From Dirty And Peeling To Red, Off White And Gorgeous!

This weekend we celebrated my Son Hunter's 7th birthday by having a bowling party with his friends from school.  His actual birthday isn't until July, but we made the mistake of waiting until school was out for his party last year and well, we weren't doing that again this year!  While Hunter and I were going to pick up his birthday cake at his favorite ice cream place, I drove by a store I've meant to go into every time we've been out there.  The store had a big sign up that said "MOVING SALE" so I had to stop in to check it out.  When I pulled in the parking lot I saw a dirty, ugly, paint peeling, green table (did I use enough adjectives for you??).   If you've been reading my blog or you know me, you know that I'm a huge sucker for any furniture that needs TLC.  This table needed a TON of TLC so I knew I had to take it.  I put it in the back of my SUV, which Hunter wasn't very happy about, then went to pick up that birthday cake!  Hunter's gotten pretty used to me picking up furniture, but he wasn't happy that I was making him wait to get ice cream.

Here's a picture of the table when I got it home.  There was a big gash in the from where the wood was broken off, layers or peeling paint, spider babies and eggs, cob webs and tons of dirt and dust.  It was just plain nasty!  BUT would you look at those legs?!  Seriously??  Look at how the top juts out!  I knew this was a beauty in disguise.

I'm guessing someone used this in their garage for awhile.  There were lots of different paint splatters and marks all over the table.

 There was caked on dirt and dust all over the place, but nothing a little Murphy's Oil soap couldn't fix!

This cracked me up. Someone had written some dimensions and directions for how to build something inside one of the drawers.  Hmmm guess they couldn't find a piece of paper!  Also, if you look at the top of the drawer front you can see where the brass locking mechanism is.  Someone just painted over it about 5 times, but it's there :-)

Now stay with me for about a minute more while I talk about something else for just a bit.....A chair.  About a month ago I started looking for a chair for our Master Bedroom.  I needed something in there because I'd moved chairs around the house and put the chair from our bedroom into the play room.   I found a chair at Goodwill for $8.  I liked the lines of the chair and I thought the back was cool.  

Here it is....don't you LOVE that fabric??  Ok, cue the sarcasm button!  (hey wait, that's actually a great idea...a sarcasm button on your computer...I think I'm on to something!)

This is what I liked most about the chair....I loved the texture of the back.

Plus the fact it had GREAT lines!!!

Well, I painted the chair with some white milk paint, then distressed it and waxed it.   I upholstered the seat in a cute fabric I had on hand and put new foam and batting down.  Everything I already had so it cost me very little.  However, when I got my little chair finished it looked pathetic sitting by itself in the corner of my Master Bedroom.  I knew it would be a temporary fix and figured I'd end up selling it...that was until I found my $10 table.  See, I'm coming back to the table....told ya!  Once I figured out what I wanted to do with the table, I knew the chair would be a perfect mate!!

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I like to stain the tops of my furniture if the tops in good condition.  I really wasn't sure about the top of this little table.  Between the huge gash in the wood and the peeling paint I had little hope, but decided either way I had to strip the top.  I wanted a smooth surface so the paint had to go either way.  

I stripped this little table top 5 times....yes 5 layers of disgusting paint all came peeling off.   Then I gave it a good sanding and sanded down the area with the gash and I couldn't believe my eyes!!  The top was nice!!  

I sanded down the rest of the table just to get the peeling paint off.  I wanted some of the texture from the paint to stay on so I didn't sand it down to the wood.

 The drawers even look better!!

Since this was going into my Master Bedroom I knew I wanted it to have some red in it somewhere.  I decided to go with a coat of Annie Sloan Emperor's Silk as my first coat.  I knew I wanted to lightly distress this piece, but I didn't want peeling green and white paint coming through, I wanted red.  For a few minutes the lazy person in me said, "Hmmm I think this could be red and super cute!"  Then my non-lazy side came out and said, "NOPE I want this lighter!"  Am I the only one who talks to themselves??  It wasn't an out loud conversation....at least I don't think it was out loud!  :-)

It already looks better!!!

I knew I wanted to leave the drawers red as a little POP of color so I gave them 2 coats (this is with 1 coat and it's still a bit wet).

Well, I kinda got carried away and forgot to take pictures of the rest of the steps, but I will break it down for you.  After the coat of red I topped it off with 2 coats of my fav Annie Sloan Off White.  I waxed the entire thing with clear wax, then gave the drawer fronts a coat of dark wax.  I put on some new glass knobs and the body of the table was finished!

I want to point out something super quick...People often comment about the price of the Annie Sloan paint.  Yes it is $35, plus shipping, for the quart, but a quart goes a VERY long way!  I opened a new can of Off White to paint this table and with 2 coats I maybe used a few ounces of paint.  I still have tons left.  I've used the Emperor's Silk a few times and I still have tons of that left too.  A little does go a long!

Back to the table....I stained the top in Special Walnut, but realized it wasn't dark enough so then gave it a coat of Dark Walnut and topped it off with 2 coats of dark Annie Sloan wax.  

 Here's the chair and the table finished and ready for their new place in my Master Bedroom!

One of the things I LOVE about decorating and redoing furniture is buying two separate pieces a month apart and then putting them together.  The little chair was so lonely in the corner and now it's met its mate and they look like they've been together all along!

I have to give the little chair some attention since it was here first :-)

This is the same fabric I used on the bench at the end of my bed.

I really don't miss that old, nasty 70's fabric that was on the seat before!

In case you forgot how disgusting and ugly this table was (especially the top!), please scroll up and look, then come back here so you can admire it in it's new state.  :-)

I've done quite a few furniture 'rescues' lately, but to me this is the most dramatic. 

I love how the little bit of distressing brings out the hints of red!

The table and chair are now sitting in my Master Bedroom and the drawers are waiting to be filled with make up!  I put a mirror on top and I'm going to use it as a dressing/make-up table.  I have one now in my bathroom, but that one is going to have to find a new home because this one is special!  I know when I brought this home both Steve and Hunter were wondering what on earth I was going to do with it, but I knew it could be beautiful and I have to say it most definitely is!