Discover the timeless connection between Folk Art and furniture design

Hungarian-born Ildiko Horvath is inspired by her heritage @ildikoh67

Colourful, creative and charming, it’s easy to understand why folk art inspires furniture painters around the world. It brings together tradition, creativity, and individuality in a way that gives every piece a story of its own. You can create your own Folk Art designs using Chalk Paint.

What is Folk Art?

Folk Art is made by everyday working folk who simply use the tools and materials they have around them to create something beautiful. You’ll find Folk Art techniques used across the visual arts including textiles, sculpture and painting. The folk aesthetic is deeply rooted in traditions that come from a specific community or culture.

Polish artist Gosia’s signature style features birds and plant life @gosia.hodara

Painters typically get inspired by the natural world. Common motifs include flowers, birds and rural scenes. Combined with bright, cheerful palettes and often clashing colours, the whimsical motifs give furniture a playful, charming character that stands out in any home.

Where is Folk Art from?

Left image: Janice takes inspiration from art and culture around the world from countries including Swedish, Estonia, Hungary and Romania @janiceissitt_life_style

Right image: Heidi transforms woodland wanderings into folk-inspired art, capturing nature’s magic in every detail. @dingleydellcreative

Folk Art originates from everyday life across countries all over the world from Hungary to Mexico, Russia to India and even in the UK where it’s found on narrow boats. Artists decorate practical objects, furniture, interior and exterior walls and even vehicles with motifs that reflect their heritage, beliefs, and surroundings.

Why is Folk Art-inspired furniture a growing trend?

Left image: This piece by @ildikoh67 was inspired by a beautiful vintage fabric she came across, with a slightly unusual colour scheme that makes it truly unique

Right image: Anna takes a bold approach to folk art focussing not on painting perfect motifs but having fun @annasarthouse

Unlike mass-produced pieces, Folk Art feels personal and full of character. Each design tells a story, whether painted freehand or with stencils, and embraces imperfections as part of its charm.

It’s an accessible, relaxed style that embraces colour and pattern. Today, people don’t want formal interiors or to follow a fashion. Folk Art feels individual and playful and works just as well in traditional or contemporary spaces. It can be bold and maximalist or subtle and rustic.

Most folk art in the past was created by self-taught farmers, homemakers, and craftspeople. This makes it approachable for modern furniture painters who want to experiment with creating their own looks and styles on individual pieces. Whether it’s an elaborate armoire, a shapely chest of drawers or a solid oak chest, furniture pieces are all backdrops on which to apply colourful freehand designs.

Folk art makes furniture painting special because it transforms functional objects into vibrant, meaningful works of art that bring joy and individuality into the home.

How to use Folk Art in your next furniture painting project

Annie painted this chest of drawers in Giverny inspired by the folk style work of Josef Frank. She freehand painted on botanical shapes like leaves and buds using Primer Red, Burgundy, Scandinavian Pink, Giverny, Arles, Antibes Green and Florence.

If you’d like to give Folk Art painting a try yourself and don’t feel confident painting freehand, you can draw your design on first with a pencil. Or, why not try one of our stencils? Designs include Mexican birds and a Paisley floral garland.

We would love to see how you get on. Tag us on social media so we can see your interpretation of Folk Art painting.