DIY Faux Inlay Box

5 Materials
$20
3 Hours
Medium
Learn how to create a beautiful DIY faux inlay pattern with just a little paint and a decorative box!
My goal with this project was to create a pretty faux mother-of-pearl inlay pattern on a plain wood box that I've had for years. There were definitely a few bumps along the way, but I love the way it ending up turning out!


The first step is to paint the box a solid gold color using a foam brush and some craft paint. This is the easy part!


After the paint dries, use a small angle tip brush to add the faux inlay details.
I recommend searching the web for potential designs; you’ll find lots of beautiful furniture to inspire you. Typical inlay patterns include swirling vines, stylized flowers, and sometimes more geometric shapes, all contained within a border.


Take your time doing this, and make sure your brush isn't loaded with too much paint.
This is kind of where my project went wrong. I went too fast and my pattern started blending together. It was kind of a mess!


Here's a shot of the whole box:
Thankfully, all I needed to fix my shoddy painting was a gold marker.


Simply use the marker to clean up your designs, sharpen details, slim down thick lines, etc.
Much better, and I loved how it ended up turning out!
Stop by my blog (link below) for more details on how you can create your own DIY faux inlay box!
Suggested materials:
  • Wood box   ((see my blog for some resources))
  • Paint
  • Foam brush
See all materials
Ginnie - Hello Little Home
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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 2 comments
  • Jenne Gagnon Jenne Gagnon on Jun 18, 2017

    It. Looks great! I sand the box with high grit sandpaper, go over it with a tac cloth. Then painted 2 coats of high gloss paint. Don't forget to lightly sand the first coat. Let dry 24 hours between coats. My color of choice was med. dark jade. I found a stencil I liked and used pearl white nail polish. I loved it, so did my mother, it left with her. Next Chinese Red

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