I have a love affair going on with painted furniture and I’m always on the lookout for an unusual piece that I can re-create.
Can you believe I only paid $5 for this? SCORE! But there was a reason it had that price tag on it. SEVERE veneer damage on every inch! It’s days like this I wonder how I get myself into these predicaments. You know the ones where you want to run and hide because you know what lies ahead. Why do I do this? Because this sweet nightstand needed some help, and I couldn’t walk away from the potential of what could be. It had great lines, and I was digging the whole mid-century modern style.
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Painted Furniture Makeover – Before
Veneer Removal
Before I could get to my painted furniture idea that I had planned for this piece, the task at hand was to remove all that damaged veneer. The wet towel trick usually works great, so I saturated a towel, applied it to all the surfaces, and let it sit overnight to weaken the glue. The next morning, I removed most of the veneer with a simple paint scraper and gentle prying.
Some of the glue was being very stubborn about letting go. I used my heat gun and even tried the steam iron on top of the wet towel trick, and it still would not budge. That’s some awesome glue! Where’s my hammer? Yep, I reverted to brutal force in one area. The old paint scraper and hammer trick worked well, but not without a price. A few areas that I got aggressive on were damaged slightly with a few gouges in the wood and my HAND! Since I planned to paint this piece, I just filled the gouges with plastic wood filler, sanded it smooth.
Let’s DO this! Ha, I LOVE Home Depot. While I was in their store, I just had to have this orange bucket. It had my name on it! Frequently I’ll work on the front porch of my studio, and it’s handy to carry all my supplies with me for that project. You know, trying to keep everything together. It’s my struggle.
Sanding The Wood Smooth
After quicksand with my Ridgid Orbital Sander with 150 grit sandpaper, I was ready for the next step. I was shocked at how beautiful the wood was beneath all that veneer and wondered why anyone would want to cover that up. A change in times and style, for sure.
Adding A Bit Of Character To Painted Furniture
Now this part was so much fun! Did you know that you can create a faux plank top on a solid piece of wood? YES! It’s so stinking easy too. I used my circular saw and set the depth to 1/8 inch. After drawing lines across the top of the wood table with a pencil, I used a circular saw to cut grooves into the wood to give it an appearance of planks.
I painted the surface with cream-colored chalky-based paint. Then I used my all-time favorite cabinet glaze. Rustoleum Decorative Glaze was applied in the grooves and a little randomly across the top to create a wood-looking surface. Quickly I wiped it down with cheesecloth, and it was beautiful! It had that aged barn wood look. Rustic farmhouse style.
Gold Legs!
AND the legs! Omg, I love those mid-century modern legs. Every time I see them, I want to paint them gold. So, that’s what I did. I used Rustoleum Metallic Gold spray paint to step this old gal up a notch. I like to call this in the painted furniture makeover world, the gift of Jimmy Choo heels! Yes, ma’am!
So, since the legs are gold, I’ll go with the theme and use some gold along the tops of the drawers to tie it all together. The clean lines will look nice with the gold. Classy!
During the process of cleaning the drawers, I found a single card in one of the drawers. Usually, I find things like bobby pins, tacks, and 15-year-old ABC (already been chewed) bubble gum. Hmmm, this was a sign. Diamond In The Rough. I like it. Why not? New makeover, new name. It’s a whole new beginning.
Diamond In The Rough… Bam! Painted Furniture Makeover AFTER
Farmhouse glam is in the house! My diamond in the rough. Of course, my little dog Zoe had to get in on the action, like the diva she is. Total photobomb!
I’m so glad you stopped by, and I’d love to hear from you. Suggestions, comments, and just saying hello is always welcome in the comment section. If you liked this painted furniture makeover, check out another makeover I did on a doggie chew toy table. Gotta love those fur babies! Or if you need a little more GOLD inspiration, CLICK HERE.
Until the next project… xo, Do
