Furniture

Every time I make over a piece of furniture, I am reminded of how much I LOVE refinishing furniture!  There is something so exciting about taking a piece that was no longer wanted, or no longer desirable, and making it shine once again.  Because of that, I was ecstatic to try a paint brand that’s new to me, FAT Paint.

Thank you to The FAT Paint Co. for sponsoring this post.  The project and all opinions are my own!

To test out this paint, I decided to give this $25 console cabinet a beautiful new look.  I chose this piece because I liked its scalloped details and the fact that it has lots of storage inside.  I knew this piece could be a knockout with some color!

As you probably know by now, I’m a little obsessed with chalk-style paint.  I love the instant results and durable finish it provides, so I was pumped to try a brand I hadn’t yet used – FAT Paint chalk-style paint.  The FAT Paint Co. is run by a brother and sister duo in Canada, and they have some of the most gorgeous chalk-style paint colors around, not to mention fantastic paint products that have virtually no smell and that are practically foolproof to use!

I chose to work with Antique Wedgewood (a smoky blue), Parchment (a creamy off-white), and to seal everything up, Natural FAT Wax.  Before I started painting, I gave the console cabinet a really light sanding and sprayed the top of it with Zinsser Shellac to prevent the water rings that were on there from bleeding through the paint.  Then I got to work!  

The first coat of Antique Wedgewood covered really well and I was loving where this project was heading!  

Once the paint dried, I gave the cabinet a light sanding (FAT Paint recommends doing this for the most beautiful finish possible), and then put on another coat of Antique Wedgewood.  

After that dried, I did another allover light sanding, and sanded some highlight areas to distress, and then applied the Natural FAT Wax to seal the entire cabinet.  I used my friend Amy from Canary Street Crafts‘ trick of putting the wax into a bowl instead of working from the canister – this way I don’t contaminate any of the wax in the canister!

After the topcoat of wax dried and I buffed it to a shine, I put more wax in a bowl and mixed in some of the Parchment FAT Paint.  I mixed it all up to form a white wax, which I then wiped on with a cloth in strategic places to make the details really pop!  

You can see where the white wax was applied in this photo.  The panel on the left has white wax, the panel on the right does not and is a solid color.

Once that dried, I drilled holes for new hardware, and of course messed that up.  Thankfully that was nothing a little wood filler and more paint couldn’t fix!  

Finally, I decoupaged some gorgeous paper to the inside arches of the cabinet for a fun pop of color when you open the doors.  If you’re curious about how to add paper or fabric to your furniture, check out my post on how to do it!  

Once the paper inside the cabinet dried, this makeover was finished!

And I am obsessed.  

I am actually considering re-doing my entire foyer to accommodate this console cabinet.  

I just can’t imagine giving this piece away!  I love everything about it – the colors, the paper, the hardware, the shape and details . . . I think we have an emotional connection, the two of us.  

Anyway, while I consider whether or not I can bear to part with this Antique Wedgewood beauty, let me encourage you to start your own FAT Paint project.  Seriously, you will love this paint.  Find a retailer near you by checking their website.

In a strange turn of events, Chicago has had absolutely amazing weather over the past week or so.  It is FEBRUARY and we have had temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s for multiple days in a row.  I am beyond thrilled with this taste of spring in the dead of winter, and have been using it to my full advantage, which includes heading out to the garage to give some neglected mid-century style chairs a makeover!

My sister bought a set of four of these chairs a couple of years ago and then deposited them in my garage last summer.  I fully intended to redo them at that time, but life got in the way.  (Don’t you hate it when that happens?!?)  They had their pre-makeover photo shoot and then sat in the garage for months.  

Notice their ugly color wood and stained fabric seats.  

Gross.  

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These chairs had good bones though, so I wanted to try and spiff them up a bit.  Over the weekend I pulled out my HomeRight Finish Max Sprayer and set up shop in the garage.  After two coats of Rustoleum Chalked Paint, some General Finishes High Performance Topcoat, and a glaze I made with Briwax and Mineral Spirits, the chairs were finished!  I recovered the seats with some pretty, mod fabric, and gave these mid-century dining chairs a great new look!  

So much fresher!  

And if it weren’t for my HomeRight Finish Max Sprayer, I never would have been able to finish these so quickly!  Hand brushing takes forever, but with my sprayer I knocked out four chairs in half a day!  

I just love the fabric, too.  I think it’s definitely the graphic look these chairs require, but in colors that work with today’s decorating trends!  

I’m so glad I finally got around to doing this mid-century dining chairs makeover – especially since they were taking up space in the garage and my husband was threatening to throw them away or burn them.  (That’s a common theme around here, friends.  He’s not super on board with my furniture hoarding habits.)

Now I just need to find someone to buy them or figure out somewhere to put them. . . .

-Bre

You May Also Like This Furniture Flip!

As I’ve alluded to before, I am super impatient when it comes to my projects (and well, most everything in life.  Patience is not my strong suit.).  I love instant gratification and I don’t like for any project to take too long.  That’s probably why I fell in love with chalky finish paint; most every painted furniture project can be finished in a few hours or so.  But there’s always that pesky topcoat that must be applied after painting.  Whether its wax or poly or some other type of finish, the paint needs to be sealed in some way.  That part of the refinishing process always annoys me – I just want the project to be finished!

So when I found out about a new paint that is perfect for furniture and that doesn’t require a topcoat of any kind, I jumped at the chance to try it!  DecoArt graciously gave me a jar of this new paint, and I am so excited to tell you how you, too, can paint furniture without using a topcoat or sealer!  

So before we jump into the nitty gritty, let me show you what this table looked like when I started.  
It originally belonged to my Grandma, but my Mom has had it in her guest room for a few years now. At some point in its life, it got a really, really bad paint job.  That paint had started chipping off and it desperately needed a refresh.  Plus, the black glass tabletop was scratched and ugly.  

It was definitely time for a new look.

Supplies Used for This Painted Furniture Makeover Without a Topcoat

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no added cost to you if you purchase through them.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

• Small electric sander
• DecoArt Satin Enamels Paint in True Teal
• 1.5″ paint brush
• Cotton fabric
• Mod Podge Hardcoat for Furniture
• Clean rag

How I Painted Furniture Without a Topcoat or Sealer

I started by using my electric sander to remove the chipping paint.  Once that was done, I wiped down the entire table with a damp rag to remove any of the dust or dirt left on the table.

Then, I mixed up the DecoArt Satin Enamels Paint and got to work – no primer needed!  Because of the difference in the original paint color and the teal I used here, it took three coats of paint to cover all of the original paint color.  (Note: despite needing three coats, I still have a lot of paint left over.)
The paint dried quickly and evenly – and I immediately fell in love with the sheen of the finish and the richness of the color!  

While the paint could have covered the glass table top, I decided to add some pattern to this table by decoupaging some fabric onto the top.  (If you want to learn how to apply fabric to furniture, check out this post of mine that gives you step by step instructions.)  I think it is such a fun addition to this little table!  

I cannot tell you how pleased I am with the Satin Enamels paint.  The shine is just gorgeous – it’s not too shiny, and it’s not too dull.  It is literally JUST right!  

And the fact that I didn’t have to use a topcoat or sealer of any kind on the paint cut my project time down drastically.    

I will always have a spot on my paint shelf for chalky finish paint, but this new Satin Enamels paint is going to give it a run for its money.  The fact that I don’t have to use a topcoat or sealer is a game changer, in my opinion.  

I’m really looking forward to getting this table up to my Mom’s house soon.  I think it’s going to give her guest room a happy new feel, despite the fact that the table is very old and a family piece.  That’s one of my favorite things about refinishing furniture – you make a piece with sentimental value work for you and your style, all the while retaining the specialness of the piece.  And when you can do that AND save time in the process, I’m a happy camper.

Bre

If you ever visit flea markets, you know that old AV carts or projector carts are a common find.

Usually they’re rusty and gross, just like this one I found at the Kane County Flea Market in Illinois. (The amazing flea market that spawned my Flea Market Shopping Tips post.)

But I knew this junky old metal cart had potential. Unlike my husband (“You went all the way to Kane County to buy that?”), I had a vision. And that’s how this vintage metal cart makeover came about.

Well, and it also came to be thanks to the generosity of HomeRight through its sponsorship of this post.

Alright, well let’s get down to the dirty details of this project, shall we?    

Vintage Metal Cart Makeover Supplies

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my disclosure policy.

• Wagner SprayTech large Spray Shelter
• Spray primer
• Spray paint in color of your choice for the shelves (I used this mint color)
• Spray paint of your choice for the legs (I used this color)
• (As an alternative to spray paint in a can, you could use the HomeRight FinishMax Sprayer and paint of your choice.)
• Patterned masking tape or washi tape (I found my patterned masking tape at Target)

How to Make Over an Old Metal Cart

First of all, if you’re working with an old projector cart, you’ll need to clean it really well.  Mine was disgusting and I had to wash it about three times.  

Once it was clean, I took it apart.

Next, I got to work protecting my garage from the spray paint bonanza that was about to ensue.  I laid down a drop cloth and got to work assembling my HomeRight Spray Shelter (which is now the Wagner SprayTech Spray Shelter).

It stores easily in a small bag, and it went together quickly so that I could get to work on making this projector cart pretty!  

I started by spraying the shelves and legs with primer.  Because I was working with metal (and rusty metal at that), I wanted to make sure that the pretty colors I had chosen wouldn’t chip off!

After the primer dried, I went back inside the tent to check things out.  I was SO excited to find that, for the first time in the history of me spray painting anything, my pieces were perfect.  

Typically I spray paint outside and something always goes wrong; whether it’s leaves or debris in the air landing on the wet paint, the drop cloth flying up and sticking to the wet paint, or an animal using my project as its bathroom (thanks, birds), something always goes wrong.  But not this time – the pieces were pristine because I sprayed them in the Spray Shelter.

Because of that great primer finish, I sprayed the shelves and they looked ah-maaaa-zing!  

Next up, the legs.  They were really gross and needed a fresh coat of silver, so that’s what they got.  

While I waited for the pieces to dry, my kids dreamed of all the ways that THEY could use the HomeRight Spray Shelter.  (“Can we camp in it, mommy?”  Um, no.  Sorry – this mama does NOT camp.)

They were happy when I called them inside the Spray Shelter to help me reassemble the projector cart once it had dried.  (Not pictured here: me getting irrationally annoyed with the assembly process.)  

After a few failed attempts at putting it back together, I finally got it done and brought the newly beautified projector cart inside, where I embellished the edges with patterned masking tape.  (Note: do you see how smooth my finish is?  No leaves or debris on this baby!)

And just like that, I gave that vintage projector cart a beautiful new look and a great new purpose as a craft cart for some of my favorite supplies!  

Can you believe this is the same vintage metal cart I showed you above?  

I am so happy with the perfect finish I got on this vintage projector cart to craft cart because of using the Wagner SprayTech Spray Shelter.  I am telling you that it made the biggest difference in my opinion of spray paint projects!  

And for small projects that I spray, like lamps and decor accessories, I will be using the Wagner Small Spray Shelter, which you can use right on top of a table!  It just pops right open and is ready to use!  

I could not believe my good luck when I found this beat up (but beautiful nonetheless) side table in the alley several weeks ago.  Granted, it was covered in dust, spider webs, and had spider egg sacks (PUKE) all over the bottom, but it was a great find!  

Even my husband was impressed with my little alley find, which never happens!  The top had beautiful veneer detailing that was in really bad shape, but I’m sure this table was a prized possession at one point. 

I had really been wanting to do a furniture makeover with a dramatic blue paint, and I thought I’d give it a try with this table.  If you saw my post on Instagram recently, you know that was a bad move.  The blue was totally wrong for this type of table, and the gold wax that I used to try and enhance the details was gaudy on this piece.  Major DIY fail!

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

I waited for the disappointment of my poor paint color choice to pass, and thought about what would be better for an intricate table like this.  As much as I LOVE using color on my furniture projects (like on this dresser and on this chair), I decided that simple black paint was the way to go for this project.  So I got out my favorite black chalky paint and re-painted the entire table – again.  

The black was definitely the right choice!  But because the top was very damaged (and sanding couldn’t make it entirely smooth again), I needed a way to mask the surface imperfections.  I decided that I needed to decoupage this gorgeous paper onto the top!  

Now THIS is the right look for my alley table!  

I am so glad I re-painted it after my blue disaster.  

I am a seriously impatient person, so having to re-do all of the work I’d already done was a struggle, but it was worth it.  

It took a lot of touching up to hide all of the blue paint spots that kept peeking out in various crevices of the table, but I think I finally got them all!

Because the bottom part of this table is SO intricate, I knew that brushing on a poly or wax topcoat would be tricky and that I’d be sure to miss some spots, so I used this spray on wax instead.  (You can read my full opinion on this product right here!)  I think the spray wax worked great on this piece because it covered all of those nooks and crannies that would have been difficult to protect otherwise.  

My husband’s trying to convince me to keep this piece, but I think I’m going to sell it.  I already have so much painted furniture in this house . . . I’m not sure I should add another to the mix!  It’s becoming overkill, I think.

So what are your thoughts on this side table makeover?  Do you like how it turned out?

Bre

I cannot adequately describe how sorry and depressing this chair was when I got it at Goodwill.  It was so drab, and it looked like an animal had been gnawing at it before it found its way into my home.  

B-O-R-I-N-G.  The finish was ugly, and the chair seat was even uglier.  It was stained and dirty burlap fabric.  No wonder someone donated it.  

I knew I could give it new life with paint and beautiful leather upholstery, and I can’t wait to show you my coral painted chair makeover!

Coral Chair Makeover Supplies

Thank you to Leather Hide Store for supplying the leather upholstery fabric used in this project. This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please read my disclosure policy.

• Gray chalk paint
• Coral chalk paint
• Creme Wax
• Leather upholstery fabric
• Heavy duty stapler
• Extra sharp fabric scissors

Coral Painted Chair with Leather Seat Makeover

Are you ready to see how it turned out? I’m in love!

I painted it with gray chalk paint and then gave it a topcoat of coral chalk paint.  I let some of the gray chalk paint peek out underneath to give it a slightly distressed look, and then I sealed it up with an awesome finishing wax that has virtually no odor (translation: you can use it inside).  

Once I had the chair refinished, I got to work reupholstering the seat with the most gorgeous, buttery-soft gray leather I have ever seen or felt.  

This large swath of storm gray distressed leather came from Leather Hide Store, which is a family-owned upholstery leather supplier that sells gorgeous, top-quality leather at wholesale prices.  You will definitely want to check them out for your leather upholstery needs.  

There were so many options of upholstery leather to choose from, I had a hard time narrowing it down.  I’m glad I picked the gray distressed leather though, because I think it ended up being perfect for this project!  

I removed the fabric from the seat (I found three layers of fabric on there, including this ugly and stained faux silk – gah!), and cut my leather to be slightly larger than the entire seat.  I made sure to use extra sharp fabric scissors to cut the leather because regular craft scissors would not have done the trick.

Then I used my heavy duty stapler to adhere the leather to the chair seat.  I started in a corner, went to the opposite diagonal corner, and repeated that process.  Then I did the middle of each side.

Then I stapled all around the seat, making sure to pull the leather nice and tight.  Once I had all of my staples in place, I trimmed as much excess leather as I could.

The seat reupholstering process went smoothly (thank goodness!), and I didn’t ruin the leather in the process.  Phew!  

I re-screwed the seat onto the chair, and was so happy to see that the ugly duckling chair had such a pretty new look!  

The leather seat is so soft and comfortable, and really brings this once plain Jane chair up a notch in style points.  

I cannot get over the difference some paint and a gorgeous new upholstered leather seat made for this chair.  It just shows you that with good materials, you can make anything pretty again!  (I’m gonna use that line with my husband next time I go clothes shopping, too.)  

Now that you’ve seen my refinished and reupholstered leather seat chair, I bet you’ll want to try your hand at reupholstering with leather, too!  Check out The Leather Hide Store’s Ultimate Leather and Fabric Reupholstery Guide, which will give you exact amounts of material needed to refinish over 200 types of furniture!