Before & After: A Side Table Lightens Up

published Apr 13, 2012
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Ashley picked this table up at a thrift store for only $10, a great deal for a piece with this much hidden storage. Despite the obvious benefits of such a table for a growing family, the look of the piece is dated and too dark for Ashley’s plan to brighten up her living room. Though this project required a lot of time and attention to detail, the end result is a great addition to Ashley’s evolving living room.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Ashley removed the hardware and started sanding, definitely not a simple task with all those carved details. Eventually, she was able to start painting, an though she didn’t use spray paint, it would certainly have made the process easier. Using leftover blue paint, Ashley handpainted the leaf design on the top after a disastrous attempt to create a tape template to save time. Finally, she used a glaze to highlight the details of the carved panels and doors.

These dark and heavy hexagonal tables with carved details were certainly popular back in the day; my mom still has two in her living room from her first NY apartment in the 1960s. Though the look isn’t always stylish, it is hard to argue with the added hidden storage they provide, so it is great to see one given a new lease on life.

Images: Ashley/Domestic Imperfection