A wooden dining table and chairs became the starting point for this room’s transformation, painted in the deep, expressive tones of Murrey Red from our Jubilee Fine Furniture Paint collection. Rather than stopping at the furniture, we carried the colour into selected picture frames and a newly painted artwork, with touches of Super GILD Gold bringing warmth and reflection to the gallery wall.
What began as a furniture makeover became an exploration of how one carefully chosen colour can connect the pieces already within a room.
Why deep red works so beautifully on painted furniture
Red painted furniture has presence, but it does not have to feel loud. Deeper reds with brown, plum or earthy undertones can feel remarkably grounded, particularly on traditional furniture where carved edges, turned legs and decorative details create subtle changes in light and shadow.
Murrey Red is a deep reddish brown with subtle purple undertones. Grounding, dignified and rich in tone, it brings a sense of heritage and quiet depth to furniture and interiors.
Choosing Murrey Red: a heritage colour with depth
Murrey has its roots in British heraldry, first appearing during the early 13th century and later adopted as a livery colour of the House of York. It also appeared on the shields of the Falcon of the Plantagenets and the White Lion of Mortimer, two figures represented among the Queen’s Beasts created for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
There is something fitting about returning a colour with this history to a crafted surface. Across the table and decorative chair backs, Murrey Red gives the furniture greater presence while allowing its original character and craftsmanship to remain visible.
Painting a wooden table and chairs in Murrey Red
The table and chairs already had character worth keeping, so the aim was not to disguise their form but to bring it forward through colour. Careful preparation created the foundation before Murrey Red was applied across the dining set. The existing finish was cleaned and lightly keyed to create a sound surface for painting. Jubilee Fine Furniture Paint was then applied in thin, even coats, working carefully around the carved details and shaped edges of the chairs. For furniture with an existing oil-based or unstable finish, additional preparation or a suitable primer may be required.
The different forms of the furniture called for different brushes. The Signature Dual Brush made light work of the broader surfaces, while the Flex Brush was particularly useful for working around the curves, edges and carved details of the chairs.
Using one colour across the complete dining set also changed the way the furniture sat within the room. Rather than creating a single red accent, Murrey Red became an established part of the space.
For detailed preparation and application guidance, read our complete guide to painting and upcycling furniture with Jubilee.
Watch the Murrey Red furniture makeover
See the table and chairs transform in Murrey Red before the colour moves beyond the furniture and into the artwork and decorative details around them.
Repeating colour through art and picture frames
Once the furniture returned to the room, we looked for places where Murrey Red could quietly reappear. Selected picture frames were painted in the same deep reddish brown, carrying the colour upwards into the gallery wall without making the room feel overly coordinated.
A new piece of art was also created using corresponding colours from the room. Rather than matching the furniture, the palette creates a looser connection between the artwork, frames and dining set, allowing each element to retain its own character.
Pairing deep red with gold
Rather than repeating Murrey Red across every frame, selected pieces were finished in Super GILD Gold, a water-based metallic enamel that brings a rich metallic finish to decorative details. Its warm gold tone sits beautifully alongside the depth of Murrey Red, while the metallic finish catches the light across mouldings and raised surfaces.
Together, the painted furniture, frames, original artwork and touches of Super GILD Gold allow colour and finish to move naturally through the space. Much of the room was already here; reconsidering familiar pieces through colour simply allowed them to relate to one another differently.
Start with one colour
Transforming a room does not always mean changing everything within it. Sometimes one carefully chosen colour is enough to create a new relationship between the furniture, artwork and objects already there.
Murrey Red began with a table and chairs, but repeating it selectively, and introducing the warmth of Super GILD Gold, allowed the whole room to feel more connected without becoming overly coordinated.
Shop the look
Jubilee Murrey Red
Guild Lane
From £6.99
Super GILD Gold
Guild Lane
From £17.99
Signature Dual Round Brush
Guild Lane
From £12.99
Flex Round Brush
Guild Lane
From £8.99
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