Painting a faux wood grain on doll chairs...

Left, Bold green and purple paint, stripes and polka dots. Right, painted with gray base coat.

        I picked up these sturdy but ugly doll chairs at my local Goodwill for three dollars a piece. They fit our 18" American Girl dolls perfectly and will make a nice option for dining room seating. However, the bold colors and patterns will not match any of the other furnishings in our giant dollhouse.

Left, I've painted the cracks in my chairs with black acrylic. Right, chairs dry between coats of paint.

        Something about these chairs reminds me of fairy tale decor. They are the kind of chairs one might be seated on inside of a cottage in the woods, surrounded by seven little men. In any case, they will look much more attractive in my own estimation after I've repainted them.

Above, stripes of grey in many tones and shades are layered on top of the chairs until transformed.

       I have lived with old furniture for so long that painting something to look antique has become second nature to me. I sometimes feel like I have cobwebs between my knees! After painting so many stripes, I combine the last grey layer with white and soften the remaining wet surface with a dry, soft brush. The chairs are ready for play once these are sealed with a clear acrylic varnish.