Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Coffee Table Makeover

'Kay, so here we go again! I saw this coffee table at Goodwill last week and the potential screamed out to me! Even though I did not need a new coffee table and even though I could barely fit it into my car (I should just buy a moving truck - really. It would be a lot more practical).


Anyway, so I brought this smelly, scratched up, greasy table home and plopped it in the driveway. Hubs just shook his head when he saw it.


So yesterday I started on the over-haul.

**Ok, so now I know what you're thinking. "Why is this girl spending her time with junk like this? She hardly has enough time in her day to take care of the kids, keep up with her job, keep the house reasonably clean, and most of the time she feels like she's losing her mind!"

I know! But I'm telling you, stuff like this inspires me! If I don't take the time to create something or to make something beautiful, I just feel like a blob. A complete BLOB. Like I'm not doing what I'm meant to be doing. Does that make sense?

Anywaaay, moving right along. I took the legs off and sanded the table and legs, then put a coat of B-I-N primer on it. This is my all-time favorite primer (can't believe I just said that! I sound like a construction worker or something! What a dork!).

It covers anything and everything. And since it's so thin, a little bit of it goes a long way. And it dries super fast. It's not water-based, so I usually use an old brush and throw it away when I'm done with the project.


Here it is after I'm done priming...
After the primer dried, I painted the table with a couple coats of leftover semi-gloss paint that I had laying around.

To glaze the table, I mixed some paint conditioner that I had on hand called Floetrol with some dark brown acrylic craft paint. I used a foam brush to smear the brown paint into the cracks of the table, then used a rag to wipe the excess.


And here it is now! Not perfect, but certainly much better than it was when I first saw it!




It's amazing what a difference paint can make to just about anything! Although my mom has warned me that I am not allowed to paint my children! Oh, mom, I would never go that far! (ahem)

So, guess how much this entire project cost me. C'mon, you know you want to!

A grand total of $6.97.

Yes, that is it!! That's how much the table cost at Goodwill and I used leftover paint that I already had from past projects.

Just for kicks, I looked at this table from Pottery Barn, which is pretty similar...

PB's price is $399. I saved $392.03!!

I really must go shopping with all that extra cash I now have! HA!!

28 comments:

  1. "Ok, so now I know what you're thinking. "Why is this girl spending her time with junk like this? She hardly has enough time in her day to take care of the kids, keep up with her job, keep the house reasonably clean, and most of the time she feels like she's losing her mind!...If I don't take the time to create something or to make something beautiful, I just feel like a blob. A complete BLOB. Like I'm not doing what I'm meant to be doing. Does that make sense?""

    I know! I completely and utterly understand...you are so not alone! We live in a half remodeled house that feels like a constructions site, a gutted bathroom, and SO much left to do, but working on the fun, creative things is what keeps me going and keeps me from going completely nuts, {blobby} lol! Hubs get irritated because when I should be packing for a trip or doing something else, I'm out painting picture frames or somesuch. Or when I know other moms are out shopping retail, I'm making a B-line to Goodwill salivating all the way, hungry to find the perfect beaten up little treasure!

    That table is amazing! What an awesome job you did on it! It is very similar to that PB table! Do you think that primer would hide pine knots? I had hubs build a table for me {with legs I found on a table at GW!} and it's been primed and painted, but those darn knots keep bleeding through!

    Lol, about your husbands reaction to bringing the table home. Mine does the same thing.:)

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  2. No way! That turned out soooo cute! I love it!

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  3. What an amazing table! I actually like yours better then the pottery barn table. You should start a business, "making old treasures new!" and then re sell them on criagslist. You have such a talent. Great post!

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  4. Wow! The table looks wonderful!

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  5. seriously aimee, you amaze me.

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  6. How amazing is that?
    I am so looking forward to having the room to add all the furniture that I keep passing up!

    I love the new look and you know... if I did not know any better I I would say you spent at least 300.00 for it!

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  7. Wow! That is so inspirational. It makes me want to go out to the garage and work on an old empire style dresser that my neighbor gave me. I have planned to paint it but need the confidence to just "do it."

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  8. Do you give lessons on painting? Seriously ... I wouldn't know where to start. Now, I'm thinking it would be pretty cool to paint some furniture around here ... .want to come hang out for the day??? :>)

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  9. You did great on that!! That's one of my favorite things to do, to buy old junky looking things and paint them and make them look brand new!!

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  10. What a great job you did ~ that table looks amazing! The style doesn't even look outdated anymore like it did before it was painted. I'm always too grossed out by someone else's dirty stuff, but in this case it was definitely worth it, greasy and all.

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  11. i've never used glaze, but i love the look. does it dry quick or can you go over the whole table with the glaze and then wipe off or do you have to go in sections? i did get an old brass lamp and paint it black, i love it, you inspired me!

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  12. Hi...I headed your way from Just Beachy and am so glad I did! What a great transformation! I am in search of a coffee table to revamp myself!
    I am now your newest follower! See you again soon!

    Melinda

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  13. GORGEOUS!!!!! I'm so intimidated by glaze :( but love the look!

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  14. ooooh, yummy!! so inspiring!

    looking forward to some time together this morning.

    LOVE this "new" table and i totally, totally understand the letting out of the creative juices!!!!

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  15. AWESOME! I'm eyeing a table we're about to give to the Salvation Army now...;)

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  16. Ooo, another good DIY post. Come on Aimee, you totally need to do DIY guest posts and send them to me. Then you won't feel guilty at all about the time you spent doing the DIY projects and blogging about them because they would go to great use around the internet. :-)

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  17. Favorited! I am not sure how I found your blog but so very glad I did!

    Great DIY!!!

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  18. that is really awesome- thanks for the inspiration!

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  19. I am the dork! I have spent an hour (or two) looking at lots of different coffee table makeovers. Our cheap second hand entertainment center has started to fall apart so a friend gave me a coffee table today. I have been searching for ideas of how to fix it up. I love your coffee table! At first it looked like the coffee table we had when I was growing up. Thinking of that table makes me sick! I would have never ever brought it home even for free. However, I never thought it would look as good as it does! Great job!!

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  20. I just stumbled across your blog and I love it!
    I know exactly what you mean when you say that revamping furniture gives you energy and excites you! Its breathing new life into something previously worn. It's cathartic almost! love your blog and will come back to visit often!

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  21. Exactly what I just told my brother last night as he declared my tastes "eclectic." Nothing crosses my threshold that I don't want to paint. My last project: saw a small 3-tiered table, beat up and put out for trash while I was driving by. I was already deciding to sand and paint it black as the owner happily put it in my trunk. I discovered the only black paint I had on hand was the can of glossy black given to me to spruce up the tires on my car. Dare I? You guessed it --- I did spray the table with tire paint! It worked out beautifully and the finished table now sits by my bed. Final cost:$0. And I have discovered the wonder of glossy and very durable tire paint.

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  22. Gorgeous! I don't think you're crazy at all, I do projects when I don't have the time/money/etc and my husband just shakes his head at me too because he knows if I don't get to work on projects on a regular basis.. I go nuts! I love how it came out, good job. :)

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  23. This looks great!! I found this kind of table at our thrift store but it was 25.00! I am still trying to figure out if I want a table thats hollow underneath like this which I love or one that has storage in it and all chunky and shabby chic which I also LOOVE! AHH Maybe I will find both and just trade them periodically =)

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  24. My coffee table turned out beautifully!! Thanks for your advice!!
    My next project is painting my bdroom furniture..it's pine and i painted it flat black and distressed it. Now I'm trying to decide what I should do to make that I can dust it..or do I just let it?? I like it the way it is...but I thinkI'm gonna have to wash it off w/ a damp cloth everytime it gets dusty.(Altho I'm sure I won't keep up to it!!:):( Anyway..any advice for me?? Mary ann

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  25. What an amazing transformation! IT looks perfect in your space.

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  26. I just found your post, and I love looking at your furniture projects and also your outfit ensembles. Fabulous! I just want to know where your Goodwill is? Our local stores price their furniture at outrageous prices. I was there yesterday and a table like the one in this post was priced at $50. An old, ugly couch was $100! And, the clothesa are most often outdated. No fun fashions for me! I am amazed at what you find at your store.

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    Replies
    1. I mostly shop at my local Goodwill, which is on Lincoln Hwy. in Lancaster, Pa.

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I love hearing from you! Thanks for your comments! ~Aimee

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