How To Paint Suede Like Material

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Let’s talk all about how to paint suede like material…it’s so much easier than you think!

Hello sweet friends and happy Wednesday!
Is it freezing where you are?? Gosh, we are having a time this winter. I got spoiled with our very mild winter last year (loved it!) and I’m not enjoying this very cold winter at all. Ugh! I don’t even want to leave my house. Boo.

And it snowed again last night. I think that makes 3 times this year already?? Every single time – overnight snow! That’s no fun!! I mean, if it’s going to snow I need it to happen in the daytime so I can watch it fall. It’s so pretty. So odd to get this much and be this cold this year though.

Today I’m sharing how to paint suede like material because I have a belt that I never wear. Mainly because it is an odd color not because I don’t like it. I just don’t have anything to go with it.

How To Paint Suede Like Material

So I have this belt…

tan suede boot and belt with two small paint containers

And I never wear it because it’s sort of orange. I guess kind of a cognac color. I love that color but currently do not have any shoes/boots that color. Not that you have to be matchy-matchy or anything but it’s such a strong color it really doesn’t look right with most things.

So I decided the other day (after years of owning it, 5 to be exact! lol) I’d paint it a color that will better go with my wardrobe. Why not??

I paint everything else, right?? 

I’ve painted a leather ottoman

paint brush painting leather

leather shoes… (which both turned out GREAT)

painted leather ottoman and leather shoes

a vinyl chair

paintbrush painting vinyl chair

and multiple fabric chairs over the years!

Like these seats for the dining room chairs.

frog tape making lined painted areas on painted chair cushions

And one of two chairs I painted.

blue painted arm chair

Now it’s time to paint something suede.

I  hadn’t planned to share about it because I really just wanted to paint it so I could get more use out of it. But I thought, duh, I should share this because I’m sure someone else might have this same predicament, right?

MATERIALS I USED

Prefer to shop on Etsy? I have an Etsy shop also, here!

 

These are some suede boots I have and I was thinking I wanted the belt to be a similar shade to this.

tan suede leather boot and belt and paint

I held the boot up as I walked around my shop room looking at the different paints and chose Chestnut Mare…

chestnut mare tester pot

…and Tapestry…

tapestry tester pot

I know it seems weird to pick a color that is almost exactly the same color as the belt but as you can see in the boots, there is a slight hint of warmth. They are not straight tan.

I thought I’d only need a little of the Chestnut Mare …

paint to mix on a plate

…but I ended up using about 50-50 of each to get the color I wanted.

mixed paint

And quite honestly, I could’ve used a bit more of the Chestnut Mare to get more warmth like the boots. But I decided I wasn’t necessarily trying to match them exactly, but instead going for a neutral shade. The boots were mainly inspiration and something to go by for choosing my colors.

brushing the paint onto the belt

I simply brushed it on …

showing the original color of the belt and the painted area

…in thin, even coats. I did one coat and then went back over to touch up where it wasn’t covered as well. Not really a full second coat was needed.

After I finished applying, I went back over it with the edges of the bristles and did wispy brush strokes back and forth.

tan suede boot and painted belt

By the way, I love this paper for doing crafts and/or painting inside. Keeps everything clean!
It’s very durable and has a protective film backing (shiny on one side, matte on the other). And the roll lasts forever.

I hit it with the hair dryer to dry in between painting.

painted belt in hand

As I showed when painting the leather ottoman, this paint remains VERY flexible when used on leather, etc.

showing how flexible the painted leather ottoman is

Isn’t that wild? I mean, I painted that but I was still so very pleasantly surprised!

Once fully dry, I applied a protective coat of this Beeswax Finish to both sides of the belt.

beeswax container

painted suede belt on suede boot

painted belt and boot

I’m so happy with how it turned out! Now it will get lots of use. Yay!

Have something you don’t love the color of?? Belt, shoes, purse…or even a piece of furniture?? Well, now you know, you can paint it!

PIN it to save it!

Let's talk all about how to paint suede ...it's so much easier than you think! And more on painting other unconventional finishes! artsychicksrule.com

Do you think you’ll give this one a try?? Hope so! Let me know if you have questions!

xo


12 Comments

  1. Wow it’s gorgeous and seems like a great color. I have an old and stained Coach leather bag that I really wanted to keep and paint….now I know I can. I’m going to try it!

  2. That’s pretty astonishing. I would never have guessed you could paint “suede.” It turned out beautifully! And that ottoman… I can’t believe you can pinch it like that after painting it! Amazing. I don’t have any leather to paint right now, but I do have a chair from the 60s that is a color that doesn’t work for me. I think it’s upholstered in a wool fabric. Do you think that could be painted?

    1. Thanks, Cyndi! And yes, isn’t that something?? I am floored by how well it worked.
      Hmm, not sure about wool. I haven’t done it but you know I would give it a try! ;) I would bet it would really suck up the paint. Is there an inconspicuous area you can do a test spot on?? That’s what I would do and then go from there.

      1. I think the way I look at it is, if painting it doesn’t work, I will have it reupholstered (it was my grandparents’ and it’s special to me), so why not try painting it first? I will start on the underside of the removable cushion! Thanks for the advice! :)

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