Way back, when the earth wasn’t covered with ice, when we all had electricity and kids did normal things, like went to school, I started a project with Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan.

It’s been a rough winter for just about everyone in the US, although I hear Southern California has made out ok. My neighbors in Pennsylvania might be impressed to see I actually got one thing done while the kids have been out of school for -honestly- more days than I remember. Anyway, enough bellyaching. I am so happy with how this sweet little table turned out.

She started as a $25 end table from Impact Thrift. I probably overpaid, but I’m a sucker for details like turned wood, all-wood construction, and two slim (but deep) drawers.

The piece had been abused over the years. Someone had badly painted it black. There were paint drips and chipped veneers on the edges.

Those scars needed evening out first. I could have used something stronger, but 3M Patch Plus Primer Spackling & Primer in One was great for my schedule.

Sanding a couple of places knocked down some rough spots on the top. And then onto painting. You might be wondering what primer to use on this. I did actually prime because I wanted the patched parts to take the paint the exact same way the previously painted parts would take it. But the beauty of the Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan is that you don’t have to prime, and you can just get to the “fun bits,” as Ms. Sloan calls them.

Two coats of French Linen totally changed the look of this little classic. A coat of Annie Sloan Clear Soft Wax protects the surface. You can see just a little in this picture that the wax changes the top to a soft sheen with just a little light reflection. (I realize this looks pretty shiny, but it’s directly under my bare-bulb work light.) The waxed half is on the right.

I did splurge on a round wax brush like this one for this project. You don’t need it, but it was the perfect thing to get in all the little grooves on the legs here.

The hardware on this piece had also been painted black. Blech. I have been stalking Rub ‘n Buff for a while, and finally got to use it here. You might think using a gold tone finish on a painted-grey table is an odd combo, but I really like the contrast on the finished piece. Silver hardware would have just disappeared.

There are two highlights of this project. The first is that the finished piece is now incredibly kid-friendly. Just like any furniture, we’ll use a coaster for drinks, but the finish isn’t machine-perfect to start with, so as it ages and wears, it will look lovely, or I can touch it up with paint and wax anytime, in place, without any worries about the finish matching. New paint and wax blends right in. These Chalk Paint® finishes are made to fit right into any manor house, even if the kids don’t always use their manners.

The second favorite part of the project is that the skinny drawers are now the perfect storage sliver that we needed to store the kids’ laptop. I am not ready to set up a computer table for the kids in our main space, but now we can store it here. I love how old furniture works great with newer electronics, as they get smaller and smaller.

What do you think of the beauty treatment for this little charmer? Will it make you look twice at your curbside treasures, attic hoarding, and thrift store finds?

p.s. I tried not to. I did my best. I wanted to leave it unsaid. But I feel compelled to say here that I *KNOW* this room is ugly. The table and furniture aren’t bad, but the room itself needs serious help. We’ve been having to make do with this carpet, wall, electric heater, and window treatments for years. We are SO, SO, SO grateful to have a beautiful home in a neighborhood we absolutely adore, so I am not complaining at all. Soon, very soon, this whole room will become the swan from the ugly duckling that it is today. It’s a big project, so it won’t be overnight, but soon. Stay tuned.

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