How to Re-vamp Something Old & Ugly

If you know me, you know that I have re-finished or DIY'd almost every piece of furniture in my home. Quite a few people have come to me looking for direction on how they can do teh same. So, a blog post was in order. Here is the last piece I did & step by step instructions... Kind of.

First find an old ugly piece of furniture. I pulled mine out of my Aunt Penny's garage. It had been sitting there for 13 years. I saved it's life. Any yard sale or thrift store will do.
Normally I suggest taking off the doors, hinges, hardware, etc & painting each piece separately. This one had 95 tiny screws in each hinge so that did't happen. I did however take off the front handles. They were easy. Be sure it is on top of a piece of cardboard or paint sheet, unless you like to paint grass as well.
I don't sand. I spray with a primer.

Choose your color. I like this brand in particular because it is really easy to spray, always comes out super even & requires less coats since it's the "2x coverage". I use this same brand of primer. Don't worry about a glossy finish on your favorite color since you will be applying a clear top coat when done.

1 can of primer

For this size I needed 3 cans of color

1 can of top coat, I prefer satin or matte.

For the "antique" finish, I  just buy a bottle of the 97 cent acrylic paint from walmart. Either black or dark brown. I did a mix this time cause I had about 1/4 of a bottle of each left over.

Spray the piece with the primer, use the whole can. It will not be even at all, but I find that it's enough to bond the piece with the paint really well. Follow the directions on timing & when appropriate, apply the color in MANY, THIN coats. Trust me please. Thinking you will get it done quicker with thicker coats is not going to work. It will be a drippy hunk o' junk by days end. 

If I start at one end, by the time I've covered the whole thing w a coat, the first part I sprayed is ready for it's second, third & so on... Finish with a few coats of clear & let it rest.

The next day, be sure your working space is REALLY small & gather your small bottles of paint, two bowls, one with water, a plastic or unloved utensil & one of your husbands shirts, cut up into rags.

Mix your paint with some water until it is pretty runny but still opaque.

Dip a rag in the paint mix, slather it all over one section, not the whole thing, making sure to get deep into cracks & crevices. Let it sit for about 30-60 seconds then wipe off with a dry rag. If you find it is sticking too much or you have some runs, dip rag in your clean water & wipe.

After covering the whole thing, be sure that you were really rough with that poor rag & check for any really large & confusing holes. Also check to see that your hands are covered in paint, accentuating each wrinkle, making you realize just how wrinkly your hands are. OR, wear gloves & don't be a vigorous beast wile applying the antique finish.

Place your master piece, enjoy its beauty & be proud.