Kitchen table paint ideas - the best colours and finishes to choose from

When it comes to refreshing our kitchens, what often comes to mind are the big, expensive and time consuming projects.  If, instead, you're looking for a quick revamp, an upcycle opportunity or just a budget friendly way to add new life to your space, then kitchen table paint ideas are for you.

One of the great things about kitchen paint ideas is that they can be adapted to work in any type of home or style of interiors.

'While white kitchens are timeless and classic, a simple colour change can update your kitchen drastically without breaking the bank,' adds Alex Main, Director, The Main Company. 'Having an entirely neutral scheme isn’t for everyone and using colour is a powerful way to change the mood of a kitchen.'

'Colour can help to create the illusion of space while also drawing the eye to certain key features within the room.'

And as the kitchen table is the centre of so much activity in any busy home, it absolutely deserves to have eyes drawn to it.

Kitchen table paint ideas

'Paint is a quick way to transform your kitchen,' says Alex from The Main Company. 'And, should you change your mind, your kitchen table paint ideas can easily be painted over at a later date.'

1. Go for white on white

Create a cohesive scheme in your space by co-ordinating your chairs to your kitchen table paint ideas. Any colour can work to create this look, so long as they sit well with the rest of the room.

Go a step further and add seat pads in the same colour to keep the look strong.

This is a great choice for small kitchen table ideas as it will trick the eye into making the dining area seem larger than it is.

2. Match to mismatched seating

There's still a trend for using both chairs and banquette seating around one kitchen table - and for good reason. You save one space, can squeeze in more people when needed and it creates a relaxed, eclectic feel.

Link the two seating arrangements together using your kitchen table paint ideas. Paint the legs to match the bench and the top to the chairs (or vice versa). This works just as well with leaving one seating area and section of the table as bare wood, to create a contrasting look.

3. Create a circular design

If you have a round table, use paint to reinforce the shape. Paint a circle, or set of circles on the top to create a cool and unique design. 

Any colours will work - you could co-ordinate with your chairs or go for an interesting contrast. For extra impact, paint one circle in a gloss paint and another in matte.

While this looks great on a new table, you can also give a new lease of life to older pieces with upcycled furniture ideas like this.

4. Play with pastels

Pastel colours can look pretty in any style of interiors, but they feel especially at home in country kitchen ideas.

Create a sweet array of shades by painting your table and chairs in different, complementary pastel paint colours.

5. Lighten the legs

Lift the light and space levels in a darker kitchen by focusing your kitchen table paint ideas on the legs.

Bright white on the table and chair legs will help boost lower light levels and make the space feel airier. A contrasting blonde wood top will create definition without taking away from the light you've added.

6. Co-ordinate with your walls

Add a sense of considered cohesion to your kitchen by painting your table to match the walls. 

This doesn't have to be the colour used everywhere. In fact, co-ordinating to a feature kitchen wall ideas can work even better as it creates depth and dimension and an all-round more interesting space.

7. Create an aged finish

Mix your kitchen table paint ideas with easy DIY projects to create a totally unique piece of furniture.

Paint for table (legs, top, or both) in the colour of your choice and then get ageing to add pattern through speckles and scratches. You can sand down the paint slightly after application or, for a more speckled look, gently bash with a textured jewellery hammer. 

8. Try two-tone

If you can't decide between grey and white kitchen ideas - or any combination, for that matter, then make your table show off both. Paint the top one of the shades and the legs the other. Easy and breezy.

Can you paint over a kitchen table?

'It’s easy to paint wooden tables and this can be a simple and quick way to refresh your furniture or upcycle an old piece of furniture,' says Cathryn Sanders, Head of Creative, Earthborn.

The choice of paint is up to you but Cathryn suggests looking at eggshell.

'An eggshell paint can be used for furniture painting and will provide a slight sheen finish. If you choose to use an eggshell paint then simply prime your furniture before painting and follow with 2-3 coats of paint.'

Do you need to sand before you paint a table?

'For wooden tables, we recommend lightly sanding your furniture beforehand to remove any old varnish or oils and to help the paint stick,' advises Cathryn from Earthborn.

'If your table is made from MDF or laminate, it requires a little more preparation to give it a new lease of life.'

For this situation, Cathryn recommends the following steps:

• If the surface is starting to de-laminate, use a strong glue to stick this back down
• Carefully fill and sand any dents, bashed corners or chipped edges with a wood filler
• Lightly sand the whole table and wipe away any dust
• Apply two coats of multi-purpose primer to give the paint a good base to stick
• Then paint as usual with your chosen paint