DIY

DIY: Painted Furniture

Embrace this transitional season by bringing lovely colour into your home with a DIY painted occasional table

By Astrid Agbayani /

This mini home project will bring lovely colour into your home.

Victoria and Bradford Lambert of FAT Paint and Edin’s House suggest a mini home project just in time for the shorter days of fall

Embrace this transitional season by bringing lovely colour into your home with this painted occasional pedestal table.


 

Colour

We opted for a warm, deep, antiqued yellow for this project because it so wonderfully represents the light of late summer and blends beautifully with fall’s harvest colours. To give the piece more depth, combine two complementary colours. In this case, we used cream and a light yellow in equal parts.



Preparation

With the exception of the tabletop, this pedestal occasional table was lovely and in great condition. It had been previously painted with a latex paint in a satin finish. No stripping or priming was required. To prepare for painting, give the table a good clean with a warm-water-and-vinegar mixture. Use a sanding block to smooth out edges of chips and bumps.



Applying the Paint

Using a brush, apply two coats of paint. Use a random, crosshatch technique to give the piece extra personality.

Distress

Once the paint dries, “age” your piece by using a couple of sanding techniques. Sand your table with both sandpaper and a damp sponge. Use an easy hand. (This is especially true with the damp sponge technique because it removes paint quickly.) Carefully inspect your work from time to time to ensure everything is evenly spaced.

Wax

Wax your piece to seal in the soft paint and create a subtle sheen. Buff the wax 20 to 30 minutes after the first application (when it is still a little soft) and then again after six to 24 hours (when the polish has completely cured).

To deepen the piece to a lovely French Provincial yellow, finish the table with a dark wax. Add natural wax as needed to move or tone down the dark polish. Once complete, wait 20 to 30 minutes for the first buff and then buff again the next day. The results are fabulous.


Originally published in BC Home & Garden magazine. For regular updates, subscribe to our free Home and Garden e-newsletters.