Easy and Affordable DIY Table Transformation

Some of you may remember this table I shared a while back here that I found at my local DI for $15. Although it was missing it's leaf, it was in otherwise great condition for a refurb and all solid wood.

Using the same methods I shared with you HERE and HERE for sanding off the previous stain and finishes, I stripped the wood down bare on top and then wiped on several coats of Minwax Wood Finish Stain in Dark Walnut. 

After the stain had dried, I applied a few coats of Annie Sloan Soft Dark Wax.

I've had a few readers ask how to apply this stain on pieces like this where the grain meets together in the center without creating streaky lines.  Truthfully, I just use a rag and word with the grain in quarter sections at a time trying to "stay inside the lines" like I did with my first dining room table.

It takes a bit of practice and doesn't always look perfect but it looks good enough for me!  I haven't had much success in working against the grain or in perfectly straight lines that don't follow the wood.  If you've found it to work better for you another way, do share!

I've also found that even when I try to sand the tabletop down as evenly as possible, and pre-treat it with wood conditioner to prevent uneven color, sometimes the wood just takes differently.  That happened in this case and while I was so frustrated at first I eventually decided to just go with it and am so happy with the end result.  It gave it a more rustic and natural un-factory like finish.

Also, I have found that in nearly every piece I've stained that the lip below the main surface top always stains much much darker than the top.  Usually, the lip is made of MDF or similar so it absorbs the stain differently than the solid wood like maple, oak or alder does.  It doesn't bother me that it appears darker, but if it's not your thing then you may want to consider choosing a few shades lighter for the lip, or opt to paint the whole top instead of stain it.

Then, the easiest part was slabbing on a few coats of cream colored Behr Paint and Primer in One that I have on hand from one of my oops paint $5/gallon purchases.  After that dried, I glazed the nooks and crannies with a combo of Valspar's Antiquing Glaze and my Ralph Lauren Faux techniquing glaze in a cocoa color.  Lastly, I finished the apron and legs off with a few coats of poly spray for protection.  You know how I love the contrast of a dark wooden top with creamy white legs.  Sexaaaaay.

Then, I quickly beautified these cute little chairs that I recently bought from my friend's younger bro for super cheap.  Haven't all of you had a set like these in your house growing up at one point?  I know I sure did. 

Since the wood matched pretty closely to the tabletop I had just stained, I opted to keep a part of the chair in it's original finish.  I taped up the back dowels and spray painted the rest of the chair with Krylon Dual's Paint and Primer in One in cream.  (I started to paint one chair with a roller and brush using the same Behr paint I used for the table but with all the little spindles and legs, it was taking FOREVER so spray paint became my new best friend for the day).  After a few hits of sandpaper to the high points and some of my glaze concoction to the nooks and crannies, the chairs turned out like this:

Not quite like the ones you grew up with anymore, right?

So, here is how this cute little dining family of a table and 4 chairs looks together.

You don't have to have a lot of money or even a lot of talent to make a great looking dining room set.  This whole set cost me a whopping $35.  Yes, $35!  You can do it too peeps! 

I'm sharing this makeover with my friends here:  Go check them out for more inspiration!

XO

~PW

Heavily Distressed Desk

Ever since I saw this gorgeous piece that Miss Mustard Seed did a while back, I have been dying to create a super distressed piece myself.  When I found this antique desk on ksl the other day for $25, I didn't feel so bad about experimenting on it and not being terribly sad if it didn't turn out as well as I had hoped.

 The desk had certainly seen better days but was just pleading for some TLC.  That is just what I gave it.

 Let me tell you, the experiment worked.  I am absolutely 100% smitten with this piece.  My intention of course was to sell this to help fund the living room makeover I am working on, but I just don't know if I can let it go.  Wouldn't this be the perfect desk for me in a craft room someday?  Hopefully sooner than later... ahem...My Sweets are you listening? 

In terms of speed, this was the fastest transformation I have done yet.  I picked up the piece in the afternoon, got home around 2 pm with it and was completely finished with it that evening.  You can totally do this yourself, my friends.

Soooo, here's how I very quickly achieved this look. 

First, I sanded the surfaces with a coarse paper on my ryobi corner cat sander.  I intentionally didn't sand all of the previous stain off.  I wanted it to look splotchy and aged.

 

Next, I painted the whole thing with one coat of very watered down Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (the same combo of Old White and Paris Gray that I used on my dining room table)

The key here is to let the wood still shine through with a very light coat.  Don't spend a lot of time trying to achieve a perfect coverage. In this case, less is more.

Then I went over the full piece again with my sander, focusing on the high points.

I followed this with Annie Sloan dark wax on all the areas where the wood was exposed and then covered the full piece in Annie Sloan clear wax.

I cleaned off the hardware using my wedding ring cleaner, and replaced the top two pulls with little glass knobs.  I would have used all the original hardware, but as you may have noticed the piece was missing one pull so I opted to replace the center drawer and am very pleased with the touch of feminism this added. 

I also lined the drawers with some leftover wallpaper I had from the cute little antique dresser I did back HERE.

What do ya think?

Sigh... pure love over here.  I think I'll just keep this little photo shoot in my living room for the next month or so just so that I can stare. 

In case you haven't picked up yet on my number one message that I hope to convey by writing this blog, that is to remember that you don't have to spend a lot of money to make your home look good and reflect your style... not your neighbors or your moms or sisters, yours.  Have fun, be creative, and go into a project with an open mind.  For me each piece is like an artist's blank canvas when I begin.  I have an idea in mind of how I would like the piece to end up but it evolves into its own beautiful piece as I begin "painting".  You may even end up with something you absolutely love in the end.

Thanks so much to all who read and continue to leave such sweet comments about my work.  I appreciate each and every one more than I can say.

Sending so much love from Penny Wenny.

Xo