Sometimes an awesome piece of furniture catches my eye and I instantly know how I’m going to paint it.
Then as I start working on the piece, the plan evolves into something entirely different than what I originally had in mind.
That’s what happened with this vintage sideboard I found a few weeks ago at the Fairfax, VA Goodwill.
The tabletop was scratched and the original finish worn away over the years, but the wood grain underneath looked amazing. I instantly knew I was going to sand the top down to the bare wood and re-stain it to accentuate that gorgeous grain.
I stuck with that part of the plan and love how the top turned out!
However, as I continued to work on the sideboard, my original plan for the base wasn’t working out. I’m a little bit obsessed with ReDesign with Prima’s furniture transfers right now.
(Check out this pretty little Goodwill nightstand I transformed with one.)
I originally envisioned a bouquet of beautiful flowers across the top of the sideboard.
Or going around the sides.
Or along that shelf on the bottom.
I couldn’t decide.
So I started painting the base of the sideboard while I mulled the placement of the transfers. The paint needs to be dry all the way for a day or two before applying the transfers anyway so I had time to fine-tune my plan.
I chose a rich olive green color called Collard Greens from the Dixie Belle Paint Company for the base with Gold Gilding Wax to highlight the details on the legs and drawers.
It’s the same color combo I chose for one of my little round tables with the curvy legs that I love finding at Goodwill. I chose Collard Greens because I thought it would be the perfect neutral backdrop for the floral transfer. And Gold Gilding Wax makes everything sparkle.
But the more I painted, the more I realized this color was stunning all on its own.
The more I painted, the more I realized that I really just needed to simplify my plan.
I decided to skip the transfers and let this exquisite piece of furniture simply shine.
I love it when a plan comes together so beautifully!
Courtney Mickalonis
,www.allthingsnewagain.net a furniture and paint boutique in Leesburg, VA. She finds old furniture that nobody loves anymore and makes it beautiful—and useful—again. Courtney teaches monthly furniture painting classes at their Leesburg studio and shares tutorials on her blog. Follow her on Instagram (@all_things_new_again) for more furniture upcycling adventures.
