Sewing Table Turned Planter

Tandy Johnson Bobo
by Tandy Johnson Bobo
$35
4 Hours
Easy
I see old sewing tables all the time at thrift stores and in online classifieds. Often for less than $35. This table I found at a thrift store for $25. It would have made a cute entry table or side table for the couch, but I wanted a pop of color for the front porch of my house.
I removed the lid and hinges and found a cheap $5 oblong pot from Walmart that fit perfectly. I also sawed off a small piece of wood that usually holds in the sewing machine from off of the right lower corner by the pot. I didn't need to add any supports or anything under this pot. It held itself in snugly without falling through.
After filling the holes left by the hinges and giving the piece a light sanding I got to work on the painting. I used my homemade recipe for chalk paint but I did it a little differently on this piece. Usually I paint the darker color first and then the lighter color. But this time I painted the lighter color, let it dry and then streaked it with the dark color paint. Not to worry, once sanded it blends nicely.
Below is how it looks after a light sanding. I liked doing this method because it required less sanding to get the lighter and darker look. Once is was sanded to a buttery smoothness I sanded some areas just a bit more to give it a distress look.
I next downloaded a stencil from the Graphics Fairy and used my Tracer Projector to outline it on to the piece. I filled in the outline with dark brown craft paint mixed with just a bit of copper color to give it just a bit of a shimmer (can't see by the picture). After you've painted your piece and applied the stencil, don't forget to protect your work with polycrylic. I used some that came in a spray can and just coated the entire table with several layers - the water just beads right off.
This entire project took about 4 hours. The longest part was the stenciling. I can't wait until the flowers grow in the planter and start to overflow the top. It has already added a great pop of color to the porch.
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  • Sheila McClelland Petro Sheila McClelland Petro on Mar 25, 2018

    What is your homemade paint? I have an antique machine from my hubby’s grandmother that I wanted to showcase but haven’t been sure what to do with it. Love this idea. But may use it for storage and leave the hinges top on it. Thoughts?

  • Sheila McClelland Petro Sheila McClelland Petro on Mar 25, 2018

    What is your homemade paint? I have an antique machine from my hubby’s grandmother that I wanted to showcase but haven’t been sure what to do with it. Love this idea. But may use it for storage and leave the hinges top on it. Thoughts?

  • Melissa Melissa on Feb 13, 2019

    Did you waterproof this table? If so what did you use?

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