Hello beautiful friends!! I’m back today with a dainty little painted antique side table. One of my awesome former neighbors reached out to me in the fall to let me know she had a few things that I might be interested in.
I was so pleasantly surprised when one of those pieces was this pretty side table:
I am always drawn to older pieces. They just don’t make things like they used to!
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the product I love.
This table wasn’t without its issues though.
The veneer on the drawer fronts were coming loose, so I secured those with wood glue:
The top had several scratches and the veneer on one of the sides was coming off:
I had no choice but to remove it on that side, and since it seemed pretty loose, I did that with the help of a razor scraper:
However, I ended up gouging it in a few areas where it was stuck more securely. A better way to handle that would have been to lay it on its side and apply a very wet towel to the area and leave it sit for a day or so to loosen the glue.
To fill in the boo boo areas, I used Dixie Mud:
Sand
Once it was completely dry, I sanded it with my corner cat sander using 220 grit sandpaper:
I also filled in the scratches on the top and sanded those as well.
I vacuumed up all the sanding dust with my shop vac and brush attachment.
Clean
I usually like to clean BEFORE I Mud since the Mud is water soluble, but I got right to filling in the gouges this time.
Then, I mixed up some White Lightning and gave this piece a good cleaning, being sure to be careful around the freshly Mudded areas:
I like to mix a fresh tub for each project. You just add a TBSP of White Lightning to a half gallon of warm water and stir. It is a degreaser and a deglosser and gloves are recommended. Give your piece another wipe down with clean water to remove any residue.
Prime for bleed through prevention
It seems like I use BOSS for just about all my painting jobs, but the truth is, I am always drawn to these older cherry and mahogany pieces that love to bleed! If you have a piece that is newer than, say the 80’s or so, you will rarely need BOSS first and can go straight to painting with chalk paint.
I gave this piece one coat of white BOSS and let it sit overnight to allow plenty of time for it to do its thing:
I chose white because I was heading in another direction, but would have chosen clear instead for this project.
Paint
I had originally chosen Sea Glass and I did stick with that, giving it two coats total using my favorite Mini Angle Brush:
I had planned to add Black Wax, so I first needed to seal with Best Dang Wax in clear which I applied with my Best Dang Brush:
If you are applying a darker wax, the chalk paint really soaks it up, so always apply clear wax first.
Then I buffed away the excess with a clean, soft cloth:
I buy these cotton cloths in large bags at Lowe’s. They look like cut up men’s undershirts and they are fantastic!
I just loved how pretty and fresh this color was on this piece as is, so I chose not to add the black wax after all. I did go back and sand a little on the edges and legs, etc to distress though and this piece was done!
Antique Painted Side Table After
Here is how this table looks now!
Sometimes a simple paint job is all you need.
I swapped out the original pulls for these dainty glass ones…
The drawers
These drawers were a snug fit, so I couldn’t paint the sides, but I did hydrate them with Big Mama’s Butta:
I also added some to the bottoms of the drawers to help them slide better.
For the inside, I had a little more fun. I painted the bottoms in Sea Glass and then added stripes with Drop Cloth:
And of course, I couldn’t resist a little transfer surprise as well with this piece from the Gilded Floral Mini Transfer:
Peek a boo!
Thank you, neighbor, for thinking of me!!
I loved giving this one a fresh new look! I hope y’all enjoyed it too!
Either way, that’s another one done!!
Here is what I’ve competed from this haul so far:
Pretty in Blue Box Makeover
A Great way to Repurpose a Chair
Painting the Smalls #20 (Six mini makeovers!)
White Painted Desk with Transfer
I’ll be back on Thursday with my furniture fixer upper girls and this cool piece:
See ya then!
UPDATE: No need to wait! See what color I chose for this piece HERE now!
XOXO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
If you like what you see, there are several ways to follow along!
EMAIL * INSTAGRAM * FACEBOOK * PINTEREST
Get FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $50. No code needed at checkout! Orders under $50 always enjoy $8 flat rate shipping! Most orders ship same or next business day!
Mary Kaiser says
Oh it is so fresh and pretty now! I love the stripes in the drawers, and that transfer is such a fun surprise inside. I love the size of that piece, and it has drawers to hide all of the stuff you need by your chair is great!
Christy says
Thank you, Mary! I too love petite pieces like this that can go anywhere! Apologies for the typos…I usually write my post, and then go back an hour or so later with fresh eyes to edit, but I must not have hit “update” once I did so yesterday lol. Have a great day! XOXO
Jackie C says
I love how this one turned out! ❤️❤️
Christy says
Thank you so much, Jackie! Sometimes, paint alone can do wonders! XOXO
Susan says
Love it! Well done!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Susan! XOXO
Rebecca says
GORGEOUS! I love the bouquet and presentation.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Rebecca! XOXO
Cecilia says
Ooo, pretty! I love how the paint makes all the details of the piece show up. It is such a pretty piece. The drawers are fun. Do you wax them too? Have a great week!
Cecilia
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! Yes, sometimes I even notice things that I didn’t before once I paint! I did wax the drawers too. Enjoy your week also!! XOXO
Vicki says
Such a pretty little piece! I am also a sucker for cute little chests and tables. I had wondered if you could sand to distress and let the original wood color show after using white primer (as opposed to clear), so I guess this answers my question, it looks great!
Christy says
Thank you, Vicki! Yes, you can, but you may see a bit of the white up close. With this beachy color, that was ok, but if you didn’t want that, I would go with the clear BOSS instead. XOXO
Tracey A. says
I wish I was your neighbor!
Christy says
Aww I would love a neighbor that enjoyed DIYing like I do… but then I might out you to work too ha ha! XOXO
Niki says
Sea glass is so cheery I think! What a sweet little side table with the dainty glass knobs. Your peek-a-boo surprise in the drawer is perfect. Also- I don’t know why, but your preview picture for Thursday has me singing Copacabana and thinking of Ernest Hemingway.
Christy says
I agree…I love this pretty color! Thank you, Niki! You’ll see tomorrow what direction I went lol…it’s not white! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
Love the shape of this table, Christy, and the color suits it perfectly. And the little surprises inside add some fun!
Christy says
Thank you, Marcie! It is a great shape! Glad you enjoyed it, my friend! XOXO
Gayle Stewart says
Love this dainty piece! Wonderful job, as always. One of the things that I enjoy about your blog is that you always mention when you make a boo-boo choice and then tell your readers how to fix it. Keeps it real for us untrained DIYers!
Christy says
Thank you, Gayle! Oh yes, I encounter my share of boo boos for sure lol! XOXO
Jen says
So cute! I’m a sucker for tables like this. Would you have primed it if you were painting it a darker color? I have cherry end tables that I’m going to paint black or charcoal. Thanks
Christy says
Thanks, Jen! Cute tables like this are hard to come by at thrift stores these days, so I was so happy to see this when my friend offered it to me! I would not have primed had I planned to use a really dark color like Navy or black since you would not have seen any bleeding come through those darker colors. You should be fine to skip it! XOXO
Roseann Squire says
So fresh and pretty!
Christy says
Thank you, Roseann! XOXO
Patrice Adamson says
My last project was to take a small desk like you have shown in your pictures (white). I cut it apart into two bedsideside tables, removing the center piece.
Christy says
That’s awesome when you can get two pieces out of one! There is probably a higher need for two bedside tables verses desks or vanities too! XOXO
Sharon L Austin says
Love love love. I wish I could just have you come re-do all the furniture in my house LOL
Christy says
Thank you, Sharon! Wouldn’t that be so fun?? XOXO
Kimmylouwho says
This turned out great! I just love learning about your process. That gilded flower in the drawer is super cute! What a nice side table in someone’s bedroom!
Christy says
Thank you, Kimmylouwho! It is fun for me to see it coming together step by step too! XOXO
Denise Zdziennicki says
A beautiful fresh look with the sea glass! And I love the glass knobs as well! XOXO
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! You know I love my glass knobs lol! XOXO
Charleen says
It is pretty!The color really shows all the details. Love the peek a boo!. Have a blessed day. Enjoy your talented makeovers. Take care.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Charleen! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! XOXO
p says
Such a sweet long legged table.
Bravo !!!!
Christy says
Thank you, P!! XOXO
Rose Lefebvre says
BEAUTIFUL!!! You pay such attention to detail and make a piece perfect.
Christy says
Aww I appreciate that, Rose, thank you!! XOXO
Michele M. says
Love it!!!!! It’s gorgeous! WOW, so right about what a little bit of paint can do to magically transform a piece. Looks EXCELLENT and will sell fast to some lucky person!!!! What a pretty color!
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! Yes…paint is magic for sure! XOXO
Mary King says
It’s beautiful! Had good lines to begin with, but now it’s so sweet. You did an excellent job highlighting all of it’s charm. You really know how to showcase pieces with carved details.
Christy says
Thank you, Mary! I appreciate that so much! I still haven’t come across pieces that were as beautiful as yours though! XOXO
Cecilia from Georgia says
Seaglass steals the show! Sweet makeover and the inside of the drawers has become your signature!
Christy says
For sure! I love this pretty coastal color! Thank you, Cecilia! You know I had to have fun with the drawers! 😀 XOXO
lisa says
The table looks great. You inspire me to try. I really enjoy seeing the transformations.
Christy says
Thank you, Lisa! You can totally do this!! XOXO
susan says
You’re so right about a simple makeover! This one is beautiful!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Susan! Sometimes a simple paint job is all you need! XOXO
Debra Hubbs says
So pretty! The drawers bring so much to it!
Christy says
Thank you, Debra! They do make it fun! XOXO
AJ says
OMG!
You killed it.
Christy says
Thank you so much, AJ! XOXO
Janice Holt says
Had to wait until today to see Tues’ beautiful table. I’ve been having trouble with my computer and got your email with no content but that happens every now and then. I love the color of the table and what a sweet surprise in the drawer. Never disappointed. Now I’ll look at your post for today.
Christy says
Oh no, I’m so sorry you had to wait, Janice! You can always go directly to my site if that happens again and it will be the first makeover. (www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com) Thank you, my friend! XOXO
Marietta Walker says
I am so glad you stopped yourself from putting the black on. The shape and elegance of the table alreay says. “I am old and beautiful, but dress me up too much and I will just look old and tired.”
It is just a wonderfully beautiful refurbish and she wears your update well.
Christy says
Aww thank you, Marietta! I am glad I skipped the black too. She was just too pretty as is! XOXO
Estella says
Beautiful, such lovely creations.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Estella! XOXO
Cappy says
Use a heat gun. They’re inexpensive. You won’t gouge the wood under the veneer if you don’t slip up. Heat gun and a putty knife will quickly remove it. Melt that glue underneath and you might be able to peel it off with one hand after starting it with the putty knife.
Also, you can purchase sheets of pre-glued veneer, as well as plain sheets of it, off eBay.
Christy says
I have a heat gun…will have to try that! Thanks for the tip! XO