Changing Table Upgrade
- Caroline Sturman
- Jan 10, 2018
- 3 min read
This is where I will harp once more for everyone to deeply consider a piece when it is offered to you for FREE or when you see something for dirt cheap at a yard sale or flea market. I know not everyone has the time to fix up a piece, but if time isn't an issue (aka you can drag a project out forever and it'd be okay) then most fixer upper projects can be done with fairly minimal effort.
My wonderful sister-in-law offered me this piece last spring, I believe. Yes, this was before I was even pregnant but her and I both knew kids were part of my near future goals. And this piece was in great shape, people! There were a couple of scratches and obviously the top drawer was missing, but still, all fixable. Its not like I was worried about it collapsing or a leg was missing. The remaining drawers were in perfect condition and this is impressive, folks, because she's had three kids.
So there were only two main issues...the opening between the makeshift shelf and the second drawer, and the color. The color scheme I'm aiming for with the nursery is white, grey, light blue, and, now that we know we're having a baby girl, pops of peach or salmon. (I haven't added any of these "pops" yet so we'll see how that turns out). Its kind of an Arctic theme because I love polar bears and let's be honest, this nursery is really all about me.
All in all, this seemed like a fairly simple project except I'd be using yet another new paint brand. Welcome to Good Bones Furniture Paint (GBFP) sold at this lovely local and historic paint store in Lynchburg called James T. Davis. They've been in business since 1936 and they also sell Magnolia products (love me some Chip and Jo) and Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint (MMSP, what I used on this desk).
I'll do a follow-up review on the GBFP along with MMSP sometime in the near future, hopefully. Anyway, let's get to the process...
1) Wipe Down. Always a beneficial first step. Took a damp rag (warm water with light soap) and wiped down the piece. After it dries, you get a better sense of what you're working with.
2) Mind the gap. What I really should say is: find a random piece of wood in your basement and cut it down to fill in the gap. So happy we were able to find the right board laying around (and with a rounded edge! BONUS!) that would fill in this gap. I had the hubby cut it, used Liquid Nails for the adhesive, and then secured it for drying with bar clamps. I then filled in any gaps with wood filler, let that dry, and sanded the whole board to make sure it was fairly smooth. You can see the new board in the picture below.
3) Sand. I did sand the whole piece just to rough it up some before applying the paint. On the paint can, it says sanding is not necessary but when working with any new paint, I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Sanded with 80-grit and 220-grit
4) Two coats of paint. I used a small roller brush and small AS round brush for the painting. Any crevices or creases, I used the round brush and any flat surfaces, I used the roller brush for a smooth, even look. The paint dried evenly and covered well which made me SUPER happy because it meant minimal touch up work.
One Coat of Paint
5) Buff. I have never buffed anything before so this was new, but super simple. Essentially buffing is just super fine sanding that results in a smoother, slightly glossy look.
At the end of the day, I LOVE it! It looks brand new and I love the shelf instead of the top drawer, it creates an opportunity for me to add some texture. I'm not sure if I will keep these baskets or not...worried they might rub too much and wear out the paint. We'll see if they make the cut when I do a nursery reveal!
And can we PLEASE talk about this almost exact piece that was being sold on Wayfair.com for $207.99 (see below)! Thank you, Carrie, and thank you, DIY gods, for allowing me to take something in good condition and make it my own without spending more than $50. (The GBFP paint ain't cheap!). Now I have more than one piece in the nursery with a little history and some character!
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