Furniture Makeover: Marina > Jasmine

BACKGROUND:

If you've read my other furniture makeover posts, then you can just skip the next paragraph. :) If not, read on for a little background!

I'm project-oriented, hands-on, and would rather go to the dentist than read instructions. I love a good deal and love a good furniture makeover even better. I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty and with that said, am not afraid to go to the store mid-project, partially covered in paint. Usually it's the craft or hardware store at this point, so I figure they have to see more than just me decorated in paint and in my finest painting clothes. One of my many hobbies is to repurpose and update furniture pieces. Below you'll find step-by step instructions on how to give furniture a makover, peppered with the occasional behind-the-scenes comic relief.

CHEST CHALLENGE (MARINA):

If you share a fancy for all things creative and love a good project like I do, you know how easy it is to start accumulating more art and craft supplies than you ever intended. My craft "shelf" quickly became a craft "closet" which then somehow transformed into a "project room" as my collection had reached a new level. Needing a few ways to store things in a cost-efficient way, I did what any budget-conscious girl would do and consulted the local Facebook Buy-Sell-Trade groups. Not wanting to spend any more than $50 and having a sense of urgency to organize all my craft supplies which were currently taking over the floors of two rooms, I realized I couldn't be as picky as I normally would be... When you make a decision to find a piece within the day, your options are much more limited... this is where Marina (aka the turquoise bamboo wonder) comes into the story...

Anyone who knows me well, knows I am a fan of all things turquoise... except for this piece. As of today, I have finally found the exception... Now normally I would quickly look past Marina as she really wasn't my style, and I knew the current color would take a lot more work and a plethora of paint to revamp her, but being on a short timeline and small budget, I had to think outside of the box...

Marina was a previously faint yellow-colored bamboo piece of furniture that had an unfortunate cerulean blue paint job... (hence her name Marina as in the ocean blue marina). But, on the bright side (albeit, a bright blue side), she had a lot of drawers that were in good shape (equating to lots of organizational options) so I decided to look past the initial hesitation and instead focus on her potential...

1st STEPS: SANDING

I began her makeover by first removing all of Marina's jewelry (aka the hardware). I then used a small hand-held power sander and gave her a good sanding on her flat sides. I sanded her curved corner pieces and the bamboo legs and drawer details by hand. I started with coarse sand paper (around 60 grit), then moved to finer grit paper (120-180). The higher the number, the finer the sandpaper. After inspecting her for previous damage, I noticed a few cracks so I proceeded to fill in the cracks with wood filler, and then I sanded her once more for good measure.

CHALK PAINT:

Since I had extra paint left over from previous projects and wanted to keep her a neutral color, I decided to go with my standard cream chalk paint. I used General Finishes Bone White along with a good chalk paint brush. Cheaper brushes do not work as well, so it pays to invest in a good furniture painting brush. There is also the option of using a paint sprayer, but that is a lesson for another day. I'll be posting a furniture makeover tutorial on a kitchen table that will explain that option soon.

Given the fact that the blue color underneath was pretty vibrant, it took me about 3 coats of the cream to cover her, letting each coat dry in-between. I decided to downplay her bamboo features since the bamboo look really didn't go with the rest of my room decor, so I kept everything the same color instead of accenting the bamboo detail.

It's amazing what a little paint can do! She was coming a long way from her original eye-sore state!

FINISHING TOUCHES:

I usually like to distress pieces, but since Marina really doesn't fit the rustic or vintage vibe I normally go for, I opted to keep this piece un-distressed. I figured she would get her fair share of distressing anyway over the years the way I handle craft drawers... I finished the piece by liberally applying Annie Sloan clear wax to seal the paint and give her a flawless finish.

HARDWARE:

I completed Marina by updating her jewelry (hardware). Since I was on a limited budget with Marina and since the original hardware still fit the overall look (after a little facelift), I decided to keep it for now instead of buying new, and opted to instead give it a fresh look.

The previous poorly painted cream hardware with gold accents wasn't really up my alley, especially since the previous owner didn't take the time to remove the hardware first before painting, so there were speckles and smudges of blue paint as well (see below). Forgive the poor quality, on-its-last-leg iPhone picture below...

To keep it neutral and casual, I opted for a silver nickel color. I spray painted the hardware with Rust-oleum Metallic Paint & Primer in One in the color Satin Nickel. I sprayed two coats to ensure it was covered well.

​I then dabbed on a little Rub 'n Buff silver leaf paint to give it a little character. I just used a sponge brush and just gently tapped the paint where I wanted it. Heads up, this product gets on everything, so wear gloves when using it. I have found acetone will remove it from many things, but not everything, so be careful when painting with this.

I finished the hardware with a few coats of Rust-oleum Satin Clear Enamel for a protective finish to ensure the new look wouldn't rub off on my hands when opening the drawers.

FINAL PRODUCT (JASMINE):

Marina's makeover turned out better than I was initially anticipating. She is now the home to my collection of paints, crafts, and various project supplies. After all is said and done, I think she's ready for a new name, as Marina just doesn't seem to fit the bill anymore. After a little pondering, I think I'll name her Jasmine as that sounds like a fun name grounded in native roots, Eurasian influences, and a bamboo-loving upbringing. I'm currently on the search for a faux Jasmine flower for the vase, and then she will be complete. :)

STYLE DECOR:

Adding a little flair makes this piece come to life while also tying in Jasmine to the other rustic elements I have displayed in the project room.

Thanks for reading and hope you found something helpful, funny, or inspiring! Feel free to leave comments or questions below! Check out more How To's and Before & After's on my HOME MAKEOVERS page!

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave