I found this three-level metal plant stand on a recent visit to the Hayfield, Va. Goodwill store.
It was a little bit beat up and a little rusty.
Well, actually, it was very rusty.
However, I’m usually not bothered about minor details like cosmetic damage or even rust when thrifting for furniture or home decor items. Especially when there are so many things I like about an item.
There was a lot to like about this plant stand. For starters, I liked the shape and the swirly curly-cue on top. I liked the size — perfect for tucking into the growing “plant corner” in my kitchen. And I loved the price. It was only $9.99!
I knew the moment I saw it that I could easily transform this rusty old plant stand into a sophisticated statement piece for my home — and I could do it easily and inexpensively.
All I needed was a can of spray paint.
I started by hosing down the plant stand to clean off dust and knock off any loose chunks of rust. I did not bother scrubbing the remaining rust off because I knew the texture it created would look interesting in the end. If you prefer a sleeker look, you can scrub or sand off the rust to reveal the smooth metal. I don’t like doing that work. And I don’t mind a little imperfection, so I skipped that part.
Once the plant stand dried, I simply spray painted it. The entire process took about 10 minutes. It only took one coat of dark blue paint to cover up all of that rust.
Look at the difference!
I let the paint dry overnight. Even though it will be dry to the touch in a few minutes or so, I find it best to let painted pieces dry overnight before placing objects on them.
When I was rearranging my plant corner the next morning to make space for this new addition, I got another idea. I added a little bit of silver furniture wax around the edges and the swirly curly-cue on top.
This part is also easy to do and took about 10 minutes. I used an old sock wrapped around my finger to apply the wax exactly where I wanted it. Then I buffed the area with the sock before the wax dried to create a vintage patina look. Wax on, wax off.
My plant corner is becoming one of my favorite spots in my home. It’s right next to the Letter M wall I wrote about last month. I love that it’s a mix of thrifted items (that wooden rack in the other corner also came from Goodwill) and items I already had on hand. I enjoy discovering interesting containers I can repurpose for planting, like my Medusa flower pot. And all of the plants on my new rack were clippings neighbors gave away on my local Buy Nothing group. I am really enjoying watching them grow.
I love sitting here with a cup of coffee in the morning, just looking out the window for a few minutes before I start my day. I think it is important to have little spaces in your home where it just feels good to sit and relax. And thanks to Goodwill, I am able to find interesting pieces to add to my space over time making it distinctly my own!
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