Painting my coffee table has been on my to-do list since 2013.
Sad, I know.
I had sold my old coffee table at Vintage Market Days and replaced it with this one, that a friend had gifted to me, thinking it would be temporary.
Pretty sure that transpired in 2012.
Each time I would post pictures of my home people always comment on how I don’t have much painted furniture. The truth is, I rarely get to work on projects for myself.
But this Christmas break, while I was cooped up in the house with sick kiddos, I decided to tackle my coffee table, once and for all.
I do have to agree with your comments. There is a LOT of brown going on here. I would give my right arm for a new sofa and love seat, but I just need to hang on to this one until my boys get a little bit older.
Brown = Good at hiding stains.
But the brown coffee table made the room feel so heavy.
Goodbye browntown!
I painted the entire coffee table in Thunderous , by Heirloom Traditions Paint. It seriously took less than an 8oz sample size of paint to do two coats.
I then purchased a car wash sponge at Wal-Mart, cut it in a few pieces, got it wet, and applied a soft creamy color, Buttermilk, over the Thunderous.
Here is a quick video I made of the process!
Painting the coffee table make the whole room feel 10 years younger. It’s like Botox, but for your home, not your face.
I wanted to really make the coffee table a soft creamy color so I finished it in White Lime Furniture Wax.
People are always concerned about the durability of furniture wax. I am using this coffee table as a test specimen for how durable furniture wax really is.
If it can hold up to my kiddos then I would say most people will be safe using furniture wax on table tops.
If you have read my eBook then you know the trick to getting a durable finish is to buff your wax with a brush. It gives the finish a luster and helps it to cure hard.
The table hasn’t even fully cured and we are putting it to use. My 1 year old dragged this tray all over the top and not a scratch was found.
On an unrelated to the coffee table note: I scored a new pouff at Target in the holiday clearance for only $34.99.
My kids love these.
I finished the coffee table off with a bunny knob from Anthropologie.
Easter is my favorite holiday so I sprinkle bunny decor throughout my house all year long.
What do you think about this car wash sponge painting method?
Have you ever heard of it or tried it for yourself?
The car wash sponge painting idea is awesome! No brush strokes and a wash type finish, which would make me happy!
Plus it is super fun!
You didn’t use the sponge to paint the grey base coat, did you? You’d use a sprayer or brush for that part?
-Eileen
I just brushed the gray base on.
I love it! You are so creative and inspiring. I would have never thought to use a sponge like that. Love me some Thunderous too!
Thank you sweet Debbie!
Love the transformation! So much more contemporary painted.
Just found you thanks to The Magic Brush!! So excited to see more!!
I had to laugh when I read your comments about how little painted furniture you have in your home. I also sell painted furniture and badly need to paint my own coffee table black. It is a TV stand we cut down so I would have drawers for storage in my coffee table. I am going to get this done THIS week and you have inspired me with your sponge painting. Thanks for your great newsletter… totally enjoy each one!
I love this but the question I would like to ask is the paint that you used, is it a good chalk paint to use over layers of existing chalk paint? I have a coffee table that I have changed the color a couple times and I can’t find a good chalk or otherwise paint that will cover up what I have painted it and I don’t want to spend the time to sand it. Or is there another paint you would recommend using? Thanks for your hard work and inspiration! I found you on Facebook and I so happy I did because you have given me a lot of idea and I don’t know if my boyfriend will be happy about that but oh well…
I used a sponge last week to apply poly to a dining table I refinished. Their cheap and I can throw it away when I finished.
So u did use paint brush to put dark color on then sponged the lighter color?
I stained my dining table (Douglas fir wood) with minwax weathered oak (oil base). I hate it !!! The Douglas fir doesn’t take stain very good. My table looks like a zebra. How can I fix it? Can I paint gray and on top of thet use whitewash technique? Do I have to use oil base paint ? My stain is oil base but I didn’t use polyurethane yet.