Hello amazing friends! I hope everyone is hanging in there ok! I’m back today sharing what I did with two funky pieces that belong to the sweet girl next door. Ya’ll know I rarely take on other people’s projects. I don’t like not having the freedom to just do whatever I want with a makeover. The stars aligned for this one though.
Last weekend, my neighbors asked me for advice about painting some furniture that belonged to their daughter, Olivia. I was just finishing up my Winter thrifty haul, so I asked them to send me photos of what they wanted to paint. When I saw those gorgeous French Provincial curves, I knew I wanted to take this project on. Plus, Olivia took care of Lyla for us when we went out of town for a few days to go skiing earlier this year which was so appreciated!
There are two pieces. First, this desk:
I don’t believe they were the ones responsible for the paint job. I myself may or may not have sponge painted the walls of an entire bathroom in sea foam green and peach back in the 90’s so I can’t really be too judgy here!
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
The paint finish on both pieces was coming up in a few areas:
I usually pass on already-painted pieces when I’m thrifting because they can be a lot of work to redo. I could have used a product like Citristrip to remove the old paint, and as great as it works, it is still messy.
For this set, I decided to sand down the top of both pieces to the original finish using my orbital sander and 120 grit sandpaper, followed by 220 grit sandpaper. I then sanded the body of each piece with 220 grit…enough to smooth out the texture and give some grip to that very glossy paint.
The tops ended up being laminate. You can use a product like Slick Stick for extra adhesion with slick surfaces like this, but I sanded the surfaces well which also works.
Olivia was looking for a “Beachy” look…a girl after my own heart! I had a 16oz jar of Dixie Belle’s Sea Glass that I thought would be perfect and she loved it when she saw it. It is a very beachy blue-green color.
I gave both pieces two coats:
I didn’t plan to distress this set, so I just very lightly sanded all over and then cleaned up any dust with my shop-vac.
Then I gave them a light dry brushing with Cotton. Here is the comparison of two drawers, with and without the dry brushing:
The dry-brushed version has a bit more of a relaxed coastal vibe. After Dry-brushing, I sealed with two coats of Dixie Belle’s Clear Coat in Satin, applied with a blue applicator sponge.
The hardware got a coat of Rustoleum primer, followed by two coats of Blossom White:
Again, no distressing this time.
And here is how this pretty little lady looks with her new coastal-inspired makeover:
Yes???
What a difference a little paint makes!!
Before, the bottom inch of the single drawer on the right was missing. Normally, I would have run up to Home Depot and grabbed a piece of trim, but I searched every corner of the garage and found this piece of trim leftover from our stairs that worked just fine:
I attached it to the bottom of the drawer front with E6000 glue. I also swapped out the original wooden knob for a pretty glass one…
The drawer sides and tops had also been painted previously…
I sanded those smooth as well, but I wanted to do something different for the sides. I knew they were painting the walls in a soft gray, so I asked Olivia’s Mom if they had any leftover wall paint.
That ended up being a lovely contrast to the Sea Glass:
I ended up just painting the whole drawer inside and out:
Since I was using latex enamel, I primed first, then painted with two coats.
I love how this pretty piece turned out!
Remember the “Things” basket I redid last year?
I kept this one, of course! You can see more of that makeover HERE. I redid two baskets in that post.
And the new pulls with their fresh white paint:
Ok one more piece!
This night table looked just like the desk:
And here it is now!
So fresh and light!
This definitely has a coastal feel now!
Perfect for a sweet young lady’s room!
I hope y’all enjoyed seeing this one. This set took a bit longer than expected so while I won’t have a brand new makeover to share on Thursday, I think you’ll enjoy what I have planned…I’ll be sharing what I price things for in my booth!
UPDATE: No need to come back! You can see how I price my items for resale HERE now!!
And before I go, I wanted to let y’all know that you know longer need a code to get FREE SHIPPING in my Etsy Shop when you spend $50 or more.
The discount will be applied automatically! All orders under $50 still receive $8 flat rate shipping!
See ya Thursday!
XOXO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
If you like what you see, there are several ways to follow along!
Email * Instagram * Facebook * Pinterest * Twitter
Janina says
Lucky Olivia. What s difference! The “before” was pretty awful…the “after” just beautiful! I love that you used the bedroom paint colour for inside the drawers. I love doing the insides!
Christy says
Thank you, Janina! We were lucky that they had extra wall paint left over! XOXO
Susan says
I just started working on a 4 layer deep painted piece that has sentimental value – the only reason I took it on. I started with citristrip and now wish I had just started with the sanding. I love citristrip, but this piece was too big and it is too messy. Half of whatever I glop off falls right back on it…it’s like trying to sweep a dirt floor, lol. So now my next plan of attack is to wipe up the residual and go with the orbital sander, and take it as a lesson learned. Your two project pieces came out so fresh and beautiful…as always 🙂
Christy says
Thank you so much, Susan! Citristrip can be be pretty messy for sure. I might use it if I have a piece with a lot of curves that the sander might damage, but I usually just go right for the sander. Use mineral spirits to clean up what is left of the Citristrip and then you can switch to sanding. Good luck…I know it will be worth all the trouble in the end! XOXO
Maryellen Webber says
Beautiful job Christy!
Christy says
Thank you, Maryellen! XOXO
Denise says
Looks great! Love the color.
Christy says
Thank you, Denise!! XOXO
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces says
Just beautiful, Christy! You saved it. ✊🏻
Christy says
Thank you, my friend!! XOXO
sharon austin says
Love it! They look amazing!! Funny when we bought our house in ’98, the walls of our bathroom were sponge painted in sea foam green-no kidding!! I thought it was great at the time, but soon got rid of it. LOL
Christy says
Thank you, Sharon! Oh my goodness…what were we thinking with the sponge paint ha ha?? My apartment was a rental…I feel so badly for the poor landlords that had to fix that! XOXO
Cecilia says
Oh much better! Reminds me of a desk in that style my sister found painted in primary colors – she gave it a couple of coats of neutral paint and voila! a whole different desk!
Love how this set turned out and I bet Olivia is thrilled!
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! Paint can work magic, but it can also work the other way ha ha! Olivia really loved it! XOXO
Donna says
I love how that set turned out! Just beautiful!
Christy says
Thank you, Donna! XOXO
Denise Cox says
It’s lovely!!! So, you DID NOT remove the paint on the outside of the stand /drawers? Just sanded bit a? Also, with regard to the laminate, what grit and how much sanding is typically required? My end /coffee tables are Broyhill with laminate. I’m not sure my arthritic thumbs will allow, but I was thinking of painting these items a neutral palette. Any help will be appreciated… 😉.
Thanks..
Christy says
Thank you, Denise! I just sanded the paint on the bases a bit to dull down the paint finish since it was super glossy. A light sanding with 220 grit is all your laminate top needs…enough to scuff it and give it some tooth. XOXO
Vicki Lombardi says
Christy, Omgosh I love this! This is one of my favorites and now I’m going to have to order the Sea Glass paint! You do such a lovely job and inspire me! I’m sure Olivia is loving her new desk (maybe now a vanity?) and bedside table!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Vicki! I have been wanting to use this color on something for a while now, so this was the perfect project! Olivia was over the moon with how it turned out, and yes…the desk makes a great vanity too! XOXO
Cecilia from Georgia says
Olivia will cherish this set for years to come and remember her sweet neighbor who made it beautiful. I know it was hard painting over old paint because I’m in the process now of doing just that…ugh! I just hope the Gator Hide seals it so little cars and trucks don’t chip it too much:) Enjoy the lovely weather and be safe.
Christy says
I think she will definitely enjoy it for years to come. I was so happy to do this for her…she is super sweet! It isn’t always easy painting over paint and I usually try to avoid it, but sanding the old glossy paint first helped. The gator hide is pretty tough and should work well for you…just be sure to give it about three weeks to fully cure before little cars have their way with it! 🙂 XOXO
Karen J Thompson says
Beautiful! I’m sure your neighbor’s daughter loves it as well. What a kind thing for you to do during this COVID-19 pandemic, I’m sure this brightened her bedroom and day up!
Christy says
Thank you, Karen! She was thrilled with it! I know… now they’ll have to wait to complete the room redo, but at least the furniture is done! XOXO
Deb says
I think this is one of my most favorite of your makeovers.
I have several Dixie Belle painted pieces in my house, but it
looks like I need to add something in seaglass.
I have a couple lamps that need a makeover in my spare bedroom that would look lovely in this color.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Christy says
Aww yay!! Thank you, Deb! Yes, Sea Glass is such a beautiful color…perfect for a set of lamps! XOXO
Laurie Thurman says
I love your blog and posts, but during this pandemic they are even more uplifting! Thank you so much. I have so many projects lined up for late spring and summer!!!
Christy says
Aww I appreciate that so much, Laurie! This is helping me too! 🙂 XOXO
Nancy @ Artsy Chicks Rule says
These turned out so good!!! I bet she is just thrilled with them! xoxo
Christy says
Thank you, my beautiful friend! She loved them!! XOXO
Sue Mellette says
Love the makeover on both pieces. SeaGlass is such a calming color and I love what you did with the drawers. You never disappoint. Thanks – Also, thanks for letting us know about the free shipping on orders over $50.00. I have already purchased two orders from your Etsy store! Stay healthy!
Christy says
Thank you, Sue! This really is such a serene color, I agree! And thank you so much for supporting my little side business…buying from me is like getting tech support with your paint ha ha! XOXO
Julie Hall says
These look absolutely amazing. Well done and lucky neighbour.
Christy says
Thanks so much, Julie! She loved them! XOXO
Cate says
Oh my! That is so lovely, fresh, and sweet!! What a great job you did. When I first saw the picture at the top I thought, “OHHHH I HOPE that’s not the finished piece!!!” Phew! Thank you for all the lovely creative things you do! I really appreciate seeing them.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Cate! Ha ha no way! And you are so welcome…I feel so blessed that I can still do this with all that’s going on! XOXO
Candy says
Beautiful job! Lucky young lady to have you as a neighbor.
Blessings to you, Candy
Christy says
Thank you, Candy! She is super sweet and I’m so glad I could do this for her! XOXO
Toni says
That sweet desk and nigh stand turned out so beautifully! That color along with the whitewash is PERFECT! Wow, what a difference!
Christy says
Thank you, Toni! I love the outcome too! XOXO
Janice Holt says
There is no comparison to the before and after of these two pieces. They look so pretty now and no doubt she’s pleased. Great job as always. Stay safe and healthy.
Christy says
Thank you, Janice! She loved it for sure! Stay safe too! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
And that’s why we save all the little bits and pieces of wood 😉 Olivia is one lucky girl to have such a beautiful set for her bedroom! As nice as Sea Glass is, it looks even better with the dry brushing. You did a great job bringing life back to this sad furniture, Christy.
Christy says
Ha ha yes!! We save it all…our hoarding is finally paying off! Olivia loved it so much and it was a fun challenge! Thank you, Marcie!! XOXO
Vicki says
Super cute! Love the color.
Christy says
Thanks, Vicki! XOXO
Frances Blunt says
Christy, This is beautiful. I have hesitated to buy furniture with formica tops but this gave me the courage to buy them. My mom had this type French Provincial Dining room. I had it professionally stripped from gold and stained cherry. We used it for years until we moved and sold it. How I wish I still had it. I used to call it Early Whorehouse when it was gold and white!
Christy says
Thank you, Frances! Yes you can paint over the tops on these pieces! I bet your Mom’s set was gorgeous…and ha ha Early Whorehouse lol! XOXO
Sherry Stuifbergen says
I KNOW the neighbor girl loves these pieces. I appears to be a “new” set! Fabulous job, as usual!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Sherry! She really loves them! XOXO
Cheryl Atkinson says
Hi Christy! Very Beachy and pretty. I’m sure she loved it.
Christy says
Thank you, Cheryl! She did for sure! XOXO
LORRI RAUSCHER says
Stunning..Olivia is a very lucky girl. ❤
Christy says
Thank you, Lorri! XOXO
Kate says
That’s just beautiful!
Christy says
Thank you, Kate!! XOXO
Shirley says
Christy, it is lovely. I know your young neighbor thinks so too. The color is perfect 👌🏾 and a great contrast to her freshly painted walls. I think Sea Glass is “beachy” but due to the style of these two pieces, is quite feminine, as well. I have a chest of drawers that is identical in style to these pieces. After having seen a post on your blog , I “borrowed” what you had done. I painted the piece white and did stripes in a silvery grey. Everyone that as seen it gave it rave reviews. I have, since doing that chest, “borrowed” a few more of your ideas. You have inspired me and given me confidence to try. Thank you and please keep on doing what you do so well.
Christy says
Thank you, Shirley! Olivia loves it! And I LOVE that you have put some of my ideas to work…that is the best and I love hearing that! XOXO
Donna Nance says
Gorgeous! Love the color. Wow, such a transformation. It’s always fun to look back at decor and wonder what we were thinking…ha!
Christy says
Thanks, Donna! Oh yes for sure! I wish I had a picture of that bathroom we sponge painted…horrendous ha ha! XOXO
LYNN SCHAUCHULIS says
Did you paint over the old paint or had to strip the entire piece ?
Can you also paint over a painted piece of furniture ?
thank you
Lynn
Christy says
Hi Lynn! I sanded the tops down completely and then sanded the bodies of each piece just enough to take away the glossy paint finish. XO
Anna says
Hi Christy, this makeover is just perfect! What a beautiful set for a young lady’s room. So sweet. I am loving this color too. You have done it again. Thanks for the inspiration!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Anna! It was really fun doing this set for a sweet young lady! XOXO
Margie says
How I wish I was Olivia 😉
Christy says
Aww…she loved them! 😊
Judy E. says
Love what you did with these. Trying to muster the courage to paint my Ethan Allen cherry bedroom set.
Christy says
Thank you, Judy! It took me years to paint our bedroom set and my only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner! I know it’s hard to take that leap though! XOXO
ROSE LEFEBVRE says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE both pieces!!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Rose! XOXO
Charleen says
This is a beautiful transformation!!!Absolutely gorgeous.i am sure your young neighbor will fall in love with her set. Continue the Fab work you do ,and God Bless you and your talents.
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Charleen! My neighbor was thrilled with her “new” set! XOXO
Addie says
A wonder to behold!!! Olivia must be thrilled!!! Growing up I had the same set with a dresser to match…..but NOT those colors!!! Mine was white with gold trim.
Have a great weekend…??? I am not even sure what day it is!!!
Christy says
Thank you, Addie! Olivia was so happy with her “new” furniture! I love those old white and gold pieces and I have redone a couple of them! And ha ha… It’s only Tuesday, but I will have a great weekend when it gets here lol thank you! XOXO
Marie says
I bet Olivia was thrilled with her pretty furniture. What a difference!
Christy says
She really was, Marie! I had a lot of fun playing with this set! Thank you! XOXO
Lizzy says
So pretty. I love that color!
Christy says
Thank you, Lindsay! XOXO
Christy says
That should be Lizzy… Ha ha I am using the voice thingy on my phone LOL! XO
M. Constance Colvin says
These pieces were a lot of work what with sanding and painting the inside of the drawers, but you make it seem easy Christy! What a great transformation! ;-D
Christy says
Thank you so much, Connie! This one was fun to bring back to life! XOXO
Glenda says
“Beautiful” What a change and such a terrific job, as always!!!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Glenda! XOXO
Sharon says
Gorgeous!
Christy says
Thank you, Sharon! XOXO
Christina says
Christy, these are a total WOW!!! I know Olivia is thrilled. 🙂 Way go to !!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Christina! Olivia loved them for sure! See you Thursday! XOXO
Melinda says
Oh my gosh, what a difference! That little nightstand is so cute and curvy now, whereas before you couldn’t notice the shape because of the crazy colors. Beautiful transformation on them both!
Christy says
Thank you, Melinda! Yes, I agree…it was hard to see past all the wild colors! XOXO
Carla says
Wow! Just beautiful! I love the lines of the furniture and the dry brushing was perfect.
Christy says
Thanks so much, Carla! I love the pretty lines of these French provincial pieces! XOXO
Pam Walsh says
Such an amazing transformation!!! The color is perfect !
Christy says
Thank you, Pam! XOXO
Marian says
Oh Christy, your style, your workmanship, your attention to detail is amazing. I want the desk and nightstand. They are my style. Your patience in fixing every detail is unbelievable. Why can’t you sell your fabulous furniture to us in Ca? I would pay for the shipping. I just love your work!!!!!!!
Christy says
Aww you are so sweet, Marian! Thank you!! I wish I could ship these larger pieces! XOXO
Kathy says
Hi Christy – what a beautiful makeover! Olivia must be over the moon with the new look – still trying to work up the courage to start the vintage magazine rack – have the supplies so no more excuses!
Christy says
Thank you, Kathy! She really loved how it turned out! If you’re feeling nervous to start on your special piece, paint something small that you don’t care as much about just to practice! You got this! XOXO
julia jae says
How absolutely beautiful! Olivia must be thrilled!
Christy says
Thank you, Julia! She really loved how it turned out! XOXO
Nancy says
Ohmygosh, I’m in love! I’m all about beachy and pastels and light colours and this desk and night stand are just perfection to my eyes. Such an amazing job, Christy. Wow!
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Nancy!! This sounds like it fits your style perfectly!! XOXO
Cate says
What a beautiful transformation you made out of those two pieces!!! I’m so inspired by you. I wish you were my next door neighbor!!!🤗. Be safe Christy❤️
Christy says
You are so sweet, Cate! Thank you!! You stay safe too! XOXO
Kim says
Christy, I admit when I first saw your post I thought you were showing off your latest work and I thought, “This pandemic has made this girl lose her mind!” 😆😆😆 I should have known better! The desk and nightstand are lovely-lucky Olivia!
Christy says
Oh ha ha!! I couldn’t get rid of that old paint job fast enough! Thanks, Kim!! XOXO
Sheila DelCharco says
So SO pretty!! I have been working on projects around here and posting to my stories. Some friends are asking me questions so I’m referring a lot of people to your blog 🙂
Christy says
Thank you, Sheila!! I appreciate that so much, and I love that you are working on projects…such a great distraction!! XOXO
Norma says
Christy, this is gorgeous!!!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Norma!! XOXO
Phyllis says
What a transformation! Ugly duckling to beautiful swan. Always a pleasure to see your keen design eye. Great job.
Christy says
I’m so glad you liked this one, Phyllis! Thank you so much!! XOXO
Karen A Cronk says
Wow! What a difference paint can make! Beautiful color, beautiful results!
Christy says
Thank you, Karen! And what craziness paint can create too, right ha ha? XOXO
Petra says
One of my fave colours 😀 I bet it looks lovely with the grey walls in her bedroom. Have a very happed and blessed Easter weekend xo hugs from Australia!
Christy says
Oh yay! I love this color too…so calm and serene. Thank you, I hope you enjoy a blessed Easter as well!! XOXO
Trisha G says
Hi Christy! First off, thank you for sending me to your post about cabinet doors and using a wooden piece to replace glass. I am curious though, how do you remove glass without breaking it? Do you have a post about that? I know I should probably just Search it, but I have another question for you too! I’ve noticed that you usually sand down the tops of pieces and then scuff up the sides. I’m curious why this is your process instead of either scuffing the whole thing or completely sanding the whole thing? And did you need an extra coat on the top to match the bottom? (Okay, two more questions!) Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us!
Christy says
Hi Trish! On the back of the glass door, there should be very thin molding nailed in place around the frame to keep the glass in. You should be able to remove that. Or sometimes there may be a piece of rubber wedged in all the way around that can be pulled out. Then you can remove the glass. As for sanding, I usually only sand the tops if the original finish is peeling or not perfect for painting over. You will see any imperfections through the paint. I only sand the sides in a case like this one where it was already painted in a high gloss with lots of brush strokes and I wanted to smooth it out and dull the surface. If the top and sides are in good condition, I don’t sand or scuff at all prior…just give it a good cleaning. Hope this answers your questions! XOXO
Mary says
Another amazing transformation Christy! Just beautiful! I really didn’t notice the lines of the piece before or the hardware, my eyes so busy with the “loud” colors! But you did them justice to bring them back to such beauty..I’m always amazed how much the lighter colors you use really enhance the features of each piece. One day maybe I will be brave enough to paint some of our wood pieces too! Thank you for continuing to inspire! 🙂
Christy says
Thank you so much, Mary!! The colors were very busy on this set before for sure! Maybe you can start with a small piece and see how it goes? Have a great weekend! XOXO
KATHY BINKLEY says
Christy when I saw that deep blue and green I knew that would be a job but not surprised at all at the finished piece . Taking a ugly and making a beauty is just your style . Its your passion and we can see it. I love to see the aftermath. It was beautiful!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Kathy!! I enjoyed the challenge of this one!! XOXO
Cindy Davis says
Hey Christy!
These pieces turned out VERY nicely. I like the dry-brush effect (I also love distressed) and the white pulls as contrast, the lovely glass knob—and you were smart with the trim on the drawer! You were also clever with the wall paint on the drawer interiors! On a different note: On another post, I said I admired your many comments. You were so gracious to take a look at my blog. I knew I wanted to preview posts with a “read more” link to the whole post, But didn’t know how. You prompted me to really research that. End result: I discovered something I wasn’t using that accomplished that, which drove me on to many more improvements on my blog to make it much more user friendly. Thank you! Also, I want to compliment you on your photography and lighting, and your writing is folksy and error free, which makes reading it a pleasure. 🙂 You make a very attractive blog!
Christy says
Thank you, Cindy!! I appreciate all your kind words so much! I’m so glad you were able to tweak your site to make it more user friendly! I think that will really help. So glad to have you here! XOXO