I’m back at it with some more apartment tour posts – DIY style! Today, I wanted to show you how I created this sweet and feminine (with a classic edge) side table out of a $7 garage sale find. I also wanted to introduce the new “home” tab on my blog where you can browse all of my apartment and home decor posts, including my recent piece on how I styled my bedroom.
If you’re a girl on a budget, garage sales and antique fairs will become your best friend! I scored this side table for just $7! Now, let me tell you, you really have to use your imagination when scoping out your furniture culprit. Let me tell you – this thing was ugly to start. However, it is a well-built piece of furniture made entirely of wood and glass, and it has so much character to it! The end result will cost well under $20, and you will not find a $20 table of this quality anywhere unless you get creative!
To begin, this table was a faded, orange tinted wood with dated brass hardware. With a little paint and patience, this table got a whole new life.
How to DIY a Side Table
What You Need:
- Vingar
- Old rag
- Shabby Paint or Rust-Oleum
- Shabby Paint Vax
- All-surface paint or new hardware
- Paintbrush
- Water
- First, wipe off the dust and dirt with an old rag and vinegar.
- Then, take off any hardware it avoid getting paint on it.
- Now, this is normally the step where you’d have to get down and dirty sanding all of the wood, but with the Shabby Paint, you don’t have to! Yes, the Shabby Paint is a bit pricier than other paints, but let me tell you, it is SO WORTH IT! (And totally not sponsored, just a huge fan!) Not only do you not have to sand and prime, but it also lasts much longer than other paints. People rave about this paint and I am now totally one of those people! So, paint away!
- If you don’t have a Shabby Paint retailer near you, Rust-Oleum makes another great option!
- After painting, your project will feel chalky to the touch. To get rid of that texture and seal it up, the Vax is a key step. This also helps preserve your piece for such a long time.
- If you have hardware on your side table, you can either give it a new coat of paint or switch it out with new hardware. I loved the shape of the hardware above, but the dated brass had to go!
And that’s it! It takes a little bit of time and patience, but well-worth saving hundreds of dollars! If you have any questions, feel free to drop them below! Thanks for reading. XO
This table is so cute!! I love your lamp too.
Thanks so much, Lily!!
The end result is great! Love the cute little plant- I don’t have any plants in my apartment… maybe I should add one! 🙂
xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
Thank you so much! This plant is from TJ Maxx – last time I was there they had such fantastic options! XO
I love this side table! It’s so classic and chic.
Tori
http://www.mooretori.com
Thanks so much, Tori!!
Wow this turned out beautiful! I’m about to start hitting up yard sales now haha
Yes – you totally should! It is such a fun game to hunt down amazing finds!
That table is fabulous! I wish we could have glass things like that. Husband is not exactly the most graceful person haha.
Hahaha! I am actually shocked by how sturdy the glass is. I have dropped several things on it and it has lived! Older furniture was so much better made!
oh i love the clear top! definitely makes it a lot more minimalistic <3
I agree! The glass top also helps it fit well into a small space. Such a nice touch of character! XO
Oh it’s so pretty! I need a table like this in my life.
Thanks so much Jenny! XO
omg- this is incredible, it turned out amazing! I love DIY projects like this, you have a totally unique piece now.
-Emily
https://norepeatsorhesitations.com/2018/02/07/10-things-to-watch-before-the-winter-olympics/
Awhhh thanks so much, Emily! I agree – I love having original pieces and if you can do it for under $15, even better! Haha!
love the gold accents on this table!
xo!
Shelby
Thanks so much, Shelby! I love mixing the modern with the classic through the gold lamp.
Such a good DIY! Love how it turned out
Me too!! They are so fun and you feel so proud (most of the time – ha!) at the end. 🙂 Thanks Emily!
Such a great DIY and you can’t beat the price you bought it for!
xoxo,
Kim
Seriously – the prices you can get by DIY-ing are unreal! Thanks so much Kim!
The lamp is so cute!
Thanks so much – Target for the win! 😉
I love the hardware on that side table!
It’s original!! I think it’s so cute! Thanks so much, Anna!
Such a cute side table! My parents have a similar-looking one, just stained brown haha. I definitely prefer it in white!
That’s so sweet – thanks Cameron! It is such a classic shape, but I love the girly twist the white gives it!
Wow! What a gorgeous DIY! Love that side table!
So so sweet of you! Thanks Ashley!!
That table looks so nice! I would’ve never known it was a DIY table. Really nice work!
That’s so kind of you!! Thank you so much!!
Wow! Looks great!! Very impressed.
Thanks so much, McKenna!
What an excellent DIY. I had never heard of Shabby Paint, and I’m sure that will come in handy when I have my new place and I’m trying to get new furniture! Thanks!
Yay – happy to help! It is amazing!
Looks amazing!!!
Thanks so much!! 🙂
That’s a great DIY – I have to check out Shabby Paint. Love the gold accents too.
❥ tanvii.com
Thanks so much! I think the gold adds a bit of a modern edge which I like! Shabby Paint rocks – totally recommend! If you don’t have a retailer near you, the Rustoleum gets great reviews too!
This is lovely! And even though it has touches of feminine grace, I think it also has a masculine side to it with the hardware! Both my fiance and I would love this.
Thank you so much! I LOVE that – it totally does! Thanks so much for your sweet words!
I am not great at DIY projects, but I did do out kitchen table and love how it turned out. This side table is perfect.
xo,
Steph
@trendyinindy || trendyinindy.com
Awhh thanks so much Steph! DIY’s can be so difficult! I was so happy this one wasn’t too bad!
It turned out so pretty! I’m going to be the DIY queen once we get our new house set up!
Thanks so much! And I know, seriously! The move made me DIY everything! Haha!
That side table is so sweet! Love the hardware!
xo Jessica
http://www.whatsfordinneresq.com
Awhhh thanks so much, Jessica! The hardware is original!
This is so great! I wanted to do so much more DIY stuff for my apartment when I first moved in than I ended up doing, not having a backyard to lay down a tarp makes things difficult haha
Logan | signedlogan.com
Totally agree!! And totally not sponsored haha but Shabby Paints is nice because it doesn’t give off the paint smell so you can do it indoors 🙂