I have stripped furniture multiple times. But these little side table… oh mama. Not only did the stripping take hours on end- but turns out that the beautiful builders used three different types of woods during their construction…. sigh.
It wasn’t pretty… it was stripped… but it wasn’t pretty.
They (yes, there are actually two side tables that tortured me) started out as the old deep cherry stained side tables. Found them at a garage sale a few months ago and have patiently been waiting for their make over ever since.
Such pretty legs and lines… this post is going to get the wrong type of readers I’m afraid… stripping… legs… ugh.
After I stripped them, with Citristrip, I cleaned them up with Mineral Spirits and was pretty disappointed and had no idea how to salvage them. The woods were all different, some looked orange (and not a pretty poppy orange), the top refused to be totally stripped, and my patience was gone.
Yes, painting them would salvage it- but that wasn’t the look I was going for in the family room- I just wanted a natural wood tone next to our leather couch. And if I painted them white, I would go against everything I believe about having painted white furniture around my children!
But the only other choice was the garbage… so at 2am, when all of my ideas come to me, I decided on a plan. They would be painted but not all of them! and we would just roll the dice until I could find something else that worked in the space.
The Plan:
Sand the top in hopes of removing just one more layer of the cherry stain that wouldn’t die.
One coat of Pure White Chalk Annie Sloan Chalk Paint
Two coats of Sherwin Williams Snow White
Paint the decorative edge black with CeCe Caldwell Chalk Paint that I had a sample of to show less wear and tear on the edges.
Poly the heck out of the whole thing and call it a day!
They turned out pretty! I was actually really excited to show y’all! I am only letting you see one because soon enough you will get to see the whole family room reveal with a new rug on it’s way- but I think I can live with these beauties for awhile.
It’s my two favorite things- the old- with a touch of new. Like this sad stripped furniture put on a black and white tuxedo and James Bond appeared! I know, my analogies amaze everyone… you are welcome.
Hope it’s a beautiful day!
xoxo
B
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This is such a cool makeover, Bee! I love the tuxedo stripe accent 🙂
Thanks so much Emily!
These are incredible, Bee! I LOVE the two toned look! They look like they’re straight out of Restoration Hardware or some really expensive furniture place I’ve never set foot in. Pinning!
Thank you so much! I have not stepped in those stores either… my credit cards would rip themselves in half!