3 Step Furniture Makeover – Flea Market Flip

4 Materials
$15
2 Hours
Easy

Y’all I finally got my Christmas Present in January! LOL!!! I had wanted a new piece for our bedroom but couldn’t find what I wanted. A few weeks ago I found a Small Chest that was the right size at a Flea Market. It just needed an update and it would be perfect! This 3 Step Furniture Makeover – Flea Market Flip was a quick & easy way to transform this cute chest into the perfect piece for our master bedroom. Using only Chalk Paint & Wax this tired chest now has an updated finish and great farmhouse style.


This space beside our bed has been filled with this cute little table since we moved here. It was a left over piece from our previous home and although I love the table, it isn’t working for me any longer.

The table is to small for the space and provided no storage.

The chest was in great shape and only needed a little update to be perfect.




Although the chest was in great shape overall, there were some scuffs and nicks that needed to be repaired. Also, when I placed it in the room, it felt really dark beside the natural pine bed.



The first step was to clean the piece thoroughly. Although it was good condition, I gave it a good cleaning with Pledge furniture cleaner, to be sure there were no sticky areas.


The second step of the furniture makeover was to paint the exterior of the chest. This was an easy process because I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. It’s so fast and simple to use.

I just removed the drawers and painted two coats of Old White Chalk Paint.

It took less than 30 minutes to finish the painting. This is why I love using chalk paint for most projects and you can learn how to use Chalk Paint here.

Before

At this point, I had decided to leave the drawers their natural finish. In addition, the hardware looked good and I decided to leave it as well.


Therefore, everything just needed a little sprucing up. I had originally thought about staining the drawer fronts to get rid of the scuffs and dings.

Instead I pulled out my Annie Sloan Dark Wax and it worked like a charm to remove any sign of the scuffs. Plus, it brought the rich beauty of the wood back to life. So easy.

After

You can see the scuff mark on the left and then after the wax was applied on the right.


Also, the dark wax brought the dull hardware back to life.

Seal the Paint


In order to finish and seal the painted surfaces, I used a combination of clear and dark wax.

In addition, I added mineral spirits to the wax. This helps to distress the finish while waxing. All of these techniques are detailed in How to use Chalk Paint!

You can see how some painted areas are distressed by using the mineral spirit mixture.


I love a wood and white combination and I’m thrilled with how this inexpensive chest looks beside the bed. This has inspired me to refinish the chest on the other side of the bed. Stay turned for another makeover.

You may also notice that I made a slight adjustment with just a dab more paint. The bed frame’s natural wood is almost a perfect match for the drawer fronts.


I hope you enjoyed this simple project and that it encourages you to try looking for used pieces when redecorating your spaces. It’s a great way to recycle and it feels great when you create something yourself.

You may also like to learn more abut how to Shop Thrift Stores successfully.


Thanks so much for stopping by today! Your support and comments mean so much to me. I look forward to sharing my next project and adventure with you!

Resources for this project:
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Rachel The Ponds Farmhouse
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  • Vivian Vivian on Feb 23, 2021

    Nice! Is the top of dresser have veneer on it? I have one I think with veneer, how can you tell. There's no loose part to check.

    I want to do something like this but do not know how to start. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

  • Susie Susie on Jan 21, 2024

    Beautiful piece! Your work is great. However, my questions is how did you deal with the heat/AC vent that is now under this chest?

  • Mike Williamson Mike Williamson on Feb 10, 2024

    Nice! I like it!

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