Painting furniture is something I do often and while I love changing many (most, lol) pieces in my home eventually… I’m by no means an expert. Then again, when I think about it… I have painted nearly everything in my home from my dining table to my living room buffet, new RH master bed set as well as the new dresser from Arhaus. I have also painted the consoles and mirrors and well, the living room chair frames. Wow. I don’t think I have every given it this much thought. That being said, many of you have asked if I would share how and what I used when I was DIY painting my coffee table this past weekend so I thought I would let you know my simple process. It’s not difficult and to be honest I’m glad I don’t make a big deal out of it. I hate keeping things for the fear of doing something right, etc. Life is too short as they say…
A little background on this piece. I found my coffee table at Homegoods recently and I have to say it was a bargain at $129. It’s a well made piece and I was drawn to it’s classic style and shape. I really needed something slightly longer but decided to give this table a try to see if it would work until a new ottoman arrives. I’ll move the table to the living room or somewhere else after that.
I tried to make this table work in it’s original wood tone (and many of you on IG mentioned liking the natural wood look) but after testing it out in my family room for a month or so.. I knew I needed to DIY paint it. It simply felt too heavy for the space. I love the shape however and knew once it was painted that I would love it even more. I was right. The feminine table is beautiful and even though a few on IG said they felt it a little old fashioned, I still love it. The curves are nice to walk around and I love that it compliments my french inspired dining table in the adjacent room. All I had to do was paint it.
Whenever I paint something I usually look to my garage. I’m always a last minute painter so I grab what I have. Most of the time I end up using my favorite white, Chantilly Lace from Benjamin Moore. Don’t let the sample color online fool you… this is a white white. I love how clean and crisp it is without appearing cold. The Aura line from BM is the paint I used on my walls so that’s what I used on my table. The paint acts as a primer and paint which cut the process in half. I didn’t even have to sand my table before painting since it had a rough finish so that cut another step out of the process. Easy peasy.
(the photo above was taken the night I painted the table. Sorry for the blurry image but I wanted you to see how it looked after the first coat. I had to take a screenshot from my Instagram stories)
As to tools… I always keep a good brush on hand. I use that on the table sides and legs, then a 4″ smooth finish roller for the top. It was so simple. I waited a couple of hours between coats and I love how the table turned out. Chantilly Lace is one of my favorite whites. It’s a clean white without appearing cold or too yellow. I have it painted on all my walls and cabinets in my new home.. it’s that nice. :) To read more on my 4 helpful tips to selecting white paints click here.
This was such an easy project that took maybe a couple of hours at most. (not counting the waiting time for it to dry) Sometimes a fresh coat of paint is all you need to brighten a piece you don’t love. I’m so happy with the coffee table now that it’s painted… I think it’s the perfect answer for the space until my new ottoman arrives.
Do you have furniture that you have painted? If so, do you have a method on the way you tackle your painting projects? I would love to hear them in the comment section below.
One more exciting part to this room.. I just received a new rug from Annie Selke. It’s a wool piece that has the most gorgeous soft tones of blush and gray running throughout. It’s such a nice bit of color in the most subtle of ways… Perfect for my family room.
Have a great Monday and make sure to check back in on Wednesday for my Bachelor Recap Week 6. Week 5 recap never happened… I’m so sorry!! I’ll talk about my thoughts on that episode in stories before the show tonight. :)
xo,
Kristy
I think the table looks much better white! Though I’m a paint everything white girl myself!
I love Chantilly Lace too and just recommended it for walls for a friend this past week! Personally my fav whites are Simply White if I want a white white, and dove white for something softer.
Looking great!
Natasha Kalita
I love those whites too Natasha… I really needed a whiter white this time around so I used Chantilly. I love Simply White and have it on my bedroom walls and furniture. :)
Hi Kristy! Your table looks absolutely perfect in your space?
Thanks Vicki! I love it so much more.. Hugs!
Kristy it looks gorgeous!! And it’s so perfect in your beautiful home, I am in love! Fabulous job!!
Tamara xox
Aww thanks Tamara! You are so sweet… I say go for it! You’ll have no regrets. ;) xx
The table looks great!!! It looks so much better with your colors. Love the light and airy look
Love it! I’ve been painting furniture before it was a thing! All my pieces are redos. I paint everything white. I rarely distress and instead let the pieces distress on their own.
I agree, much better in white! It looks perfect and so soft and pretty in white!! It is a beautiful table, I love it! I have painted a few pieces and also did a coffee table, but I love the idea of using a small roller for the top. I didnt do that and you can see the brush strokes. So I will keep that in mind for my next painting project! Thank you! Great job!!
Gorgeous!! Do you use any kind of clear coat to help avoid accidental scratches? ?
Have you tried Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint? I just love it and super simple. What do you use for a top coat?
HI Kristy:
Do I understand you correctly? You painted your brand new bedroom suite? I’m nervous as heck to do mine. H E L P ! Please.
Love the way the table looks in white! So much better with your home decor. Did you use a satin finish, semi-gloss, or what? I have not done a lot of painting of furniture, so not sure. I wish I had your guts! I have a new dining set with a matching sideboard. It is not as white as I would like – but I’m so nervous to paint it…it was rather expensive and I’m afraid I’ll wreck it! ? Thanks for your reply. ?
Love it white. Yep I’m a painter of furniture. I use water based enamel paints on furniture that gets a bit of hard use so they don’t chip as easily and can be washed/ cleaned easily. Never distress either. I leave the chalk paint for picture frames and other low use items. Xx
Thanks for your professional input Jodie!! :) Hugs xx
I am so drawn to painted furniture. The coffee table looks fantastic.
Thanks Debra.. I like it so much better too! :)
So beautiful! Love the white!
Thanks Amber! The table looks so much better white… :) hugs! xx
It’s time to paint. I basically always use a paint sprayer when I’m painting furniture – it gives you the smoothest finish, it’s much faster than anything else, and it really is just the best way to give you a good end result. The exact directions will vary depending on the paint sprayer you’re using, but it’s a much simpler process than you might expect. Just pour the paint into the appropriate container, pull the trigger, and get to it. A few quick paint sprayer tips: you’re going to want to hold the sprayer closer to the piece than feels comfortable – no more than a foot away (I typically shoot for about 6-8 inches), move slowly and steadily, and try to move the sprayer all the way off the piece on either end as you move back and forth (if you switch directions while spraying the piece itself, you can end up with too much paint in on section).