Hello beautiful friends! Today I’m sharing a queen anne bench makeover that sure looks a whole lot different than where it began!
This bench is one of threee pieces my sweet reader friend, Dianne, gave me:
You can see the other two pieces HERE and HERE if you like.
This bench was in good shape aside from a stain and some pilling on the fabric. I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
Prep & Paint
I started this makeover by removing the top, which was just held in place by a few screws. Then I chose Dixie Belle’s Drop Cloth for this one since it matched a pretty fabric I found in my dwindling stash. I gave it two coats:
Drop cloth is a good match for Annie Sloan’s Old White and has no yellow undertones. And as you can see, it is about the same color as a traditional drop cloth!
Sand & Seal
When the paint was dry, I sanded the legs and distressed just a little here and there with 220 grit sandpaper wrapped around an old sanding block. I followed up with a coat of Clear Coat in satin to seal, that I applied with the blue sponge.
Cover with Fabric
Since the original foam was in good shape, I just covered right over it. I used my cheapie staple gun to secure it to the back:
It needed something else…
When I was done, I thought it could use a little something else, so I decided to pull out these old nail heads I had removed from these French provincial chairs years ago:
I just eye-balled them and used a mallet instead of a hammer so it wouldn’t damage the naturally aged finish.
The result
I love the end result and the detail the nail heads added…
The Drop Cloth works perfectly with this gorgeous fabric I found on clearance at Hancock Fabrics several years ago:
You know that was a long time ago since Hancocks has long been out of business!
And yay! I got to use my wedding shoes again!
The nail heads really add character…
This would be perfect at the foot of the bed, wouldn’t it?
Only two more things left in this haul!! Can you see what they are?
If you missed any or want to revisit any of these pieces, you can find them here:
Repurposed Thrift Store Frames
Queen Anne Table Makeover & Mirror too!
$5 Dressing Table Bench Makeover
Thrifted Metal Wall Decor Makeover and a Brand New Thrift shop Shakedown Video!
There is a tiny angel in there and these trays that I will be back to share for Trash-to-Treasure Tuesday!
Update: See how these trays look now HERE!!
XOXO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
If you like what you see, there are several ways to follow along!
Mary Kaiser says
Oh how exciting that your thrift store has reopened. I always look forward to your post. I LOVE how the sweet little bench turned out, the color goes perfect with that beautiful fabric. The nails add just the right amount of charm to the piece. I would so love this bench at the foot of my bed.
Christy says
I know!! I was SO excited to see cars in the parking lot finally as I was driving by…you know I did a u-turn real quick ha ha! Thank you!! This was a fun piece to work on. Have a great weekend! XOXO
Karen says
Love this piece!
You did a shelf sometime ago, 80’s heart shelf.
I have the same one in storage and when I read your project on it, I knew I had to find it and do the same as you did your’s. I will send a pic when it’s all done.
Thank you for giving me so much inspiration.
Karen McGee
Christy says
Thank you, Karen! Yes, please send a pic…I’d love to see it!! XOXO
Christina Wilson says
Gorgeous! Oh my stars, Christy. This is a beauty! The nail head trim was an inspired addition. Love it!!
xo
Christy says
Thank you, Christina!! I have gotten a lot of use out of those old nail heads! Enjoy your weekend, my friend! XOXO
Cecilia from Georgia says
Nice makeover! I’m not a fan of nail heads but they really add character to this bench. I finally got to go to a big thrift mall too and it was so therapeutic!! Our Goodwill opened and a security guard takes every ones temperature!! Strange new world!! Have a great week end and be safe and strong!
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! I’m so glad you got to go thrifting woohoo! I feel the exact same way…it is like therapy for me! I hope you found some goodies. No one was taking our temps, but I guess it doesn’t hurt to be too cautious? You have a great weekend!! XOXO
Brenda says
Well done as expected!
Christy says
Aww thank you, Brenda!! XOXO
Cecilia says
I love this one! The nailhead trim is just the finishing touch it needed to make it feel extra special! I know I say this a lot, but paint does wonders on these mahogany/cherry pieces. I really want to paint my old bookcases. Need to find out what I need to do so. You don’t prime them, right? Just the Dixie Belle paint?
Thanks,
Cecilia
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! Yes, paint works miracles for sure! If your bookcases are antique cherry or mahogany, you may experience bleed-through, and for that, you would just need a coat of BOSS first. (It comes in white and clear…use white if you plan to paint your bookcases white.) Let them dry overnight and you can follow up with paint. No sanding needed first, just a good cleaning. If they are not antique and are not those red woods, you can usually go straight to painting. I did a post and a video on how I chalk paint furniture, and you can see both here: https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/how-to-paint-furniture-using-chalk-paint/. Hope this helps! XOXO
Mary Smart says
Christy, I just love all of the pieces that you refurbish. Do you ever keep any of the pieces you redo or do most of them go to your shop? I love using drop cloth fabric for projects too!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Mary! I am always tempted to keep some of my pieces, but most of them go to my booth at a local antique mall. XOXO
Maryellen Webber says
The bench would be perfect for the end of a bed! Love the drop cloth color, the fabric and the nail heads! I also love the rose print/painting above the table, it’s beautiful! I’m looking forward to seeing your haul from the thrift store! Hooray!
Christy says
Thank you, Maryellen! I’ve gotten a lot of use out of those old nail heads! I’ll share my haul soon…I found some real goodies!! XOXO
Denise Cox says
Dang, Christy!!! Everything you touch turns to gold!!! It’s lovely… and so is that fabric!!! I love how you use the same Dixie Belle colors over and over as it gives me a true sense of how they look, versus snippets of samples that your see online ( if you see any at all). Sometimes it’s difficult for me to distinguish any difference between the colors as they are in the same family. So, thank – you for that. I do have a question. How are you able to save those nails without damaging them? It’s difficult for me to understand since I’m not a DIY’er. Alas, that does not keep me from enjoying and learning!!!! š š. I’ll tell you one thing, if I lived near you, we’d be ‘ best buds’… and I’d be broke from shopping in your store… š. But, that’s a good thing!!
Christy says
Aww I appreciate that so much, Denise, thank you!! I forgot all about this fabric…it really is lovely! I’m glad you can get a better feel for the colors with what I share. As for the nail heads, I pulled them out with needle-nosed pliers, so they weren’t damaged. Some of them needed the nail part straightened out, but that’s about it. I bet we would be great friends!! XOXO
Cindy D says
Great job. I love the nail heads too. Gave it that little something something. I also LOVE the pic of the roses in the gilded frame. Gorgeous all together…..with your wedding shoes. š
Cindy
Christy says
Thank you, Cindy! The framed roses was another project you can see here: https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/inexpensive-wall-decor-in-the-dining-room/ And yes, I was so happy to bring out my wedding shoes lol! XOXO
Cindy D says
You’re a genius. I love your comment…no going back now. I can so relate to that. lol Thank you for the link. I pinned it. š
Christy says
Aww thanks! I was so happy that project worked out! And yep… there was no going back lol! XO
Cheryl Atkinson says
Hi Christy! The bench is so pretty. Drop cloth is such a good color. I can’t wait to see the trays on Tuesday. I’m going thru all of your smalls to try and get inspiration. i have so much on my mind lately and the whole world has gone crazy so i am painting all the things. Sometimes i feel like sending you pictures of what i’m working on and asking you what i should do. LOL I have said it before and i will keep saying it. I don’t know what i would do without you. š
Christy says
Thank you, Cheryl! Drop cloth is a perfect cream color! If you ever need inspiration, just enter whatever you’re working on in the search field in my sidebar and any projects I have done relating to what you have will come up! I’m so glad to serve as a distraction during these crazy times! š XOXO
Janice Holt says
Love the bench and the fabric goes so well with the color. The nail heads just made it. So you got to go thrifting (yah). Me and my sister are going to Goodwill in Lawrenceburg, Tn today. It’s about an hour’s drive from where I live. So glad you go to go and found some goodies. Have a great week-end.
Christy says
Thank you, Janice! I was so excited to see they were open! I hope you found some goodies today! Thatās wonderful that you have your sister to go with you. My sister says thrift stores give her the heebie-jeebies LOL! I can talk her into going every once in a while though LOL. I hope you have a great weekend too! XOXO
Denise - Salvaged Inspirations says
This is a stunning makeover! I love the added character the nail heads add! And lucky YOU! No thrift stores have opened up here. Have a super day my friend. XOXO
Christy says
Aww thank you, my beautiful friend! I was so excited to see my favorite store finally open again!! Hopefully yours will open soon!! XOXO
Kimberly Wollmer says
Beautiful! The nail heads add just the right touch.
Christy says
Thanks so much, Kimberly! XOXO
Sue H Mellette says
Beautiful makeover! I love the added nail heads and the soft colors. Yes, would be perfect at the foot of the bed! As always, thanks for sharing. Tuesdays and Thursdays are my favorite days!!!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Sue! I am so glad you look forward to what I share…that made my day! Have a great weekend! XOXO
Shirley Lange says
Elegant! The color is perfect with the fabric. Yep! The end of an elegantly made bed should be its home. The curved shape of the legs finishes off the elegant look. Your mind must always be working, Christy.
Christy says
Thank you, Shirley! I agree…this style of furniture is very elegant already. That made my job easy! And yes, ha ha! Iām always thinking about the next project! XOXO
ROSE LEFEBVRE says
Such a lovely piece! That fabric is cool!
Christy says
Thank you, Rose! XOXO
Judy Kulmaczeski says
Terrific makeover! I think that the trays and a little green figurine are left!
Christy says
Thank you, Judy! Yep, youāre right! š XOXO
Linda says
Hello, love your work
So beautifully done
How would you redo a oil based painted Hutch bottom piece
I have never attempted oil based painted furniture
Fortunately it is a cream color,
Thx for any suggestions
Linda
InsideEtc & Design
Christy says
Thank you, Linda! I would lightly sand the surface with 220 grit sandpaper to give the new paint something to grip onto and you should be good to go! XOXO
Nancy @ Artsy Chicks Rule says
Yay!! New stuff…thrift shopping…woohoo!! I haven’t been shopping at home yet but did do a little in the OBX. Gotta go soon though…I need some new stuff! And love your little bench with the nailhead trim…and wedding shoes, aw, sweet! xoxo
Christy says
Thanks, Nancy! I saw you finally made it down there! I know you were so happy to get to go. And yes…I have been patiently waiting for that Goodwill closest to my house to reopen and it finally did yesterday! Thrifting was so therapeutic!! XOXO
Denise says
You did good. Love it!!
Christy says
Thank you, Denise! XOXO
Rosie says
Just lovely! And the the nail heads was a nice touch.
Christy says
Thank you, Rosie! XOXO
Petra says
I like Dropcloth, such a nice colour š Love the fabric too. I just love bench seats tho’ and that one is super lovely xo
Christy says
Thanks, Petra! Drop cloth is a lovely color, and I had forgotten all about this fabric. I was so happy to find it as my stash is dwindling fast! Have a great weekend! XOXO
Laurie Nix says
I love this transformation! Like you said it needed some TLC and simply painting and new fabric made all the difference. What has motivated me to comment is the fabric you used. It’s subtle and I absolutely love it! Although it’s similar in color to what was previously there it updates the look and the nailheads are the frosting on the cake. Always enjoy your projects and looking forward to seeing what you do with your new “smalls” in your basket!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Laurie! I love that fabric too…I had forgotten I had it! I’m so glad you enjoy what I share. I’ll share what I got in my first post-shutdown haul soon! XOXO
Dianne Noffke says
I love it! Christy you are such an inspiration to me. That fabric is beautiful and the whole look is just gorgeous.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Dianne! I’m so glad you like how it turned out! It didn’t need much work! Enjoy your weekend, my friend! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
The fabric is pretty fabulous and looks great with the paint. I cannot believe you saved the nailheads, Christy – you think of everything. (Of course, you know I had to go back and re-read the post about the chairs – baby Brennan!) Now that the garage haul is almost finished, I’m looking forward to seeing what you got on your latest shopping trip š
Christy says
Thank you, Marcie! Oh how I miss those baby days! Of course, Brennan is fun at this age too and you know I’m clinging to him for dear life now that Jack is getting ready to go off to college lol! I’ll be sharing what I got in my latest shopping trip and what I got in my Mother’s Day haul soon! Have a great week! XOXO