Antiquing gives instant charm to tired old furniture, so scour those tag sales, attics or basements for a find! You can antique any piece of furniture, but I've found that pieces with carvings, turned legs or raised moldings look the best.

Brush a base coat of paint onto the piece. Don't worry if you don't get total coverage because it will just add to that time worn look in the end.

Once your base coat has dried, use some sandpaper to buff away some paint in areas that will naturally age over time. On a chair it would be the seat, the back and the front edges.

Wipe the entire piece with a damp cloth to remove any dust and paint.

If you want to add more depth add a second coat in a different color, allow that to dry and then sand again.

Once you have the paint distressed to your liking, brush or wipe on a thin coat of antiquing medium or dark brown stain. Work in small areas wiping off the stain as you go so you're left with this aged patina look. It will look darker in the carved and raised areas I told you about earlier. This gives a piece depth.

If you're working on a plain piece you can pick up wood embellishments at most home improvement stores or home centers.