Spray Painted Vintage Temple-Stuart China Cabinet

MATERIALS USED:

Goo Gone Pro-Power

Porter Cable Palm Sander

Sandpaper

Rust-Oleum Comfort Grip Spray Paint Handle

Rust-Oleum 2x Red Primer (3 cans)

Rust-Oleum 2x Colonial Red Gloss Spray Paint (5 cans)

Rust-Oleum Hammered Black Metal Spray Paint (I've used one can for three projects so far on hardware.)

General Finishes Pitch Black Glaze

Minwax Polycrylic Spray

The before and after of this piece makes me super giddy.  I knew I wanted to go with a bold color from jump and I also knew that I wanted it to look smooth like a showroom piece at Ethan Allen so I decided to spray paint it!  

Steps to get a super smooth finish?

1.  Vacuum and wipe down with a bit of dish liquid in a bucket of water.  Don't wet it, mind you...but wipe it clean with a well-wrung towel.  Use Goo Gone to remove anything sticky, hard or icky. Then...let it dry completely. 

2.  Take it apart.  No...seriously...remove all screws, put hardware by type in Ziploc bags so you don't lose them and keep them together so you can get them ready to be painted too if you're using them.  Take the back off carefully using a hammer, pliers and a flat tool.  Either paint or add a piece of fabric using a spray adhesive as I did.  

3.  Use paint cans and spray paint tops to sit pieces on and sand.  Wipe down with damp cloth and then prime after it dries.  (I used a spray primer for red paint.)

4.  One coat of primer on all pieces if you're using the same kind of 2x primer I used.

5.  Let dry COMPLETELY.  I didn't paint until the next day.

6.  Spray paint using the spray paint handle so your finger doesn't get in the way or get tired from depressing that lil' thingy.  You should have a good rhythm and method since you spray painted the primer on.  Hold the can back far enough where you can do light sprays without paint runs.  Just spray evenly and lightly.  Follow the directions and apply your second coat when the can says to.  LOL!  

7.  Remove rust with a rust remover, clean, dry and spray paint hardware.  Let dry completely.

8.  If you're going to add a glaze, as I did, do it the next day after the paint has dried completely and you've corrected any mistakes or paint drips.  (Sand, wipe clean, repaint.) Glaze one section at a time so your glaze doesn't dry on you making it too dark in some areas.  If you love the super shiny, super bright pop of color...don't glaze.  For example...if I were to do a dresser or end table for a little girl's room in a pretty pink or raspberry I wouldn't glaze it.  The color would just be so happy to me as is.  LOL!

9.  Let dry completely and add a coat of polycrylic to any part where you'd sit stuff on like shelves and the top of the bottom piece.  This is just an added layer of protection.  I actually used the spray polyurethane for the first time on this piece and I adore the satin finish it gave.  

10.  Put it back together.  Add the hardware.  Sit back and admire your handiwork with a smug smile knowing that BAAAAAAAAAABY!  YOU DID THAT!

1940s Double Glass Door Bookcase

This piece was seriously rusted and busted when I found it.  Poor thing was all creaky and hadn't been looked after in forever.  Folks are always looking for bookcases and having one with glass doors is pretty cool because you don't have to dust the inside as often as you're used to.  

So...I went to work.

We blew it off with the leaf blower and then wiped it down inside and out with a mild dish soap in a gallon of water making sure to wring the towel out super well so the wood wouldn't be "wet" if you know what I mean. Once it was wiped down I just looked at it for a few days trying to come up with a design for it that kept it as um...stoic as possible.  Just seemed this piece didn't want to be "happy."  LOL!  It's pretty serious about that life.  THUGS RISE UP!

The back of it was pretty busted so I removed it and added a piece of fabric to it using spray adhesive.  Then I took the doors off and soaked the hardware in some rust remover solution.  Next I sanded the whole thing down (did the doors by hand), stained the top, shelves and bottom with Minwax Dark Walnut stain using a brush on the top (it was pretty bad with water rings and whatnot) and a rag inside so I could get all the corners and whatnot pretty well.  

I painted it in Benjamin Moore's Chelsea Gray (love this color) because it coordinated really well with the Waverly fabric I used for the back and followed that with General Finishes Pitch Black glaze wiping it off quickly on the sides but letting it set in a bit longer along the details of the top front and doors.  Once I put it all back together, I finished the top, bottom and shelves with a polyurethane to protect the surfaces.  I kinda like the thought of the painted parts getting a bit more weathered looking.

I like it.  It makes me happy to look at.  And isn't that really all that matters?  That you're happy with what you're doing?  That you're content in the knowledge that you can set your mind to do something and then you can make it happen exactly as you saw it in your head?  And then...what you saw in your head is actually really pretty?  Yeah...I like it.  There is a bit of odd satisfaction in being able to find something unloved and busted and bringing it back to life in such a way it makes a statement.  Just says a lot about so much.  Yup.

Holla.

Upcycled Maple Child's Dresser

This dresser had seen more than a few seriously good years in a child's room if the condition of it was any indication.  LOL!  There were stickers, water glass marks, scuff marks, and anything you can think of that a kid would do to a fine piece of solid maple furniture.  I used Goo Gone to remove the stickers, stripped the top.  Sanded the entire piece, dry wiped drawers interior and exterior (not the fronts) with stain, primed and painted the body and spray painted the hardware.  Final touches included weathering it a bit with sandpaper and two coats of polyurethane as a sealer.

Now?  It's ready for a new child!  LOL!  And since it's such a solid piece, should the new child tear it up...you can always redo again and again and again.  THAT'S why real wood furniture is so expensive these days because you can always make it better.  :)

An Elder gave me a major compliment today.  He's pretty hardcore and thinks everyone is lazy.  Like...everyone.  Always has.  And guess what he hates?  Lazy people.  Today he said to me, "Now see you?  You've never been lazy.  You're always doing something.  So much stuff out there to do and folks just watch tv."

Awwwwwwwww...so much love.  ROFL! I almost teared up.  

Vintage Drexel Triune Coffee Table COMPLETED!

This piece just might be my favorite so far.  Seriously.  The lines and heft of it are just so perfect that it makes me smile. I know every inch of this table as I've stripped it and started over twice because I love it so.   I just had a vision for it you know and I knew I could make it look like exactly what I wanted it to look like.

The brass hardware is original and took 3 separate scrubbing cleanings to get all of the old grime off it with Brasso, 0000 steal wool and using cheesecloth as a polishing cloth.  The scratches on top have been mostly buffed out and the deeper gouges were filled in with stainable wood filler so the top is smooth to the touch.  I love this piece so much, I would want it to have a custom glass top cut to put on top of it for protection.

The finished piece has been stripped with Citri-strip, sanded by hand with a 120 grit sandpaper along the base because of the carved details and sanded using my new Porter Cable electric palm sander (The Robinator is awesome!) on the top.  Then it was stained twice with light sanding in between coats using 220 grit paper and Minwax Red Mahogany stain.  Finally, two protectant coats of Minwax Polyurethane in clear satin were applied (first coat with a good bristle brush, final coat with sponge brush) with a light 220 grit sanding after first coat dried for 24 hours.

I cannot express how completely I love this piece.  The closest online comparison of it that you can currently buy by Drexel is this cocktail table for $1,929 and it's in cherry, not rare mahogany as this one is. Drexel Cocktail Table  

They call them cocktail tables now and that cracks me up.  LOL!  I guess people are more fond of cocktails than coffee these days.  LOL!

This piece already has a home, unfortunately, as someone I love claimed it when they realized I wasn't going to keep it.  They have excellent taste and recognized the quality of it immediately too.  I have been doing a soft discouragement campaign using the techniques of saying nonchalantly, "You know you don't have to buy it. It might not match your stuff now cuz it came out so dark.  Don't feel obligated to follow through just cause you said you were going to." But that hasn't worked.  *sigh*  LOL!

I am having SO.MUCH.FUN doing these pieces I'm finding!  GO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOTTA KEEP BUSY! Isn't it gorgeous???????

Drexel Triune Coffee Table

So...I ran into this piece and recognized that it was solid, CARVED, real wood.  It was heavy and seriously...there are no screws.  LOL!  Like...it seems to have been put together by elves.  So I scooped it up.

Then, I got it home and did some research on it.  When I found out it was solid mahogany, I was like...WHOA.  See...mahogany is super rare now.  Something about them using it all up and not replenishing it properly.  That's why it is so expensive when you find it.  So then...I got scared.  REAL.SCARED.

I didn't want to screw it up.

So I read everything there was about refinishing real mahogany because there was no way in hell I was putting paint on real mahogany.

First...I stripped it with Citri-strip.  Then...I let it dry for almost a whole week.  Next, I sanded it and then...I tried to repair some of the deeper scratches.  Right now I've put one coat of stain on it and I'm letting it dry completely.    I'll pick back up tomorrow with another sanding to fix the scratches even more.

This one is a slow and steady job so it might take a while to complete it.  I'll let you know when it's done.  I'm just super happy about the find.  Real wood is expensive as all get out.  Real MAHOGANY?  YAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

Cavalier Cedar Chest

I have always wanted a HEAVY cedar chest and when I saw this one, I had to have it!  I am currently researching how to put it in tip top shape so it might be a minute before I get to it but man...how awesome is it!  So far...I know it is from 1938.  Seriously.  I.CANT.EVEN!!!!!!

Do you have a cedar chest? 

Vintage Mersman Round Coffee Table

Mersman 31-25

I was looking for something I could try the shabby chic look on and glaze.  Since I only paid $5 for this piece, I wasn't scared I'd screw it up. LOL! And hey...even if I did screw it up, I could always strip it and start over right?  Right!

One of the things I really enjoy is doing the research on a piece and finding out who made it and when. I always get excited when a piece has the manufacturer's name on it.  

This table is from the 1950's and has a nice bit of solid heft to it. In the 1950's, laminate furniture was popular and this piece had a laminate top.  Because of this, I sanded it and primed the entire table before painting. Then, I distressed the base with sandpaper and put on a coat of polyurethane.  Next I used General Finishes glaze in black on the top and the shelf to give them a distressed look too.  I haven't decided if I want to glaze it again or not but once I do, I will do another coat of polyurethane after a super light sanding.

Whatcha think?  This is my first attempt at distressing with sandpaper and glaze.

English Yellow Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Empire Chest

Annie Sloan English Yellow Chalk Paint - Two coats.

Annie Sloan Clear Wax - One coat.

Minwax Dark Walnut Stain - One coat on stripped and fully dry top.  

Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish - One coat on fully dry top.

Brasso - Rubbed brass brad finishes until they were shiny.  

The interior drawers are pretty perfect but I might paint them a shiny black.  Eventually.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  LOL!  I like it.  It makes me happy.  LIke...really happy.  Although, I'm sitting here looking at it now thinking that a stencil of white cherry blossom branches across the three long drawers starting about a third of the width in would be super cute.

Hmmmmmmmm...

Have you refinished a piece yet?  Or a new piece if you've done it before?

Do you like the yellow?  

Updating Patio Furniture

My patio chairs are in good condition.  I love them because they are oversize and they rock.  Because they are outside without a cover all the time however, they show major wear and tear.

BUT THEY ARE STILL IN GOOD CONDITION.

And I hate buying new stuff to replace something in good condition unless I just want something new.

Rust-Oleum Hammered Black

So I bought 3 cans of Rust-Oleum Hammered Black spray paint, put down a tarp, cleaned the chairs off and got to spraying!

This is what the wear and tear looked like up close:

And now they look FA-BU-LOUS!  GO ME!

Looking for new cushions now.  I want a pop of color this time.  I think.  Even though neutral is more practical.  I should get neutral...BUT I AIN'T!

Stripping Paint with Citristrip! #Citristrip #DIY

I'm working on upcycling a new piece.  It's a fabulous chest.  I wanted to stain the top instead of painting it and started by sanding it.  Well...I got worried because I didn't want all of the wood's natural imperfections to be removed via sanding so I decided I'd strip it instead using Citristrip. 

It was my first time using it and it was relatively easy.  The most difficult part was letting it sit for 30 minutes.

So...using a paintbrush, I brushed it on the top pretty liberally.  After 30 minutes, I scraped off the gunk using my painter's tool which is seriously the best thing ever for doing so much by way of DIY.  Red Devil's Painter's Tool.

And then voila!  It was ready to stain.  I used a stiff bristle brush to get the scraped bits in the grooves and, since I was in the sun...it dried relatively quickly.  

This was seriously the easiest thing ever.  Stripping paint is tedious and generally icky.  This was easy and with a pleasant smell to boot.  GO ME!  LOL!

New #AnnieSloanChalkPaint Project!!!!!!! Empire Chest!

I have a wish list of things I've always wanted.  On this list?  Rolltop desk, highboy, dining table which seats 12+ and...DRUMROLL PLEASE!!!!!  An Empire Chest!

Give me a minute while I hit a cabbage patch move right quick!  GO ME!  IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

I found an Empire Chest and I couldn't be more ecstatic.  It is in pristine condition.  Early 1900's. HEAVY.AS.HELL!!!!!  Clearly on days when my favorite consignment store lady calls...I need to rent a man and a Uhaul cuz I couldn't even move that sucker 3 inches.  IT.IS.SOLID!  It is so perfect I don't have to do a thing to it but well...there is this color that I adore and this piece is SCREAMING for it.  The color you ask?  ENGLISH YELLOW.  With a shiny black top (I think.  Might just keep the top as is but I just think black would be sooooooooo sleek.).

I know you can't "see" it but it's gonna be gorg.  I just know it.  You're going to have to trust me here.  LOL!  Oh...and I'm going to have a piece of beveled glass cut to put on the top because I'm thinking it will house a "bar" in my upcoming Monnie Retreat.  LOL!  Okay...okay...so it's a living/sitting room.  No television.  No electronics.  It will be for reading and relaxing.  It will be shiny and gorgeous with a white sofa and FABULOUS window treatments. with super fluffy blankies and lots o' lots of BOOKS!  Yup.  There will be a covered box at the entrance for your cellphone.  NO ELECTRONICS!  It will be a thing of beauty.  (In my mind so far mind you!  LOL!

Okay...so...the way my ADHD is set up, Robby will only let me get one piece at a time so that I don't have a lot of projects stacked up because I've gotten bored.  Cuz we all know that can happen.  In the words of one of the besties:

"Is there ANYTHING you can't do?????"

Answer?  Yes...stick with anything for a lifetime.  Hey...I get bored.

HAPPY WEEKEND!  How is your weekend stacking up?  What's the temp out by you?  It was almost 80 degrees here today.  Throwed the hell off.

China Cabinet Upcycle - COMPLETE - #AnnieSloanChalkPaint

To start...I had to take off that old school gold leaf stuff.  I added about 20 drops of tea tree oil to some hot water, saturated a washcloth with it and then rubbed it all over the gold stuff squeezing as I went so there was water left sitting on top.  Then...I let it sit for about five minutes and, using the blade from a utility knife...scraped it off.  Easy.  SUPER easy.

Next, I painted the interior with two coats of Country Grey (followed by clear wax) and the exterior with two coats of Coco.  Since I was looking to coordinate with a painted chest we already have...I was trying to get a certain color so I followed the exterior with dark wax.

I plan on stenciling the interior back but probably not before Christmas.  I put some stuff in it to take a picture because I didn't want to pull out my china.  Then...I was like...well...I like my china where I keep my china (in the painted cabinet) and I feel like it's safer in there.  Now...safer from what I don't know.  This is how my brain works.  I have issues and I'm not working on them.

Still.

Before.  During. After.  

I like it.  It makes me happy.

And truly...that's all I want in life.  To do whatever makes me happy.

GO ME!

Sooooooooooo...have you decided to try a piece yet?  I'm thinking of painting our family room coffee table.  You know...since a little super cute puppy yall know teethed on it when we first got her.  LOL!

China Cabinet Upcycle - STEP 1 - #AnnieSloanChalkPaint

Whew...I just used a blanket to drag that thing out to the foyer because it has the best light in the house.  Don't tell Robby cuz that sucker AIN'T light.  LOL!  

I have been waiting on some stuff to arrive that I ordered to start getting this done right.  First thing is to remove that gold harlequin design from the glass.  I have a scraper and I'm going to use a mixture of tea tree oil and warm water to remove it.  I'm told it will take patience...Okay.

Next I'm going to paint the interior with Annie Sloan chalk paint in Country Grey.  Then...I'm going to either stencil a design in the back or figure out a way to add paper or vinyl to the back for a pop of contrast.  I don't want anything to fight with what I put in it...but I do want it to be interesting enough to draw the eye.

After that...I'm going to paint the exterior in Annie Sloan's Coco.  

I've removed one of the bail pulls from the drawer at the bottom so that I can find one like it online.  I haven't found one yet but hope to do so before I finish the painting.  I'm also thinking of painting the bottom two inches of the front legs a gold color.  

THIS will take a minute.  LOL!

HAPPY HUMP DAY!  Yall decorated for Christmas yet?????

HELP! Twin Beds with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Country Grey

I have two of these beds and am using Annie Sloan chalk paint in Country Grey.  I'm doing one at a time so I can figure out exactly what I want to do to them.  I figure if I do one at a time it will be much easier and quicker to do the second one once I know exactly how I want it to look.

That one has two coats of paint on it and I'm about to play around with dark and clear wax.  The dark wax will give it a weathered look and I guess that would be a good thing in order to hide future knicks but I'm not sure how to go about it just yet.  I like the way it looks on some things but sometimes...the shabby chic look can be a bit too shabby to me you know?  So...that's my dilemma.

I'd like to highlight the details on the beds.

What do YOU think?  Distress the details only or try and lightly distress the entire bed?  Do you like the color I picked?  Remember...they are going in a navy blue bedroom that I want to make gender neutral.  

I've been buying old flag decor and keeping it all together with the receipts in case I change my mind because I saw something recently that REALLY caught my eye that incorporated the color orange in the decor of a navy room.  Nice right?

What would YOU do?  Holla atcha girl.

New Projects!!!!!

Sooooooooo...

I'm taking this whole refinishing furniture thingy by the horns.  LOL!  I'm enjoying it so much!  Taking something well made but in need of modernization feels really good.  

Today I went out to my now new FAVORITE place in the world and returned with two really nice wood twin beds.  Headboard, footboard, rails, et al.  The price was ridiculously awesome and what made it even more awesome is that a family member decided to gift them to me for Christmas and called ahead to pay for them for me.  When I texted the family member to threaten to fight them they were all like...BRING IT!  And...SAY IT WITCHA CHEST!

I decided family shouldn't fight for Christmas and well...they'd prolly win anyway soooooo...

MERRY CHRISTMAS ME!!!!!!  GO ME!  IT'S MY CHRISTMAS!  GO ME!  IT'S MY CHRISTMAS!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!  I FEEL SO BLESSED THAT YOU LOVE ME SO!

So...I'm, of course, chomping at the bit to get them started.  I bought the paint I want to use on them and will probably do them tomorrow.  I'm putting them in a room that is navy blue and I want to make it super relaxing and still fun for guests who are kids.

Now...the thing I'm SUPER DOOPER excited about starting?  THIS!

Maaaaaaaaaan look!  I couldn't fit it in Deuce, of course so I couldn't bring it home.  The Robinator is in deadline mode so he might not be able to help me go get it until Saturday.

WILL I SURVIVE?????????????????????????

This will certainly be a test of patience as I have none when it comes to doing what I want to do when I want to do it.  So now...we wait.  And while we wait...we do the most searching out stuff online to help make it look like I want it to look.  I just ordered this:  AMACO Rub 'n Buff Wax Metallic Finish, Antique Gold, so I could get the brass handles to have a really awesome bright color.  The pull on the top drawer is missing so I need to either find a replace for that one or three to replace them all.  I hope to identify that before I go to bed.  LOL!

I have my Annie Sloan chalk paints already.  I know exactly how I want it to look.  Just gotta get it here and get started.

PATIENCE MONNIE!  PATIENCE!

So...yeah...

I can't do nuttin tonight though.  *sigh*

Cane Back Chairs Painted with Annie Sloan Paint!

I bought these chairs for $25 each.  Real wood.  GO ME!  

Since I was painting them with Annie Sloan chalk paint, I didn't need to sand or prime them.  Just two coats of paint.

Next, I'm going to add clear wax to them and recover the cushions with that fabric.

I think they look pretty good with the table.

So...this project is almost complete.

The table and chairs cost me $150.  I had to buy the paint, dark wax, clear wax and stain.  A brush to put the wax on with and two yards of fabric to cover the chairs.

Yeah...I feel REALLY good about what I did here.  Imma mess around and pop a hip doing the electric slide 'cross these floors in joy!  LOL!  

Annie Sloan MIRACLE Chalk Painted Kitchen Table!!!!!!!

I fell down a rabbit hole recently on Pinterest regarding Annie Sloan chalk paint.  I got really excited and then Angela shared with me the china cabinet she did and that pretty much sealed the deal for me.  I wanted to do something with the paint.

Our dining table is in the dining room so we needed a kitchen table.  Of course I'd identified one.  For whatever reason, I didn't pull the plug on it immediately and The Robinator kept asking me when we were going to get a table.  I'd decided I wanted to use a bench against the bay windows so the view wasn't obstructed and well...I just kept dragging my feet because I couldn't find exactly what I wanted.  I wanted it to be fun but still neutral.  Crazy I know.

This is what I liked:

Basset Round Dining Table

But I wasn't crazy about the white.  The walls on the main level are taupe with white trim.  Too much white will make it BLAH...in my opinion.

The Annie Sloan pics on Pinterest made me feel like...YAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!  I WANT THAT!!!!!!!!!  Pinterest Annie Sloan Table

Okay...so I needed a table.  

The Robinator was a good sport and went with me to a place that sold old furniture.  We were walking around when I found a table with crap stacked on top of it.  It looked horrid but it was REAL wood.  I asked the owner how much and when she said $50 I agreed INSTANTLY.

We brought it home but my shoulder was hurting so badly...he wouldn't let me start.  But I went to the place where they sold Annie Sloan chalk paint and picked out the color, Provence. I figured it would give me the pop of color I was looking for while still remaining relatively neutral.  

I decided I wanted to stain the top so I chose Minwax Dark Walnut as the stain for the tabletop.

I woke up this morning chomping at the bit to get it done but my shoulder was still messed up.  Because he's kinda awesomely fantastic...The Robinator sanded it for me and then I got to work.

These are the steps:

1.  Clean with Clorox cleaner and damp towel.

2.  Let dry.

3.  Sand top only (going to stain the top) with coarse sand paper.

4.  Wipe off dust.

5.  Sand again if needed.

6.  Wipe off dust.

7.  Sand with fine sand paper.

8.  Wipe off dust.

9.  Wipe down with damp towel.

10.  Let dry.

11. Stain.

12.  Let sit for 15 minutes.

13.  Wipe dry with old, soft t-shirt.

14.  Stain again if you'd like it darker.  (I didn't.)

15.  Paint rest of table with chalk paint.

16.  Let dry for an hour.

17.  Paint again.

18.  After 5 hours, add Annie Sloan dark wax to top.

19.  Wipe off excess wax.

I didn't buy the clear wax for the painted part because I didn't think I'd like it but I think I now want it so I'll go get it tomorrow and add it.

The table looks awesome.sauce.

In my opinion.

Would you try something like this?  I now want to paint and stain whatever I can find.  LOL!  I have identified the next piece I'm going to do and I am super-dooper excited about it!  I've found the chairs I want to use but not the bench so I might have to get it made. 

I want to use coordinating seat cushions and Sheffield valances in the space so that will be cool!  Buying new furniture made out of real wood can set you back a grip since the days of MDF being easy and much cheaper options.  I don't like MDF.  I'm a grownup.  I want my furniture to be made out of real wood.  So...either I'm going to have to upcycle old pieces or  spend ridiculous (to me) amounts of money to get good quality products.  With a little elbow grease and some vision...I'm pretty excited about the prospects ahead of me now that I know I can do this.  I know what my next two projects are going to be and Shelly has me penciled in to do something for her, but my project after that is a guest bedroom where I want to do two twin beds with an American flag motif.  

I'm all excited and whatnot and so is The Robinator.  Dude keeps passing by the table marveling that we only paid $50 for it.  LOL!  I love that.  

GOBBLE.GOBBLE!!!!!!!!

Update Old Wood Furniture!

I have been wanting to do one of those Pinterest wood furniture makeovers for a while now.  I mean...every single time I see one I think to myself...I COULD DO THAT!  Then I go looking for something and I can't find anything because there is just so much stuff in the places which sell old furniture.

I was shopping for upholstery fabric the other day and passed several old furniture stores.  I stopped in and found this little table.  It's real wood and kinda cute.  I like it.  The top is all messed up from being used without a coaster and it looks like someone stained it once already.

I only paid $25 for it so, as The Robinator so eloquently put it, "Won't be too bad if you mess it up then."  LOL!  Dude has faith in me clearly.  LOL!

I'm on the fence as to if I should stain it or if I should paint it.  Pinterest people are really raving over this paint:  Annie Sloan Chalk Paint 

It's cool looking...but the paint costs more than the table.  LOL!  GO ME!  It's going to end up living in a room which I'm pulling inspiration from this picture to plan out:

I'm loving the natural elements of the color scheme here.  Amber, off-white, muted greens, wheat, and dark browns.

Whatcha thinking?  Should I paint it or stain it?  Have you updated any old pieces of furniture?  Any tips?  Where do you find your pieces?