2010 January 05 | Beneath My Heart

I got this little coffee table this summer at my favorite shopping place (Goodwill) for only $6.50.

I liked it because it was simple, low, and had a shelf underneath that I could place books or magazines. And hey, for $6.50, what do you expect?

It’s for my guest house and will go in front of my couch that I still need to make a slipcover for…let’s not go there.

Here’s the before…

(I thought I had a better shot of it from this summer, but I couldn’t find it in my files. The black paint on the top of the table is from another project I did this summer. If something sits too long in my garage, it becomes a “work table”.)

If you are painting something, you need to sand it lightly with a sanding sponge, or use a “liquid sandpaper”. I use Klean-Strip Easy Liquid Sander Deglosser. It prepares the surface of the wood to be painted. You pretty much just pour it on a clean cloth and wipe it all over the table. The instructions are on the back of the bottle. Let the deglosser dry before painting.

Many of you have asked me what paint I use on my projects. My favorite is this Valspar paint that I get from Lowe’s. It comes in a quart size and is extremely durable. We used it on our kitchen cabinets and love it.

First, you want to get a brush and paint all of the corners, trim pieces, or any part of the table that has grooves in it.

Here’s what it looks like after I painted the edges.

Then I used a roll brush for the smooth areas. I forgot to take a picture of that brush…sorry.

I had to do three coats of paint on the smooth parts. Here is what it looked like when I was done.

I used a sanding sponge to sand the edges. Make sure your paint is completely dry before sanding or it will take off big chunks of your paint. (Yes, I have experience in that area!)

I love distressing the edges!

Now for the magic….a little Valspar Mocha Glaze.

Now I know that each of us bloggers have our favorite glazes. The Shanty 2 Chic sisters love ‘em some Ralph Lauren. I haven’t tried that product, but I am sure I would love it. I have had this container of glaze all summer and it’s still half full. I have used it on many other projects as well.

I LOVE IT!

Okay, you can tell I am the mother of four boys because this next picture makes me laugh. If my boys saw this picture they would think it looks like poo_…okay, I’m digressing.

Back to the project!

I have NO IDEA if this is the correct way to glaze, but it works for me!

First, put a little glaze on a paper towel.

Spread a layer of the glaze all over table. I work in sections. I did the top of the table first.

I let it dry for a few minutes and then get a damp paper towel and wipe it back off. You can wipe it as much or as little as you want to get the “look” your after.

I like mine to look like a “dirty” white. Is that a color?

I am sorry about the poor quality of these photos. I have to work indoors because it is sooooo cold out in the garage. Plus, I have to wait for the boys to go to bed to work on this, so these pictures were taken at nighttime. I don’t like to use a flash, so this is as good as quality as I could get.

I have to confess that I skipped a step to post this today. I didn’t put polyurethane on it, but I plan to. I don’t use it on all my projects, but since a coffee table will see a little more “wear and tear” than other pieces of furniture, I will be adding some poly to it in the future.

The reason I am posting this kind of late is that I wanted to get a good shot of the table in the guest house in the daylight. I teach music at a Mom’s Day Out program on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I had to take pictures when I got home this afternoon.

I thought the table looked a little bland when I saw it in the kitchen this morning. But when I put it in the guest house with a few accessories…it’s perfect! (See how much better pictures turn out in the daylight?)

The couch in the background is the one I am hoping to slipcover in a couple of weeks. Emphasis on “hoping”. Right now I have it covered with a matelesse.

Didn’t she turn out cute? She’s the perfect size! I love the wicker tray on the bottom. I got that at Goodwill for $4.50! It’s extremely durable and I love the black iron accents.

Here is a wider shot of the guest house. Remember…it’s a work in progress. (I need to make a shade for my floor lamp, slipcover the couch, and make some window treatments….) I will share it all with you as I go along!