This coffee table has been on the docket for a makeover for….let’s just say, awhile. I had a chance to tackle the re-do while the l’il guy was at Summer Camp last week.
Here’s a before shot of what I started with:
I picked up the coffee table at my local Salvation Army for $24. It’s a solid wood piece, but wasn’t in great shape – lots of scrapes and scratches, marker stains on top, and generally well-worn.
And after:
Here’s the step-by-step process I followed, which spanned several days:
I recently transformed this antique buffet that I snagged at the local Goodwill for $10!
Here’s what it looked like when I brought it home:
I’m pretty sure that this lovely piece had been stored outdoors, maybe in a backyard shed. It was porous from having been exposed to high doses of humidity, and the glue on some of the ornate scrollwork had disintegrated. Sadly, I had to remove the scrollwork that remained with my putty knife, and sand the entire piece thoroughly with 80 grit sandpaper.
Note: when working on a piece this old, I wear protective safety glasses, a dust mask, an apron, and gloves, and I work outside or in my garage with the doors open.
After sanding, I cleaned it thoroughly with TSP, then let it dry.
I just finished updating this sweet little schoolhouse chair as a gift for my mom. She acquired it from the university where she retired, and has been using it as a desk chair. I was thrilled when she asked me to give her chair a new “do”, and told me to surprise her with the color!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
This chair is probably close to (or more than) 100 years old. The finish was not in great condition, and the structure was a little rickety. Hubsters reinforced the chair (thanks, Honey!), so it’s now much sturdier than it was.
As with some of my previous furniture projects, such as this antique vanity bench, vintage hexagonal table, and little red chair, I sanded with 180 grit sandpaper to even out the surface. After sanding and cleaning, I applied Kilz oil-based spray primer.
A note about using Kilz – it can be a bit gritty, especially in warmer weather. I just use a 220 grit sanding sponge to lightly smooth the surface after priming and before my first coat of paint.
Ahhhh….I just love the fresh, clean slate that primer provides:
I think I’ve found a new favorite spray paint: Rustoleum Painter’s Touch. It is soooooo easy to work with, and I found that the paint did not run as much as Krylon has for me in the past. It also costs much less per can than Krylon, and provides amazing coverage. I applied three solid coats, and I only used one can of spray paint!
For my mom’s chair, I chose the color “Seaside”. Here it is after three coats of paint:
Then I performed a clean-glazing technique with Tobacco glaze by Ralph Lauren. I began by applying some heavy glaze with inexpensive chip brushes, and then wiped it off with wet rags. I carefully worked the glaze into all of the cracks and crevices. Glazing tones down the vividness of a piece, and accentuates wood grain and blemishes, providing a distressed look with lots of character.
Here are some of my favorite shots of the final result!
Well, Mom, I’m delighted with this fun little makeover, and I hope you are too!
Thanks for stopping by today,
My latest furniture re-do started out like this:
And now looks like this:
This darling chair was an estate sale find and cost me $10. I loved the sweet little frame, the wood structure was sturdy, and I couldn’t pass up the price. I have a thing for chairs.
I had originally planned on simply adding some foam and recovering the seat, but when my 3 year old got involved in the project, those plans quickly changed.
You see, his favorite color is red.
Enter Exhibit A: Mommy’s Favorite Chair in the living room that was next on the roster for re-upholstering, and happened to be….red.
When my son learned of my plans to recover the chair, he had a brainstorm. He asked me if I could find a chair for him, paint it red, and use the fabric from my red chair to re-cover it. Yes, this was an actual conversation that I had with my 3 year old about interior design.
Enter Exhibit B: Little antique chair in need of some TLC.
There are treasures to be discovered at thrift stores, estate sales, and even some retailers. There’s also plenty of over-priced junk. I’ve purchased both.
Sometimes I leave empty-handed. Sometimes my hoarding tendencies kick in and I buy something I don’t need or want.
But sometimes, I find just the perfect thing for Around My Home, so I thought I’d share a few of my favorite finds with you in this post.
My name is Melanie Bolke and I created this site as a resource just for you! Here you'll find quick and easy recipes, tips for cleaning and organizing, budget decorating ideas, DIY furniture transformations, gardening must-haves, and lots of other simple things I enjoy Around My Home. Welcome!
DIY Chalkboard for Back-to-School or anytime! Near-instant gratification with this super easy and inexpensive project. Click here for the tutorial.
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