Aqua and White Nightstand

Just as I was getting serious about my bedroom makeover, I stumbled on THE PICTURE…

 

{I’ve searched high and low for the original source of that picture.  If you know what it is, could you please let me know?  Thanks…}

It was what would become the main inspiration picture for our bedroom makeover that I referred to over and over again.  I just loved that white with a splash of aqua.

I needed to get me some aqua goin’ on…

In the rush and hustle of trying to do this whole makeover in one day (I couldn’t), I didn’t get a really good before picture of the nightstand, but you can see it slightly on the right in this picture:

It was part of a set of furniture that I got for High School graduation.  It has served me well, and is still sturdy…but I am so over the dark veneer look.

I was, however, scared.  I’ve never painted anything so glossy and slippery before…

I finally decided to just do it quick before I talked myself out of it.  I had researched the process before, so I knew that a good oil-based primer was a must.  I learned a few things:

1. I think the spray on Kilz primer would work better (?).  I found it very hard to paint  even coats without drips with a brush.
2. Foam brushes fall apart quickly with an oil based paint.  Be prepared to go through a few.
3. I had to find the balance between working carefully and quickly.  It dried really fast!
4. I kept remembering some good advice, “You will have drips.  Embrace them.” It dripped, it dried, I embraced.

I knew it would be a learning experience, and it was.

Once I finished painting a few coats of primer, I painted the base and drawers 2 coats of Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White and the top Behr’s Tide Pools {sanding lightly between each coat}.

I stood back and thought it would look oh, so wonderful…

“Ish-Ta”!!  That’s my mom’s word, and it applied in this situation.  It looked like it belonged in a nursery. {Not exactly the look I was going for.}

In desperation, I dug out some dark chocolate antiquing gel and went to town.  Thankfully, it did the trick.  With each pass of the brush and rubbing it off, it looked better.

It took it from nursery to master bedroom in just a few minutes.

 

So, here is the final look…The Beach Cottage Bedside Table…

…beside the beach!!

Now, I could just leave it at that, but I just have to point out one thing…  I cannot stand how the hardware makes it look like a giant smiley face!!  Am I the only one who notices that??

I’m going to chalk that up to “learning experience”, too.  Next time, I’d fill the middle holes and drill two to the sides so that they are symmetrical.

I figured a little camouflaging with a basket of afghan will do for now…

To see the whole bedroom reveal, click here:

Linking to:  Home Stories A-Z, Primitive & Proper, Southern Lovely, The Shabby Creek Cottage, aka Designs, Miss Mustard Seed