DIY Painted Coffee Table to add a Pop of Colour
An Inexpensive Table gets a Dramatic Makeover
Our furniture is pretty traditional with dark brown wood coffee tables etc. Personally, I love the look of whitewashed furniture, but our furniture is in pretty good shape so there is no need to refinish it. Once the finish wears I may change it, but for now, it’s staying as is.
So when we won this little table at the auction I had to think about what kind of finish I wanted. All white would be gorgeous but it wouldn’t match the other furniture, so I did the next best thing and used it to add a pop of colour.
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This is not an old or expensive piece, it came with a Made in Taiwan label, but I think it looks great. The first step was to dismantle the pieces. The table top came off with four bolts and even better the little medallions pulled off using first a flat paint scraper and then some needle nose pliers.
Refinishing the Coffee Table
The top was sanded very lightly to remove the shine. Then I wiped off the dust and put on only one coat of Antique Polyshades. Let dry thoroughly.
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To refinish the legs I purchased a turquoise paint sample size at Lowes that I found too dark, so I mixed it with some white latex to get this softer shade of turquoise.
It took four coats to cover the legs. The first coat was the heaviest, I painted the legs keeping the paint out of the grooves of the legs. Let dry.
The next three coats were dry brushed on adding paint so that portions of the original brown was still showing.
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Sand the legs very lightly with 220 grit sandpaper until it is smooth. Then apply one coat of polyurethane.
As I was able to dismantle the table it was very simple to refinish, no cutting or taping required. Once all the portions were refinished I simply reassembled the table and readded the medallions.
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This coffee table was a really simple and easy makeover. I have not quite decided if the table is going to be in the living room between the two chairs or if I am going to use it in the bedroom as a night table.
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I like the contrast between the light aqua and the dark top. Please let me know what you think about the colour. I would love to hear whether you like it, or not.
Enjoy your day!
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I’m in the process of restoring an antique dinner table that is ALMOST identicle to this but bigger. I was trying around with the two tone idea like you have done. I love the turquoise but I think it would be a little loud for a kitchen table. I think I’m gonna go with an ebony where you have the turquoise and dark Walnut for the top (however I kinda like the color you have on top) nice job and well done
The turquoise legs are just lovely, it’s made it such an interesting piece of furniture.
I really like the color paired with the wood, and the thrill of walking away with auction treasures! Its always fun to try something new, it’s a great coastal piece. Thanks for sharing your project at #fridaysfurniturefix! love having you.
I love what you’ve done with this table, the turquoise and brown look great together.
Love the colour and the table looks so good now.
Hi Maurietta. I buy white paint by the gallon but for furniture, I really like the sample sizes. If you don’t like the colour, its cheap to grab a different one.
Love the contrast between the turquoise and the dark stain, also love the medallion detail. the tip for using a sample size paint is a great idea.
So pretty! I love the blue and the dark wood together. It’s a nice twist on a traditional piece. Pinned!
Thank you for the pin and the feedback Wendi. I am enjoying how it turned out, but it’s helpful to get another person’s opinion.
The table is not my style at all, but I love the turquoise color with the dark wood, too. For the right color scheme I think it would make a nice accent piece. You did a nice job on it.
Thank you, Naomi. It’s a bit of a challenge to put thrift pieces together when you want a cohesive look. I figured I may as well make it stand out. Thanks so much for the feedback.
This table looks fabulous. I love the details, the color and how you left the top. And you said you won it. How lucky.
Every couple of week’s there is a junk auction and another woman with very similar taste. I finally won this auction because she didn’t bit on it. Thank you for the feedback as I was trying something different.
Leanna- I love the turquoise color – it contrasts nicely with the rich dark brown. Good idea to play around with a piece you ‘acquired’, as opposed to one you already owned. Thank you for walking us through the steps you took, especially with regard to finish. This whole business of repainting furniture has me both fascinated and a little timid. I am gathering all the knowledge available on blogs that I possibly can. Pinning!
Hi Kristine: I am very timid about painting high-quality furniture. But for the price and the Taiwan label, it was time to have fun. At least now it’s usable and who knows what colour it will be a couple of years from now. lol