the surfaces with soapy water, then a cloth dipped in hydrogen peroxide, or make cotton bags of baking soda, tie with a thread, and leave. The pouches should be changed every week until the odor is completely eliminated. Fragrant sachets are also used for the same purposes.

In this master class, we will figure out step by step how to decorate a suitcase in Provence and vintage style with our own hands. To begin with, the entire surface must be covered with primer using a roller; in hard-to-reach places, a brush is used.

If one layer is not enough, it is worth covering with the second, after letting the first dry. After that, with fine sandpaper, you need to lightly clean the primer in some places to give the effect of antiquity.

Tear the masking tape into strips and glue to the bottom of the suitcase to create an even striped pattern. Mix the base color with whitewash so that the color is not too bright, but seems to have faded from time to time. Apply this compound and carefully remove the tape. After everything dries well, glue the masking tape on the places marked in advance with a pencil and cover with a different color. Once dry, sandpaper again for a worn and frayed look.

It is not at all necessary to make the base striped. You can cover it with a monochromatic layer or combine different colors harmoniously.

For decoration in the Provence style, a bleached olive shade is most often used, as well as lilac, purple, yellow, pink. If it's vintage, then a muted chocolate, gray, pale blue tone will do. Colors in both styles should not be overly flashy, on the contrary, faded and washed out.

Before sticking the pictures, lay out the napkins to compose the composition.... Depending on which napkin you have chosen, you need to cut out the pattern or glue the applique completely onto the suitcase lid. If the napkins are three-layer, then only the top layer is suitable for work. If it is rice paper, then such a napkin is already ready for use. Place the picture in the desired place, take a small amount of glue with a brush and gently apply it from the center to the edges over the napkin, while smoothing it to remove air bubbles.

In order to give an additional effect of antiquity, you do not need to smooth the surface, deliberately leaving wrinkles. It all depends on the idea of ​​decor and imagination. After the glue is completely dry, you can apply an additional pattern directly to the resulting illustration through a stencil, which will give the visual effect of multiple layers of design. To do this, with a sponge with a small amount of paint, you need to make several pressing movements over the stencil.

Through the stencil, you can not only paint, but also apply acrylic paste so that the pattern is voluminous. To do this, attach it to the desired place, press with your fingers and use a palette knife to spread the paste, filling in the empty areas. If the pattern is needed in a certain color, it is worth mixing the paste with the desired shade of paint, then there will be no need to patina the pattern after drying.... Or, using the “dry brush” technique, you can give the volumetric pattern the desired color.This method consists in slightly dipping the brush into the paint, then moving it over the paper, shaking off the excess. When all that is superfluous remains on paper, you can proceed to light strokes on the ornament, drawing along its entire length. Here is an example of a suitcase with New Year's motives.

Instead of a stencil, you can use lace for the decoration itself, as well as for the pattern applied with paint. For this purpose, a colorant in a balloon is more suitable. Before using the balloon, you need to shake well, put the lace in the place where you want to get an imprint and spray the contents onto the lace from a distance of 25 centimeters, then carefully remove it.

Another way to decorate is with the help of volume, and this option is cheaper. For this you will need:

• empty tube of glue with a thin spout and lid;
• flour;
• PVA glue.

Mix the glue with flour until a thick sour cream, place the resulting mass in a tube. Use a ruler to measure the same distance from the edge of the lid or base of the suitcase. You need to sketch with a pencil and apply the consistency along the lines. Some areas can be completely covered if the drawing requires it.

All metal parts must be coated with bronze or copper paint. Paint that was used for the general background is also allowed. It all depends on the idea and dictates of the soul. Before applying, it is worth treating all rivets, locks and reinforced corners with an alcohol-based solution to degrease the surface. If rust appears on individual parts, do not be upset, as it will look organic and add an additional element of antiquity to the overall look.

Twine, lace, fabric cover are used to decorate the handle. You can leave the old pen without additional decoration, if it is in a usable condition and does not knock out of the general style. Additionally, if desired, the suitcase is decorated with braid or plait. Upon completion of all decorative work on decorating the thing, it should be varnished in several layers with preliminary drying of each. There are matte, glossy, semi-matt varnishes and glitter options to choose from. Applied with a roller, brush or spray. Sold both in banks and in cylinders. They can be used indoors as they are odorless.

Cover the inside of the suitcase with a suitable cloth, wallpaper, old yellowed pages of books and magazines. The corners and perimeter of the bottom, if necessary, can be decorated with braid, textile cord, lace to hide uneven joints. Let the glue dry completely before using the suitcase. Proceed in stages, all layers should dry out and only then new ones should be applied. So, giving free rein to your imagination and creative impulse, you can update an old thing and complement the interior with a completely unique art object.

You will learn more about how to make a suitcase decoupage by watching the following video.