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Sarah Hearts

Sarah Hearts

diy, home
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April 20, 2015

Mid Century Modern Side Table Makeover

Loving this mid-century side table makeover with chalk paint and liquid gold leaf paint. Such a great way to update a garage sale find! (click through for step-by-step tutorial and tips) #12monthsofmartha

I’m a sucker for mid-century furniture pieces. I check out Craigslist a few times a week to see if I can score a great deal on an Eames rocker (no luck yet) or another great mid-century piece but hate the often high price tag that goes along with them.

A few weeks ago, my friend Cindy, who is an avid furniture painter spotted this side table for $10 so I quickly responded the listing and picked it up the next day. It was way smaller than I anticipated and didn’t look too promising but I thought for $10 it was worth a try to revive this vintage piece. I got to work and did a few minor repairs, tried out the new Martha Stewart vintage decor paint for the first time, and of course, added a bit of gold. Now I’m absolutely in love with the final piece!

See what this mid-century side table looks like after an easy but so stylish makeover!

Time: 1 hour + drying time
Supplies: side table / vintage decor paint / gold liquid gilding /  clear wax / painter’s tape / brush / iron-on veneer edging / fine sanding block / utility knife / wood block

Remove plastic edging on old laminate furniture with a utility knife and replace it with iron on edging tape.

Step 1: Use a utility knife to carefully remove the old, rounded plastic edging. The edging was already coming off on the top tier so that was a piece of cake to remove. The bottom tier took a little more effort but once I made  a vertical cut in the edging it was easy to remove.

Refinish the edges of a laminate piece with easy to use iron of wood edge tape. It can be painted or stained to match the furniture piece.

Step 2: Apply the iron on edging tape according to the directions on the package. I wrapped the iron base in aluminum foil to avoid getting any of the glue on the iron. I found it easiest to apply when I held the extra edging in place with my other hand.

Use a scrap piece of wood to firmly press down the edging take tape after you iron it to make sure it adheres to the laminate or wood.

Step 3: As you apply the edging, stop every so often and press it into place. I used a scrap piece of wood for this.

Chalk paint is perfect for transforming wood and laminate pieces a like. No primer or pre-sanding required!

Step 4: Get the first coat of paint on there! Since it dries so quickly, I found it easiest to paint as much as I could in one direction then flip the piece over to paint the legs. Once it’s dry, lightly sand it with a sanding block and then wipe it down with a clean rag to remove the dust. I painted a total of 4 (maybe 5) coats and sanded after every coat.

mid-century-side-table-8

Step 5: Use painter’s tape to mark off the bottom section. I applied the tape 5″ from the bottom of each leg. Make sure the tape is smooth and firmly adhered then paint the legs gold. I applied 2 coats of the liquid gilding, letting it dry for about 10 minutes before coats.

Once it’s completely dry, apply a coat of clear wax over the entire piece to seal the paint. Make sure you wipe of any excess paint before it dries. Once dry, lightly buff it with a clean rag and then it’s ready to be used in your home!

A $10 Cragislist find gets a made into a stylish mid-century side table with chalk paint.

This two-tier side table is a $10 Craigslist find that was refinished with chalk paint.

Decorate | Kate Spade: Places to Go, People to See | Rug

Loving this before and after of a mid-century side table. Such a simple transformation makes such a huge impact in a room!

Check out my other #12MonthsofMartha projects, including the geometric wall art you see behind the side table!I'm part of the #12MonthsofMartha team! Follow along to see how I use Martha Stewart supplies to make one-of-a-kind DIY projects.

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17 Comments
  • Amy W
    April 20, 2015

    Love how this turned out… and I just realized after reading your post, I never received clear wax. Well, thankfully my painted luggage won’t need any!

    Reply
  • Rachel | The Crafted Life
    April 21, 2015

    I didn’t even know edging tape was a thing- this is brilliant! Such a gorgeous makeover Sarah!

    Reply
    • Sarah
      Rachel | The Crafted Life
      April 21, 2015

      Thanks girl! It’s so awesome! You can buy it in white laminate too!

      Reply
  • Gwen
    April 24, 2015

    Sarah, it’s just gorgeous! I love the gold and white so, so much!

    Reply
    • Sarah
      Gwen
      April 29, 2015

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  • emily
    April 26, 2015

    darling…such a fresh update!

    Reply
    • Sarah
      emily
      April 29, 2015

      Thanks, Emily!

      Reply
  • Diana
    May 2, 2015

    Lovely table!! By the way, where did you get that pretty rug? It´s so beautiful <3

    Reply
    • Sarah
      Diana
      May 2, 2015

      Thanks so much! Isn’t the rug awesome! I can’t stop staring at it :) It’s from West Elm.

      Reply
  • interior MISMATCH @ sarahroseHENKIN
    July 31, 2015

    Fantastic spruce-up~

    Reply
    • Sarah
      interior MISMATCH @ sarahroseHENKIN
      August 2, 2015

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  • Jo Carr
    June 25, 2017

    Hi, I’m doing a similar project. I wanted to know why you sanded after every coat. I didn’t realize I needed to sand at all. I did sand before the first coat.

    Reply
    • Sarah
      Jo Carr
      June 26, 2017

      Hi Jo. It’s not necessary but sanding between coats removes the texture from brush strokes and produces a super smooth finish.

      Reply
  • lorraine
    May 20, 2018

    why did u take the edging off, i am about to refinish a set that i have here tks :)

    Reply
    • Sarah Khandjian
      lorraine
      May 20, 2018

      Hi Lorraine, I took the edging off because it was chipped and damaged. Also since I wanted to paint it, the paint wouldn’t adhere well to the vinyl edging anyways. Best of luck!

      Reply
  • Barbara
    June 15, 2018

    Wondering whether the top was a synthetic formica–like top or if it was wood….?

    Reply
    • Sarah Khandjian
      Barbara
      June 19, 2018

      It’s laminate and MDF, like most IKEA furniture.

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Sarah

Hi, I’m Sarah

Hi I'm Sarah Rivero Khandjian and I'm a graphic designer turned maker. I find joy in creating things and helping others do the same!

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I made a swimsuit!!! #sarahheartssews #babylockambassador #babylocksewing . Pattern: @fridaypatterncompany #seabrightswimmer Fabric + lining: @fabricfairy Sewing machine: @babylocksewing Soprano
2 weeks ago
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An 100+ year old quilt top hand pieced by my great, great, aunt Grace. What should I make with it? #sarahheartssews
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An 100+ year old quilt top hand pieced by my great, great, aunt Grace. What should I make with it? #sarahheartssews
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Did you know you can create a serger seam guide just using cardstock? #sarahheartssews #babylocksewing #babylockambassador
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I just got a ton of wholesale orders (yay!) but unfortunately that means that orders placed today through the next two weeks will ship in clear bags until my printer helps me restock! So sorry if this is your favorite, I’ll be sure to include extra goodies in there! #sarahheartslabels
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