Notice also with this quilt the white borders and sashing . . . One could do the frame boards in white, and then door faces, aprons and top in multicolors.  Think of it like a quilt  :)

But what I did (my mistakes will save you some time) is just gather whatever leftover paints I had on hand and go for it.  Choose complimentary colors, and choose a base color, in my finish, it's white.

One other note on paints, I used gloss paints because it creates a seal, and then when you apply the glaze, it won't discolor the paint.  But you can also apply a clear coat for flat paint.

I just kept painting different colors. You do not need to be perfect or even put an even coat on, but try and keep the separate colors on the separate boards.

And then I set it all out to dry in the wind. The dark green paint is actually acrylic paint, and it worked great! If you want a specialized color, but only a tiny bit, this could be a great money saving alternative to mixing a whole can of paint. This step was truly the hardest step. And one of the most important. You have to wait the full 24 hours (as directed on the paint cans) for the paint to fully dry. If you are not using gloss paints (semi gloss or high gloss or anything that is non porous when dry) you will want to apply a clear top coat to protect your paint from picking up the glaze.

 You then wipe off excess glaze with a damp cloth. This process is very easy and quick - don't be intimidated.

I applied extra distressing around high wear areas.

Here they are side by side, the exact same Farmhouse Bedside Table, the original with a simple stain, and how it looks today with layers of leftover paint and distressing.

What's your vote?