Rain on a Tin Roof

Category: Furniture Makeovers

Furniture makeovers using various different paints and techniques. A one-stop-shop for all things related to furniture painting.

Faux Brass Capped Feet (A.K.A Ferrules and Sabots)

Here’s a quick little project that adds a little pop to your furniture.

You may have noticed in the red buffet makeover, that the feet of said buffet were sporting a little touch of metal.

You see, I have this thing for metal feet on furniture. Once I saw brass feet on the vintage chair for Grunt Labor that now sits in our living room, it was a done deal.

I’m takin’ it home, baby.

I’m sure you could buy these brass caps, also known as ferrules and sabots (look at me breaking out the big words – crazy what you learn as a blogger!), but I don’t know where and I did a version of it myself anyway.

Here’s how I made my faux brass capped feet.

Faux Brass Capped Feet

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

After painting the buffet, I simply wrapped FrogTape around each foot of the buffet. I measured the chair I already had with brass capped feet to get an idea of how far up to go. I put the tape on at 1 1/4 inches up.

And then I just applied Rub ‘N Buff below the tape.

And yes, that floor is dirty.

And yes, those cords are a hot mess.

Just keepin’ it real.

Remove the tape and you have brass capped feet.

Just a little somethin’ somethin’ that adds to your piece.

What will you add brass capped feet to?

Need more super easy DIY and craft projects? Don’t miss these then…

Make your own gorgeous agate slice lamp finials using this tutorial – it’s so easy!

Dress up your lamps with these super simple five minute lamp tassels!

Learn how to make faux crystals here and then turn them into cabinet knobs, magnets, finials and more!

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March 7, 2014
How to Build a Desk (Using Furniture You Already Have)

When I walked through the back door, I knew he would either be in his recliner or at the kitchen table.

If he was in his recliner, there was a 50 / 50 chance he had fallen asleep with a cigarette in hand and either Bonanza or In the Heat of the Night blaring from the television.

If he was expecting me and it was morning, he would most likely be at the kitchen table, facing me when I walked through the door, flipping through a magazine he had pulled from the stack that was a foot tall and rising.

This kitchen table was more than a table to me.

I sat on this table and ate my first birthday cake and drank milk from a mustard bottle.

I sat at this table and watched my grannie make me milkshakes.

I sat at this table and watched my pap try to make those same milkshakes after Grannie died.

I sat at this table and said my first curse word as I stuck a fork into a potato.

I sat at this table as he told me he would work on the tractor and I would mow the grass. I may hurt myself on the tractor.

I sat at this table with every cookbook of my grannie’s open, looking for that one chicken spaghetti recipe that my pap wanted so much to make.

I sit at this table now and write this post.

This table has been around as long as I can remember. Its solid, its sturdy, and if there is one piece of furniture that I want to work at every day, its this one. Its got a good history.

And we all know a piece of furniture with a good history is the best.

How to Build a Desk Using a Kitchen Table

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

This table actually has two leaves that go with it. They fold down, but when they are folded down, they block your knees and its uncomfortable. Because of this, I just unscrewed them from the table.

The top part, the hutch, actually came with that dresser I paid $10 for at a yard sale and turned into my buffet. I didn’t really need the hutch on the buffet, so I just took it off, but knew I would end up having the perfect project for it one day.

Once the table was in place, we set the hutch on top of it, then Grunt Labor found a stud and secured the hutch to the wall with a screw.

I painted it all glossy black to match the moldings and other black accents in the guest bedroom. Then, I “dipped” the feet with gold spray paint.

I kept my Jonathan Adler inspired chair in the room as my office chair.

And added a fun pillow to keep me workin’ hard.

And I love it. I seriously love working in this space every single day. I smile every time I look at my new office space.

Its functional, its stylish, it was affordable, and most importantly, it has a history.

My history.

Loved this one? Be sure to see these projects too then…

DIY Chippendale Desk – a gorgeous, easy to build desk with beautiful chippendale panels on the ends.

DIY Kitchen Island – made using old porch posts and barn wood!

DIY Ottoman Coffee Table – turn a coffee table into an ottoman or bench!

A Dress-Up Station Made from a Bookshelf – perfect for kiddos and an easy project!

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February 20, 2014
Waxing Furniture {The Easy Way}

DIY blogger confession time:

Until a couple weeks ago, I had only attempted to wax two pieces of furniture.

One turned out so-so.

The other was a complete failure.

In the end, the failure, the french country chest ended up with a light sanding and a coat of Polycrylic.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HomeRight. Y’all know how I roll though, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

I would now like to announce that I am a waxing furniture pro.

Yes, after only one successful piece of furniture waxed two weeks ago, I am declaring myself a pro.

I don’t have an ego at all.

However, my pro-ness in the waxing furniture department depends on one thing.

The AutoRight cordless detailing polisher, made by HomeRight.

Yes, I turned to the big guns to perfect my waxing skills and it was so worth it.

Last week, I showed you this beauty.

And when I showed it to you, I hinted around that I had discovered the easiest way to waxing furniture. There are only four steps.

The Easiest Way to Wax Furniture

#1 – Attach foam pad to the polisher and rub it around in the wax of your choice. If the can isn’t big enough to rub it around in, spread a little on the pad with a knife (that’s what I did.)

#2 – Can you push a button? You can? Good. That’s all you have to do to apply the wax to the furniture. Simply pull the trigger and watch that bad boy coat your piece in wax. The foam pad is great for getting into tight spots.

#3 – After letting your wax sit for a while, attach the cute little blue bonnet to the polisher.

#4 – Pull the trigger again and watched your piece become polished to perfection.

That’s it. This polisher makes waxing so much easier and now I can actually use wax on pieces!

Would you like your own? You can buy one on Amazon for around $55. Not too shabby for a tool that is life changing.

Need more furniture hacks and makeovers? You’re going to want to see these then…

Questions about painting furniture, trim, cabinets and more? Start here with the complete guide to painting EVERYTHING!

Questions about furniture topcoats in general? Head HERE.

Learn how to make furniture glaze in any color you want to HERE!

Want to get the details on using a paint sprayer for furniture painting? Go here then!

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February 19, 2014
Red Buffet Makeover

Let’s be honest.

The blue-lilac color on the buffet in my living room…..

it wasn’t working.

It went with nothing in my living room. When we first moved in the beloved foreclosure a few years ago, I loved that color. And it is still a really pretty color. But it does not work well with navy blue or gray or kelly green.

So it got booted.

And now I’m seeing red.

(more…)

February 13, 2014
$15 Hutch Update

I remember it sitting in the corner of my Hey Bud’s dining room.

I remember my dad insisting it could be moved when my Hey Bud died.

I remember it sitting in our garage waiting on a new home.

I remember my dad painting it white when he moved it into his new house.

I remember moving it back to my Hey Bud’s house after I remodeled it.

I remember Grunt Labor standing in front of it the first time he saw it and proclaiming it a future liquor cabinet.

And I remember the look on Grunt Labor and Nick’s faces when I told them it was my great grandmother’s china cabinet, while they had hammers in mid-swing knocking out one of its shelves.

Grannie Eva, it may not be a china cabinet anymore, but its still one of my most beloved pieces.

And the fact that I named my kid after you, makes up for me making it into a liquor cabinet, right?

This piece has seen many transformations in its time. The latest hutch update cost less than $15, but made a huge impact.

You may remember when I updated it with wrapping paper last year. The wrapping paper definitely helped to break up all the black, but I still wanted something more.

I picked up flat corner braces from Home Depot a few months back . They already came in a brass color, but I wanted them more gold, so I spray painted them, then screwed them into the corners of each door.

I used 4 packs (4 are in a pack) at $2.47 a pack, so I spent about $10. I already had the spray paint on hand.

I love the “campaign” feel they give the cabinet.

I also switched the old wrapping paper out with a new roll I got at HomeGoods for $3.

$13 for a hutch makeover with big bang?

I’ll take it.

Update! See the brand new red look this hutch got right here!

Love a good furniture makeover? Don’t miss any of these then…

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January 31, 2014
Furniture Makeovers Not to Miss that will leave you inspired

As you guys well know, I love giving new life to old furniture. I’m not shy about picking up a sander and paint at all.

Here are some fab furniture makeovers that were linked up at last week’s party and caught my eye!

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January 26, 2014
Navy and Gold Chest Makeovers

Have I chatted with you about the guest bedroom before?

Why am I asking? I know the answer to this. Its no.

And why have you never heard of this guest bedroom before or seen photos of it?

Because its ugly.

Let’s be honest. What room is usually last on the list when it comes to decorating?

The guest bedroom.

Those poor guests. A.K.A my amazing in-laws.

Bless them. They deserve better.

And they will get it. It’s all starting with these navy and gold chest makeovers.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HomeRight. Y’all know how I roll though, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Sometimes, all you need to make something pop is the simple combination of two colors.

No frills. No intricate details. Just the simple combination.

And for me, that simple combination in this case was navy and gold.

Notice, I said makeovers in the title. Yep, there are two of these. A night stand and a chest of drawers. I think the night stand probably qualifies as a chest because it certainly doesn’t seem like a “stand.”

Both of these are pretty solid, but had some issues.

I think at some point, they may have been in some water. See the bottom of the big chest above?

And the top needed some love as well.

So, before any paint went on these, I sanded them well. And picked up all the sanding dust with a tack cloth.

And then I pulled out my beloved, my coveted, my just-go-ahead-and-bury-me-with-it, HomeRight Finish Max paint sprayer.

Heaven help. Why did I just show you that picture?

That would be one of those days when the circus went to preschool and I tend to go a little loco.

You don’t get to judge.

After a coat of primer, I painted the chests the same navy color I used on the $10 dresser turned buffet.

This is a really deep navy, so it took a few light coats to get the color uniform. The finish was still impeccable.

Wow, I don’t know that I’ve used that word before on the blog. Yay, Jenna for using big words!

But, that’s the beauty of the Finish Max, it has a fine finish that looks completely professional.

I was not parting with the hardware that these chests came with – I loved their vintage vibe. They got a coat of gold spray paint.

There was this inlay on the top of each chest. To highlight it, I went over it with a gold Sharpie paint pen.

Want to learn more about how to use the Finish Max paint sprayer? See this post then! Oh, you are worried about clean-up of the Finish Max? Don’t be. It takes less than 10 minutes to clean it and in only six steps! Read all about it here!

So, where is this guest bedroom headed?

My friends, that is a fabulous question.

Here’s what I know:

The Jonathan Adler inspired chair is staying.

The wall color is going.

Somewhere in all of it, there needs to be an office space.

And these chest makeovers were a fabulous start.

That’s about it.

Stayed tuned. It should be fun.

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December 13, 2013
How to Clean the HomeRight Finish Max Paint Sprayer

By now, you guys know that I love my HomeRight Finish Max Paint Sprayer.

If you don’t know that, then you have been living under a rock or you haven’t read about my toy chest makeover, french country chair makeover, black and gold french country desk, or the polka dot bed.

The one question that people always ask me about the Finish Max is whether or not its easy to clean.

And I don’t blame them a bit for asking. If there is any person in the world that understands their fear, it is me. If you read about the toy chest makeover, you know that I have dealt with my fair share of paint sprayers that were not easy to clean and didn’t even work well. I was even skeptical of the Finish Max at first.

I felt it was time to show you how to clean the HomeRight Finish Max paint sprayer and just how fast and easy it really is.

I’m a believe-it-when-I-see-it gal and I figured some of you were too.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by HomeRight, but you know how I roll, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Let’s do this!

**Update: It’s now even easier than this to clean a Finish Max Paint Sprayer! There’s a new attachment called the Rapid Clean that plugs right into your water hose and the paint sprayer and cleans it up in just a few minutes.

Step #1:

After you are done painting, discard or place back into the paint can any remaining paint in container. (Keep in mind if you thinned the paint with water, you may not want to put it back in the can with un-thinned paint. I do typically go on and put it back in the can because I know if I use the paint again, it will most likely be in the sprayer anyway and will need thinning.) Rinse out the container well and fill it up with water.

Step #2:

Twist the container back into place on the sprayer. Plug in the Finish Max and spray the water out.

Step #3:

Unplug the Finish Max. Unscrew paint container and suction tube, rinse well with water and set aside to dry.

Step #4:

Unscrew the nozzle (technical word is air cap ring) where the paint comes out. This will free the other two pieces of the nozzle (technical words: air cap and directional air cap) and rinse all three parts well.

Step #5:

Remove any remaining paint from around the brass fluid nozzle. You can do this with the included brush, or as I choose to do, my fingernail. Rinse brass nozzle with water. Also, unscrew and remove the brass nozzle and spray it well with water.

I also like to take my water hose and spray some water up the bottom of the sprayer and out the nozzle by depressing the trigger while spraying the water.

Step #6:

Lay it all out to dry. If you need to use it immediately, just dry off the parts with a towel and get going again!

BAM.

10 minutes or less and you are done.

So. not only did you just get an entire piece of furniture painted in half (or even a 1/4 sometimes) the time it would take to roll and brush, but you also did all the cleanup in less than 10 minutes.

And I know I’ve spent longer than 10 minutes just trying to get paint out of brushes and rollers before, not to mention cleaning the paint trays.

No excuses with the Finish Max. Its easy to use and easy to clean.

Need a step-by-step play on How to Use the Finish Max Paint Sprayer? Head here!

Want to see how fab of a finish the HomeRight Finish Max sprayer gives? Then check out these furniture makeovers.

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November 22, 2013
Metal Cabinet Makeover {Roadside Rescue}

I’m sure you remember my sweet neighbor who gave me the fishy tray that I turned into a chevron masterpiece.

Bless her. Just to summarize, she was moving in with her daughter and gave me multiple treasures including that tray, several mason jars, more furniture than my garage can hold and even more that I won’t go on and on about.

Well, about two days before she moved, I came home after ice cream with Grunt Labor and the kid one evening to see this vintage metal cabinet and a metal cart on the roadside in front of her house. In all honestly, I had lusted after this cabinet since I saw it in her garage one afternoon. Now, this sweet lady had asked me if I wanted every single thing she was giving away before she gave it away, so, I thought that maybe someone was already coming to pick up that cabinet and cart. But, just in case it wasn’t earmarked for anyone, I ran over to her house and asked her if anyone was coming to pick it up.

The sweet thing said no and that she was too embarrassed to even ask me if I wanted something so old and beat up like that cabinet.

Bless her heart. Little did she know, I love beat up stuff.

And a metal cabinet makeover was right up my alley.

And even more, I seriously needed some storage in my craft room.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Rust-Oleum, but y’all know how I roll, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Even though, this piece would be in my craft room where no one but really me, Grunt Labor and the kid would see it, I still wanted it to be pretty and reflect me.

And what best reflects me?

Navy blue and kelly green.

You knew it was coming. Just deal with it.

First though, this cabinet was seriously gross.

There was dirt.And there was rust.
I started by just hosing the entire thing down and scrubbing it really well.

I removed all the hardware, and then gave the entire piece, as well as the hardware, a good coat of gray primer to seal out the rust. Next, I took kelly green (ok, really its called meadow green) and went over the edges of the doors and drawer with it. I didn’t need to cover the entire thing with the green because part of it would have just gotten covered up by navy as you will see.

Before taping up where I wanted to keep green, I gave the cabinet a full twenty-four hours to dry.

After the 24 hours, I taped along the edges of the doors and drawer to kind of make the green a frame around the blue.

I pulled out my deep blue spray paint and went to town.

I used my comfort grip spray paint holder for all the painting. It makes spray painting so much easier. No more tired and sore fingers! It just clips right onto the can and you can get to work!

So that I didn’t peel any of the blue paint off after it had dried, I pulled all the tape off the cabinet while the blue spray paint was still wet.

Finally, I topped it all off with a couple gloss topcoats.

It all resulted in amazing storage for my craft room.

I know these photos are not the best, but my craft room is in my basement, so great lighting there is a luxury we don’t have.

I went for gold on the handles. Initially, I tried a yellow color, but it just took away from the blue and green too much.

My craft table is now actually a table and doesn’t have to hold all my supplies. They are stylishly hidden away in my roadside rescue.

Wait, does it still count as a roadside rescue if it was just next door?

Need more furniture makeover inspiration? See my entire gallery of just that right here!

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October 15, 2013
Black and Gold French Desk Makeover

Remember that fabulous french country chair that got a simple makeover last month?

This desk was its mate.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by HomeRight. But, y’all know how I roll, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Yep, I’m fully aware they do not match one another.
From the time I got both pieces, I knew they wouldn’t stay together. No matter how badly I wanted to keep both. I kept the chair and planned on selling the desk.

If you remember, both pieces had came from a yard sale. A dear friend found them for me. Here’s how this French desk makeover started out:

The desk was solid. It was just covered in some sort of sticky substance and a gross amount of cat hair.

Eww.

The inlay on top was pretty gross. There was no way that design would be staying.

First, I gave the entire piece a coat of primer with my HomeRight FinishMax.

Yes, I just referenced Carrie Bradshaw in that photo. If you know who/what she said it to, you are fabulous.

Next, I pulled out the gold spray paint to define the top edge of the desk and add some interest. I just went right over the top edges with the spray paint. Once it was dry, I took plastic wrap and painters tape and wrapped up the top.When the top was good and covered with plastic wrap, I loaded my FinishMax back up with black paint and went over the desk base and all the drawers. Then, I pulled off the plastic wrap and hand brushed and rolled the inlay black for some added contrast against the gold. Finally, the whole thing got a coat of polycrylic.

A few readers have asked about how difficult it is to clean up the FinishMax sprayer. Trust me, I understand your concerns. If you remember from my toy chest makeover, I told you I had tried out two other sprayers that I detested before I found my FinishMax. Part of the detested-ness was the clean-up. Fortunately, this sprayer takes less than 10 minutes to clean up and is super easy. So easy, I made you a little graphic to show you how.

Go here to get the simple instructions and photos for cleaning the Finish Max.

And now for the final reveal of the desk:

The classic contrast of the black and gold turned out better than I ever could have expected. The finish was professional and perfect, thanks to the FinishMax.

Liked this one? You might want to check these out too…

DIY Chippendale Desk – a gorgeous DIY desk that isn’t that hard at all to build!

How I Built a Desk from an Old Kitchen Table – it might be narrow, but it packs the storage!

And you can see all my Furniture Makeovers Here.

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October 9, 2013
Dresser turned Stylish Buffet

I’ve been keeping a secret.

I know, its not nice to keep secrets.

Please forgive me.

I’ve been doing a mini-makeover on my dining room.

You may not even recognize it, since the last time you saw it was on my home tour.

It all started when I found this dresser at a yard sale for $10.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Yep, the dresser was only $10.

Grunt Labor says it was only $10 because they didn’t want to carry it back inside their house. He may be right. This thing was so heavy. And I have lifted a lot of furniture in my time.

But, when I saw the $10 dresser, I knew there was a buffet in my future. Come hell or high water.

So, I had my electrician move my chandy so I could scoot the dining room table over.

All in the name of a buffet.

And now back to the $10 dresser.

It doesn’t look bad from afar, but upon further inspection, one can see that the paint job was horrendous. They had just painted right over the handles while still attached to the drawers, therefore, causing runs in the paint and making my job harder.

But, I persevered and after I had done enough sanding to my satisfaction (which really means, I gave up), I sprayed the entire thing down with Zinnser primer in my HomeRight Finish Max Paint Sprayer.

Why, yes, my garage floor is multi-colored. Its the new look, don’t you think?

Or maybe I just paint too much.

After the primer dried, I painted the base and drawers navy, once more with my paint sprayer and let it dry.

After the navy was good and dry, I took a can of Rust-Oleum Metallic Gold Spray Paint and sprayed the top edge and bottom lip of the buffet body as well as the inside trim of drawers.

I know, you are wondering why I went and messed up my beautiful navy paint job. Well, this was the easiest and most efficient way I could come up with to get this piece how I wanted it to look. I didn’t want to use a paint brush to paint all those nooks and crannies with the gold, but there isn’t a good metallic paint I can use in my sprayer, so I stuck with the trusty gold spray paint.

After the spray paint dried, I got back out my blue paint and touched up any places where the gold was that I didn’t want it to be.

You are thinking this took me forever.

I thought it would take forever as well.

We are both wrong. I figured out a trick.

With the navy, as long as I painted into the outer crevice of the molding, it was pretty easy and quick. This is what I mean:

You can’t really see inside the crevice, so wrong paint colors there wasn’t an issue.

After all the navy was dried, I went back with a creamy white along the insides of the drawer fronts and all the old hardware got a coat of gold spray paint. Finally, I finished it off with a coat of Polycrylic.

Hello ridiculous amounts of extra storage!

Here’s a little look at what else I’ve been doing in the dining room. The dining room wall has got a makeover since my home tour.

I’ll be showing you how I made that tassel garland and the silhouettes soon!

What do you think of the new look?

Need more furniture makeover inspiration?

See how I made over a 70’s credenza here!

And how I gave a dresser a pink and aged dark wax finish here!

Need help learning to paint furniture? Look no further – here is the ultimate guide!

And you can always see all my past furniture makeovers right here!

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September 26, 2013
Top Furniture Makeovers at Rain on a Tin Roof

You guys know I love a good furniture makeover.

There are furniture makeovers I’ve done that I haven’t even posted about.

There is so much furniture waiting for a makeover in my garage, that I can’t park in there.

And sometimes Grunt Labor can’t park in there either.

And he does not like that.

But, he grins and bears it.

Here’s a re-cap of the top furniture makeovers here at Rain on a Tin Roof:

Toy Chest Makeover

I was totally shocked at how much you guys liked this little toy chest! I thought it was cute, but you guys seemed to love it! Totally made my day!

Restored Rocking Chair

Same thing with this 100 year old rocking chair! Have you ever read why I paid someone $400 to help me save it?

Ralph Lauren Inspired Barstools

Ahhh, my barstools. They speak for themselves.

Wrapping Paper Topped Table

What does Jenna do when she can’t fix a tabletop? She puts wrapping paper on it!

Burlap Entry Bench from Chairs

Cut the backs off chairs and create stools – put two together to form a bench!

Wrapping Paper Lined Cabinet

The $0.50 liquor cabinet makeover. Priceless.

It was once my great-grandmother’s china cabinet. And I turned it into a liquor cabinet. That too, is priceless.

French Country Dresser Makeover

Such a beauty…

French Country Chair Makeover

This chair turned out beautifully, thanks to a simple combination of white paint and green velvet upholstery.

How to Upholster a Cane Chair

The Jonathan Adler inspired cane chair.

One word: LOVE.

Like what you see?

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September 20, 2013
French Country Chair Makeover

After using my HomeRight FinishMax Paint Sprayer to re-hab my daughter’s future toy chest, I was just itching to use it on something else too.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

This thing was a total game changer. Enter the French Country Chair makeover. Luckily, I had this old chair waiting on me in my basement.

A friend had picked up this chair, along with that desk beside it, for me at a yard sale. The chair doesn’t look that bad in this image, but a quick removal of that cat hair ridden cushion….

Yep, the caning was shot. But before, I worried about that, I had to paint this bad boy.

After removing the fabric on the arms, I got it all set up to spray. With as many curves, nooks, and crannies as this thing has, I was not going to hand brush it.

I plugged in my HomeRight Finish Max Sprayer and got started.

The fabulous thing about this paint sprayer is that it doesn’t require an air tank to run, you simply plug it in to an electrical outlet.

After giving the chair a coat of primer, a couple coats of paint, (all of which I thinned with a little water), and topcoat of Polycrylic, I brought it in to start the job of re-upholstering it. Obviously, it needed a new seat bottom. I did not want to re-cane the chair and I didn’t want to just put wood strips there to hold a cushion in place, because I absolutley did not want to sew a cushion with that many curves. Grunt Labor decided he would just make a piece of wood to replace the broken cane in the shape of the seat. Bless his heart, he tried so hard, but just couldn’t get those curves right and the piece of wood just never would sit on there perfectly.

After an evening of failed attempts that almost ended our marriage, I finally got a piece of wood cut that fit pretty well.

I laid it on my foam padding, and cut the foam out.

I covered that with batting to smooth any rough edges, and there were many. I finished the seat off with green velvet fabric and some decorative trim that I just hot-glued to the bottom.

For the arms, I put a layer of batting, then the green fabric, stapled it down, and finally hot glued more of the trim around the edges to hide the staples.

Since the trim had that extra piece to glue around edges, I just cut it off close to the actual trim and hot-glued that side down.

And I love it.

I was worried I may have concentrated in some areas too much with the paint sprayer and caused some drips or runs.

But there isn’t a drip or run in sight.

Oh and no, nothing is wrong with the back.

I just like that pillow.

A lot.

The finish is just flawless.

Thank you, HomeRight for making my life so much easier.

The sad part:

The chair doesn’t work for the space I intended it for.

Boo.

But, I’m keeping it.

I. Will. Find. A. Place.

Oh, and by the way, cleaning the Finish Max is a breeze. It only takes 10 minutes!

UPDATE: This French Country chair has gotten a new, modern makeover! See it here!

More Chair Makeovers & Upholstery Posts:

How to Waterproof & Repel Stains on Fabric – trust me, you’re going to want to do this!

Polka Dot Painted Chair Makeover – learn how to paint upholstery!

How to Upholster a Cane Chair – a vintage can chair gets a modern look!

Upholstered Box Spring – a great way to cover your box spring without having to deal with a bedskirt!

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September 10, 2013
Restored Rocking Chair

Its Summer Spruce-Up Wildcard time! Tomorrow is the wildcard link party and today, I’m sharing my wildcard project.

This Restored Rocking Chair.

Rarely, do I ever spend a significant amount of money on an item for my home.

I change my mind too much.

We all know this.

This rocking chair was the exception. (more…)

August 20, 2013
How to Upholster a Cane Chair

I thought re-upholstering this chair would be difficult.

I was wrong.

Shocking, I know.

Now, I will teach you how to upholster a cane chair like this.

Aren’t you so excited? (more…)

August 14, 2013
Toy Chest Makeover

I’m not gonna lie. When HomeRight first contacted me and asked if I was interested in reviewing a paint sprayer, I was a bit skeptical.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by HomeRight, however all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

You see, I have purchased two paint sprayers in the last year and both have failed me. One would never spray quite right, it always spit out globs of paint despite me following the exact directions on thinning the paint. The other did fine the first time I used it and the next day, it would not work at all.

See why I was skeptical?

I can’t tell you how happy I am though, that I told HomeRight yes to reviewing their paint sprayer.

Because this paint sprayer is a whole different ballgame.

As soon as I took it out of the box, I realized it was different. There were not near as many parts that go with this paint sprayer as opposed to others. I decided this old chest was the perfect thing to get started with using my new HomeRight Finish Max.

It was also the perfect thing to start with because baby girl needs a toy chest. Like needed a toy chest six months ago. Enter toy chest makeover.

This chest was given to me years ago by my great aunt who took it to college with her. And she is about to turn 100. So, yea, there’s some history here. Including lots of scuffs, scraped paint, dents and dings.

But I love those dents and dings.

Before painting the chest, I gave it a good sanding to remove loose paint and wiped it down with a tack cloth to pick up all the dust.

One of the great things about the Finish Max is that it comes with this awesome tool, technical term is a viscosity cup) that helps you determine whether or not your paint needs to be thinned.

You fill up the funnel (viscosity cup) with paint and then count how many seconds it takes for the paint to empty out of the funnel. The instruction manual gives you the amount of time it should take for primer, enamel, etc. to run out of the funnel. If your paint doesn’t run out of the funnel in the given amount of time, it needs to be thinned. You just add more water until it reaches the stated time.

After getting my paint consistency just right, I plugged this bad boy in and went to town.

I started off by giving the chest a couple thin coats of primer. Since this is the Finish Max paint sprayer, it focuses on quality, rather than quantity. The paint comes out very fine to create a beautiful finish, so it may take an extra coat to get full coverage. But, trust me, the final product is so worth it.

After the chest got primed, it got another couple coats of white paint.

To add some character, I stenciled on some cute little birds in pink and blue with a stencil from Royal Designs Studio.

And that wire the birds are standing on….not paint. I just drew it on with a black sharpie.

I can’t tell you guys how much easier this paint sprayer has made my furniture painting.

It saves me so much time and creates a beautiful finish.

I am in love.

With a paint sprayer.

Really, maybe one of you should go on and call that asylum.

Want more toy box inspiration? See how I turned an old army locker into a toy box here.

Worried about the clean-up? Don’t be! It takes less than 10 minutes to clean the sprayer and is easy! Get the lowdown on cleaning the Finish Max here.

See more of my favorite tools and products for DIY projects here.

And you can always see all my Furniture Makeovers Here.

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August 13, 2013
Table Makeover with Mod Podge and Wrapping Paper – Easy and Cheap

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I am so happy to be getting back in the groove of things and show you guys a project of mine.

A colorful and favorite project of mine.

A table makeover with Mod Podge and wrapping paper.

I never could have imagined that this table would end up so cute in the end.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

I picked it up at a yard sale a few months back. Initially, I thought I would just do a quick flip of it. I was going to paint it a simple white and make the handle gold.

The table decided it would not be a quick flip. No, no, no. It decided it had been forgotten for far too long and needed something more.

After I had sanded it and attempted to fill the gouges and scratches with putty, the table top surface just would not become smooth.

I gave up and tossed it to the side for a couple weeks until I was at Home Goods one day and found some gorgeous green and white striped wrapping paper. I bought the paper knowing it would look great on the table.

After looking at the green in the wrapping paper, I decided the table needed some more color to go along with that pop of green. I pulled out the paint I used on my daughter’s dresser in the nursery and gave the legs and sides a couple coats of Salmon Pink by Behr. I painted the bottom shelf white. I didn’t want there to be too much of a good thing with the coral.

Next, I brought the table inside and laid the wrapping paper over the top to get an idea of what size to cut it down to.

Sorry for the terrible lighting photo, but literally, that’s all I did, lay it on the table and cut it out.

Once I cut it out, I put a coat of mod podge on the table top, laid the paper on top and gave the top a few coats of Mod Podge to protect it. I put the mod podge along the edges as well and pressed the paper under the top as I went.

I gave the handle a coat of gold spray paint.

Where did she go, you ask?

Oh, she only sold within 30 minutes of being listed.

No, I’m not kidding. I told you she was fabulous.

Need more furniture makeover fixes? Head here.

Looking for more projects where Mod Podge and beautiful papers work together wonderfully?

Easy Step Stool Makeover – turn a basic and blah stepstool into a shining star with colorful scrapbook paper and Mod Podge!

Vintage Storybook Garland – an adorable garland for your Christmas tree!

Easy Glitter Easy Bunny Art – a super cute Easter bunny decor piece!

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August 7, 2013
Ralph Lauren Inspired Barstools

I have been waiting to show you these for a month. It has been so hard to keep them a secret…

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

What do you think? Ok, yes, they do have some Kate in them with that kelly green. But, don’t those blue and white stripes just totally make them Ralph?

I am in love with them. Really, I’m in love with every project I’ve done for the Summer Soiree Style Series. I have truly surprised myself.

Here’s what they looked like before:

Just your basic industrial vibe barstools. I didn’t dislike them, but I knew they could be better.

After making my Kate Spade lamp, I knew I wanted more kelly green in my living room, and these barstools were the perfect pieces for it. I wanted the seat to be contrasting, but work well with the green, so I went for the classic Ralph Lauren navy blue stripes.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

First, I took the back rest apart from the seat, cleaned them up well, and set them up in my super hi-tech spray painting station.

They got 2 coats of Rust-Oleum spray paint in Forest Green and a clear gloss topcoat, also Rust-Oleum. My go-to spray paint is always Rust-Oleum. Never once have I been unsatisfied with its results.

While the stools were drying, I went to upholstering the seats with white fabric. I had to put a small nut and bolt through the seat to be able to tighten it down once I got it back on the stool. Originally , the seats had just been tacked down.

Once the stools were dry, I put the seats back on. And where are those navy stripes, you ask? I didn’t have any navy and white striped material, so I taped off the seats and painted the navy stripes on.

It took about 2 1/2 coats to get the blue evened out. I just used a sample pot of regular latex paint I had.

I put Rub ‘N Buff along the bottom ring to add a pop of gold.

And that’s it! It was simple and cheap and now I have amazeballs Ralph Lauren barstools. And you don’t. haha. I’m kidding. I’m not really that mean.

Too much green? I think not. Hmmmm….maybe I should have called these “Kate meets Ralph Barstools…” Too late now!

Love designer inspired home projects?

Want Lilly Pulitzer Inspired projects – here are 10+ of them!

More Ralph Lauren style? See these projects then!

More of a Jonathan Adler person? Right here are projects inspired by him!

Kate Spade girl? This way then!

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July 9, 2013
Blue & Gold Dipped Barstool

If you follow me on Facebook, you may know (and may be sick of) about my current love for all things gold.

I don’t think its just me though, I am seeing it everywhere! I first saw this idea for a gold dipped barstool here.

So, when Grunt Labor brought home this barstool, I immediately knew its fate.

First, I spray painted the bottom part of the legs and seat gold on my high-tech spray painting pedestals (a.k.a. flower pots and scrap wood). After the gold was on there, I put plastic wrap and tape around it to keep the blue spray paint from getting on the gold.

I gave it a couple coats of Rustoleum Painter’s Touch in Aqua and finished it off with a gloss clear coat.

I love the gold dipped legs! What do you think?

Loads more furniture makeover inspiration RIGHT HERE!

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June 26, 2013
French Country Dresser Makeover {DIY Chalk Paint}

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Just another Craigslist furniture makeover….

A French country dresser makeover…

Isn’t she a beauty? I love love love the gray and white contrast. She had humble beginnings:

(more…)

June 6, 2013
Rub ‘n Buff Hardware Makeover

This was my first adventure with Rub ‘n Buff.

A Rub ‘n Buff hardware makeover.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

It won’t be my last! If you haven’t heard of Rub ‘N Buff, it is this little tube of amazingness that is like a paint / paste / cream. You can get it in various shades of gold, pewter, silver, etc.

All you do is squeeze a small portion out, I mean SMALL, a little goes a LONG way, and rub it on whatever you want to make gold, silver, etc. Let it dry, then buff. That simple.

My dresser and chest of drawers pulls in the master needed some help. I tried to polish the brass, but that did nothing. They needed a total overhaul.

Some of them were even a little rusty, so I sanded those first. And the after:

After I applied the Rub ‘n Buff, and rubbed and buffed, I did sand them a tad. The gold was a bit too “BAM” for me.

What da ya think?

The Master Bedroom is finally complete. Wanna see the whole shebang? Right this way, please…Master Bedroom Reveal

Need more ideas for restoring your furniture hardware or making new hardware? See these…

How to Clean and Restore Your Hardware with One Product – you won’t believe the difference!

Three Easy Ways to Update Your Furniture Hardware – before you replace it, see if you can update it!

DIY Faux Crystal Knobs – make your own crystals, then turn them into knobs! It’s easier than you think!

DIY Selenite Knobs – easily turn beautiful selenite stones into furniture knobs!

Like what you see?

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March 17, 2013
Gray and White French Country Chest

Remember the small gray table in my master bedroom reading nook?This french country chest below was also part of that Craigslist haul where Grunt Labor was counting the farm animals. It has turned out to be one of my absolute favorite pieces I’ve ever done.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

It started out like this:

For me, it was easy to see through those horrendous painted flowers and awful 1980s(?) yellow-y color to see the beautiful curves underneath. She is also solid wood, so it was a no-brainer that Grunt Labor would be loading it up in the truck for me.

I mixed up the same Benjamin Moore Trout Gray chalk paint recipe that I did for the table and covered the entire piece in it.

I really wanted this baby to pop, and I love the combination of white and gray for contrast, so I grabbed a sample pot of some white color I have (sorry I don’t know the name!) and made some more chalk paint. I painted the grooves along the legs white and the handles the same color. When it was all done, I gave it 3 coats of Minwax Polycrylic Spray.

No sanding for rustic-ness, I wanted pure, clean, contrast.

Isn’t she grand? Unfortunately, I can’t keep this beauty. There is no room for it at my house!

Want to see more DIY chalk painted pieces? Here you go…

DIY Numbered Chest – features a cool way to add detail to furniture pieces with numbers!

DIY Gray Chalk Paint Table – simple, but adorable!

French Country Dresser Makeover – two-toned love going on here!

Two Toned Rustic Dresser – with a DIY shelf that took the place of a missing drawer!

February 1, 2013
How to Make Chalk Paint and Results of Paint

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I’m sure you have heard of the Annie Sloan Chalk paint……everyone says it is THE WAY to paint furniture. I don’t doubt them a bit. However, I just can’t bring myself to fork over $35 for a quart of the paint!! I am cheap and not afraid to say it. The paint is supposed to be the best because it usually takes only one coat, no primer or sanding needed, and it sands off in a chalky manner to distress furniture easily. It also dries a flat finish. I found a recipe online for home made chalk paint and decided I would try it out on this $5 yard sale table I have.

This was originally stained, but I painted it a french country blue and then realized I had no idea what to do with it. Poor thing, it has been living in my garage for the past 6 months. With the baby on the way, I decided I would move the current guest bedroom nightstand into the baby’s room and put this one in there. However, the color would never do. I wanted to go with a gray color.

How to Make Chalk Paint

I mixed a cup of the Stonington Gray from the nursery and 1 tablespoon of non-sanded white grout (about $7 at Home Depot). I mixed enough to get the lumps out. You can also add a little water to the tablespoon of grout to begin with and mix it together to form a paste, then add your paint in and mix well. If the grout is extra lumpy this step helps.

If you have problems with the paint drying out too quickly, add a little water as needed to keep it wet longer. You have to brush this on, there is no rolling with this paint. I did not prime or sand any part of the table before painting. The home made version stuck to it amazingly! Yay!! It also dries really fast. By the time I was done with the first coat, I could tell there were a few places that needed a bit more paint. It didn’t really need a full second coat, I would say it took 1 1/2 coats. By that point, all that brushing had me wore out, so I went to bed! The next day, I applied a wax finish on the table to protect it.

It’s just a nice clear coat to protect the finish. I wanted to keep the flat look of the paint on the table.

***Update: I have since found an easier way to wax furniture! Read about it here!**

And the result was…..

I am very pleased with it – especially considering the fact that the whole thing took less than an hour to complete. I will definitely use the home made version of the chalk paint again. I have a shutter that will match the table to become a head board in the guest bedroom.

That’s my take on how to make chalk paint. Anyone else out there used home made chalk paint before?

More DIY Chalk Paint Pieces you might want to see…

DIY Numbered Chest – features a cool way to add detail to furniture pieces with numbers!

DIY Gray Chalk Paint Table – simple, but adorable!

French Country Dresser Makeover – two-toned love going on here!

French Country Chest Makeover – the gorgeous lines on the furniture are accentuated with white detail on this one!

Two Toned Rustic Dresser – with a DIY shelf that took the place of a missing drawer!

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.

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January 7, 2012