Before & After: Michelle’s Lightened & Refreshed Nightstands

Written by

Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
For more than 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of house tours from around the world. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
published Apr 13, 2014
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(Image credit: Michelle Turchini)

Want to know a great DIY project trick for small spaces? Anything you can do to a heavy piece of furniture to make it feel visually lighter could help a room feel more spacious. Simple, yes, but effective: Michelle’s paint job left her new nightstands lighter and refreshed, and she added design detail with new handles.They make for a fashionable contrast in her brightly painted bedroom.

(Image credit: Michelle Turchini)
(Image credit: Michelle Turchini)

From Michelle:

We had two ornate nightstands that had great trim and very cool brass handles. I thought I was going to do something wacky with all the trim, but ended up lacquering the whole lot white, and polishing with car wax for a super shiny finish.

The existing hardware, as lovely as it was, just didn’t work. The new hexagonal knobs look like a double-breasted jacket!

Great job making small, subtle changes that have a huge impact! These new furniture pieces look spectacular against that bold blue wall. See more of this simple but effective transformation on Michelle’s blog.

Thank you Michelle!