This is a simple and effective way of adding arch shapes to your furniture, or even your walls, with a pop of colour. I love using the old-school method with a pencil and string to get the perfect curve. Alternatively, you may prefer to use household items such as plates or saucepan lids as templates. You can arrange your arches however you like and even overlap them.

Materials

Steps

1. Start by replacing the legs of your furniture piece, if desired, using a screwdriver – I added gold legs to this one. Prepare and prime the wooden surface as normal and then paint an all-over base coat of white satinwood.

2. Grab a pencil, a pin and a piece of string. Tie one end of the string to the pin and the other end to the pencil. Bear in mind that the length of the string will be the radius of the curve you are about to draw.

3. Place the pin on the painted wooden surface in the centre of where you want to draw the top of your arch. Keeping the string taut and the pencil straight, draw a semicircle shape.

4. Use your ruler to continue the pencil line straight down on both sides of the semicircle, as far as you want the arch to extend. You now have the outline of your first arch.

5. Use two straight pieces of painter’s tape to mark out the sides of the arch. Take another piece of tape and cut a series of slits through ¾ of the width, leaving the last ¼ intact.

6. Follow the curved line of the arch with the piece of tape– the slits will allow the tape to bend into a curved line. Press it firmly into place all the way around.

7. Paint your arch in a colour of your choice. If you want more control when painting the edges, use a small artist’s brush so that the paint doesn’t get too far onto the tape. Leave to dry, then add a second coat.

8. Without waiting for the final coat of paint to dry, slowly peel back the tape to reveal your arch. Repeat steps two to eight to paint the remaining arches.