{Coffee Table Redo}

Somehow in my search through sewing blogs for fun tutorials, I kept coming across furniture redos.  I've always been interested in doing it and did recently refinish my high school bedroom set to be far more attractive.



I did not repaint the original mirror.  I replaced it with one I already had, which was from TJ Maxx for $30!


When I found the tutorial for the framed mirror from Show & Tell, I saw that the person who wrote it had another blog called Sweet Pickins, which showcases/sells refinished furniture. 

I. Love. This. Furniture!

I decided to try a few new techniques instead of the whole sand. prime. paint with black. technique.

I showed my husband this table from Sweet Pickins -he loved it- and gave me "permission" to refinish the downstairs coffee table ($30 Craigslist Buy) just like it (in case you didn't know, the basement is apparently his "man cave" that has given birth to some- let's call it heated discussion- about decor).  I'm thankful he's willing to have this piece in his cave!  Here is my inspiration:

I loooooof the contrasting top and legs.  Our coffee table actually looks a lot like this, but on a small scale.  But how do you do this? 

I used this tutorial from, none other than Show & Tell, to figure it out.  Fantastic!  I also consulted with the paint specialists at Home Depot and they helped a ton.

Here is the transformation:

Here is what you need:



Previous owners left us some wood finish, so that's how I got it for free!



• Furniture with character
• Primer- water based!  (Do not try to paint a water-based paint onto an oil-based primer.  It will.not.work.  Oil-based paint on a water-based primer is kosher!)
• Any paint (nothing special- just what you would put on the wall!  Have then mix your favorite color!)  Purchase it in eggshell.
• Top color paint- I used black oil-based that I had leftover.  In the future, I'd get the Glidden wall paint.  The oil paint didn't seem to appreciate being painted over primer OR being covered by Poly Acrylic!
• Faux glaze
• Stain or paint to tint the glaze (I used stain)
• Polyacrylic Topcoat
• Paintbrushed (duh!)

Here is what I did:

• Take table apart and prop top up on saw horses.  We bought these at Home Depot for $25/Set.  Paint with water based primer {the legs were primed and set on the ground}.

• Paint the sides and legs with the colored paint- again, I used Glidden Eggshell from Home Depot.  My color is called Dessert Khaki.  I was amazed by how smooth this paint went on over the primer.  Paint 2 coats.

• Have your {handsome} strong husband flip the table over on its back.  I was going to have him put towels on the horses to protect the top of the table, but he ran down to the garage to do this for me before I could blink, so no towels.  It worked out fine!  Tape the table sides so that your "top" paint doesn't run.  I just used leftover painter's tape we had from painting our bedrooms.  Paint the bottom of the top of the table (does that even make sense?) with 2 coats of black paint.  I used the black oil-based paint leftover from the chair redo.  You can paint oil based paint onto water based primer, just not the other way around.



It takes a few coats =)

• Glazing time!  Mix the glaze with wood stain, 3 parts to 1.  I put it in a stone casserole dish and it washed clean when I was finished.  I thought the glaze looked totally sketch, but it went with it anyway.  Looks odd, but it's right!  

• Paint it onto the sides/legs- it can be sloppy!- and rub it off after about 1 minute with an old T-Shirt or towel.  Make sure you leave glaze in the cracks and some on the flat areas.  It's what gives it character!  Repeat at least twice.  

Wax On...

Wax off! -click to enlarge!

• Flip table back on it's front so that you can paint the top of the table.  I put on 3 coats of the black paint.  Once it was dried, coat with 2 thin coats of the Poly Acrylic sealer (smallest can!).  Put it back together and Voila!

Love it!  First glazing experience turned out great.  Excited to do more!  I was a little hesitant to leave on a lot of glaze, so next time I will leave more on with each coat.

Tomorrow?  Shopping.... and couch pillows!