Name: Shelly
Location: Carmel, Indiana
Time: Approximately five hours (not including planning and drying time)
Cost: Purchased nightstand at Salvation Army Store for 9.99. When I told the manager on duty what I was using it for, he gave me a discount and asked that I bring pictures in to post at the front of the store. I had all other materials except for the aqua paint which was 7.99 and the color copies cost 6.00 at Kinkos. In order to complete this project, I spent a total of 23.98 and I have 3/4 qt. of paint left over.
Shelly is obviously multi-talented - in addition to her DIY prowess, she took great photos and wrote up very detailed how-to instructions. Jump below for all the pics, tools, how-to and VOTING...
BEFORE
Tell us the tools and resources you used for the project:
Old Nightstand
1 yard of Amy Butler 54" wide fabric
lightweight batting
primer
paint
sandpaper
Modpodge or other glue medium
spray adhesive
fabric glue
plain knob
staple gun or pneumatic stapler
1/4" staples
paint brush
roller
paint tray
Exacto knife or fine scissors
scissors
tape measure
screw driver (not pictured)
MY TOOLS
Share step by step instructions for how you completed the project:
1. Washed, lightly sanded , primed and painted an old nightstand and drawer knob.
2. Made six color copies of fabric I used, cut them to fit the inside of nightstand, glued in place with ModPodge, let dry, cut out curve and top coated with ModPodge.
3. Measured and cut two fabric panels to be upholstered on sides of nightstand.
4. Measured and cut two panels of batting to be adhered underneath fabric on sides.
5. Attached fabric panels at top of sides of nightstand, stapling fabric on the wrong side and fabric panel laying away from the side of the nightstand so that when flipped over it is right side up on nightstand side.
6. Sprayed side with adhesive, attached batting and cut to fit.
7. Pulled fabric panel down over batting, stapling at center bottom, pulling at a diagonal out from center, stapling towards edges. Attached fabric around the back the same way, folding edges like wrapping a gift and securing in place with staples.
8. Pulled fabric towards front, stapling from top edge to beginning of curve and from end of curve to bottom of nightstand.
9. Made three 90 degree cuts in fabric in towards curve, stopping 1" before curve edge.
This is to release fabric so that it can be pulled and secured with staples along inside curve edge.
10. Cut away excess fabric, glue on piece of ribbon or trim with fabric glue, making sure trim is thick enough so glue doesn't soak through.
11. Cut circle out of fabric for drawer knob leaving enough extra to sculpt around back of knob.Coat knob and fabric with ModPodge, adhere and mold fabric around knob, let dry, attach to drawer.
DURING
AFTER
AFTER
You should set up an etsy shop and sell pieces like this. I painted a dresser last year and it looks awful. This looks completely finished.
view st@cy's profile
Holy smoke!
view ChrisToronto's profile
maybe the fabric on the back should be flush with the bottom?
but still, i love it and am in awe of your creativity and aesthetic sense. it definitely knocked my socks off!
view lemonpie's profile
Great job!
view Christine (the one in DC)'s profile
This is really cute!
view alyssazor's profile
pretty!
view SD913's profile
So you copied and then papered inside, upholstered the outside--I would never have thought of that, much less have done it.
view jen_g's profile
knocked my shoes off too!
view southof290's profile
Beautiful! And what excellent craftsmanship you have!
view Laura's profile
This is the best of the bunch. Truly amazing!
view Doug's profile
OMG... AWESOME JOB. THE PIECE LOOKS GREAT. TAKE IT HOW YOU WILL BUT WHEN I FIRST SAW IT, THE FIRST THING THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD WAS FRAN DRESIER'S MOTHER ON "THE NANNY", SYLVIS FINE! HAHAHA CRACKED ME UP!
http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0439478/Ss/0439478/Renee_Taylor.jpg.html?path=pgallery&path_key=Taylor,%20Ren%E9e
view E.M.H's profile
Wow, this looks great!
view OneWallKitchen's profile
You are incredibly talented! How do you do it? Your family must be very proud of you, especially your very cool brother Mark, who is probably very talented in his own way. Signed, Mark from Indianapolis
view marmillconstruct's profile
Beautiful!
view tooshie's profile
lol! Mark.. funny.
this project is so uncannily beautiful.. i keep having to look at it over and over.. to see how the fabric matches the paint.. and to check out the little details like the drawer pull and its many angles. well done, my dear!
view *heather leaf*'s profile
wow! we three (juli, kim, kelsey) all loved this. kim said she'd buy in a minute if it were the right colors! also like the idea of color copies and fabric.... now what are you going to do with it? could be the first piece in that new artsy store you should open! definitely broad ripple village stuff!
view 78Butler's profile
Nicely done. It isn't my style, but I can appreciate the work! I love the big print.
view aphrodite's profile
I don't understand why you used batting, instead of applying the fabric directly to the wood...and why there is a strip of blue paint at the bottom of the inside back. I thought at first it was molding, but the original doesn't have molding there, and the interior sides are papered all the way down.
Small potatoes though...the overall effect is really stunning. Well done!
view greer's profile
Great Job, I love it!
view weezerad79's profile
The paper does go all the way down to the bottom in the back. In the end I just decided to attach a piece of the grosgrain ribbon where the back and the bottom came together. It matches the grosgrain that runs along the front edge. If you could see it, you would notice right away it's ribbon. Thanks for all the positive comments.
shelly
view ModHomeEcTeacher's profile
As to why I added a thin layer of batting to the sides, it gives it a softer look. If it was applied right to the outside, it would look flat and if it was glued, it would not be good. I've tried it all ways. Also, I love the comment about Fran Drescher's mom on The Nanny, great picture from IMDB.
I will be putting items on etsy under FLIPT upholstery studio.
shelly
view ModHomeEcTeacher's profile
I love how the Salvation Army asked for pics. Maybe they will inspire more people to reuse/repurpose items that are already out there. Well done!
view jlg's profile
oh, now i see the ribbon, wow, it's exactly the paint color, smart solution for the edges. Did you take the ribbon to the paint store and get it color matched?
view southof290's profile
I have a giant stash of ribbon for other projects and it was between that one and another that was a little darker.
It was miraculous it matched.
view ModHomeEcTeacher's profile
Shelly you are soo creative! This night stand would look terrific in my bedroom. I wish I had your talent.
view kyt's profile
Thanks for answering my questions!
view greer's profile