It’s been a while since I’ve posted a furniture makeover on the blog, even though redoing furniture is one of my favorite things. We’ve been so busy building our house for the last year that I’ve barely posted about anything else or done any projects just because I enjoy them. So this table…I actually finished it about six months ago, but with all the craziness I never got around to blogging about it. Better late than never though, right?
So last spring my in-laws house flooded and they lost everything. Lots of people came forward to help them, and they also received many furniture donations…sometimes more than they could use. So my MIL offered me this donated dining set, and even though I had no use for it, I took it. Of course I did.
I wish I knew the back story on this table, because I bet it is interesting. On each side of the table there was a little drawer, and written in one of them was a big bold note that said “Quit hiding food in this drawer!”, and the other drawer had a date scratched into it followed by “kicked Boo outta the apartment #aintnobodygottimeforthat.” Ha…the stories this table could tell.
I decided to give the table a total facelift and attempt to stencil it using gold leaf. I had never seen it done before and thought it would be pretty and different. Luckily I’ve wizened up over the years and decided to try it first on a canvas first (which I actually blogged about) and quickly realized that the reason I hadn’t ever seen it done is that it doesn’t work.
Bummer. But in the process I did find a paint product that simulates gold leaf and is actually usable with a stencil.
So first things first…I sanded, primed, painted the table.
Better already.
The stencil I chose to use is a delicate, feminine stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils called Stephanie’s Lace.
Then I gathered the rest of my supplies, which consisted of a stencil brush, painters tape, spray adhesive, and gold leaf paint.
Next I taped off the sides of the table where I wanted the stencil to end, then lightly sprayed the back of the stencil with the adhesive, stuck it to the table, and did my stencil thing.
It was pretty tedious, I’ll admit. I would normally use a small roller to stencil because it works well and is crazy fast, but it also wastes a ton of paint and my little gold jar was too small and expensive for that…so the small stencil brush is what I used. Here is a picture of two of my boys watching me work, and Levi’s face pretty much sums up how I felt about halfway through it.
I ended up with some paint build up around the edges of the design, which made the table really rough and not really usable (or more so, wipeable).
So I took some fine grit sandpaper (220? 400? I can’t remember) and gave it a light sanding…just enough to remove the ridges but not enough to ruin the design. Then I sealed it with Varathane to make sure everything stays put and wipes clean.
And here it is!
I ended up giving this table to my brother and his wife (remember their living room and office?) because they needed one, which makes four family members that have a Domestic Imperfection stenciled table. Oddly enough I’ve never owned one, I just like making them….either that or I just have a really needy family (kidding!).
This is beautiful! I’ve followed since the original stenciled Table and am dying to do my own. Originally I had table, but no sander to do it, then I moved (to San Antonio from Pittsburgh actually) and got rid of the table and bought a sander… I love that lace stencil though so I might need to go thrifting for a cheap table!
Do you like the varathane? I’m looking for a water based polyurethane for some furniture I’m going to repaint since the last time I failed and used oil based on latex paint. It turned yellow and gross.
Yeah, oil based always yellows…I learned that the hard way too. I used to use Minwax polycrylic on all my furniture (and it works well), but I like the Varathane even more.
Thank! I will give that a try!
It’s lovely! I would have “dipped” the chair legs in gold paint to tie the chairs into the design a little more.
That table turned out beautiful! Your family is blessed to have your talent!
Boy that Brother of yours is a lucky son of gun. Very nice job. I think the gold is perfect with that stencil.
Oh it goes both ways, trust me!
wow, that is beautiful! what a great job, love it! Now I want to do that for some side tables I have next to the sofa, love the gold design.
You you wash the adhesive off after the paint dries? Do you leave the stencil on till the paint dries then move it to next spot to paint?
The table is beautiful.
No, I leave the adhesive on and reapply as necessary (twice for this whole table I think). Also, as soon as I finish a section I pull off the stencil before the paint is dry. If you leave it on until the paint is dry sometimes the paint sticks to the stencil and the table and causes peeling.
Do you-not you you, silly me.
OK. I don’t like gold…at all. But I LOVE this table! It looks fabulous, even with the gold! maybe it’s the combination of gold & white? I don’t know, but I really really love it! :)
That’s beautiful! It’s a big change from the original table, that’s for sure. The gold-dipped legs idea (above) is nice too.
The table turned out beautiful. I love the gold design.
Wow! That looks so high-end! I love it x 1,000,000!!! I love your blog!
Thank you for sharing this idea with everyone! I think if I were to do it, I would get a lot closer to the edge with the stencil. I think it would also look really nice if you added gold accents to the table legs, and to the chairs if possible (it seems you were over the stenciling once the tabletop was done, I understand!). I really love the idea, though!
wow, that is beautiful! what a great job, love it! Now I want to do that for some side tables I have next to the sofa, love the gold design. Congratulations!
I am continually browsing online for articles that cann help me.
Thanks!