29 January 2012

before and after: upcycled DIY nightstands

I'm so excited about this project - turning two ugly '60's endtables into pretty white nightstands for my master bedroom.

DIY endtables

I found the pair on Kijiji for $15 and snapped them up not only because of the bargain price but also because they have a simple, mid-century modern shape and both a drawer for closed storage as well as an open shelf for books and magazines. 

Before
First, I removed the hardware, filled in the holes with wood filler, and lightly sanded. 


Then I used a CIL primer for laminate surfaces, let it dry, lightly sanded, then painted a coat of CIL glossy trim paint in white. I let that dry then added a coat of polycrylic high gloss for a protective shine. 



I added wallpaper to the back of the shelf, and as a liner inside the drawer. I simply cut to size and used an adhesive spray to hold it tight. 



And finally I drilled new holes in the centre of the drawer faces for new knobs I picked up at a vintage store. 




And voila! They turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. They are now in my master bedroom. Hope this helps you spot some diamonds in the rough! 

12 comments :

  1. the nightstands look fantastic, esp with the wood legs!! great job!

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  2. Well done!!
    They're so pretty now, Kelly. And you can't beat $15!
    Love the wallpaper you added.

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  3. They look great -- and I love that silver vase with the tulips.

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  4. LOVE them.. what an incredible job you did! x Sarah

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  5. Replies
    1. Thanks JoAnna and all! All of you avid DIYer's have inspired me!

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  6. They look great! I love the wallpaper detail! And the new glass knobs!

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  7. It did indeed turn out great! I really like how you decided to creatively use a wallpaper for the backdrop of the open storage portion to give that "English" touch to the nightstand instead of just painting a solid color only. Isn't it amazing how a simple technique and some creative ideas could turn something cheap into something extravagant.

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I'd love to hear from you. Thanks for making my day!