Curbside Find Nightstand Poetic DIY Furniture Makeover

7 Materials
3 Hours
Easy

I am super excited to be sharing this DIY furniture project with you today!


I found this sturdy nightstand on the curb across the street from my home.

It was found as you see pictured below. It was missing a drawer pull and was covered in stickers and marker. I am guessing this nightstand once belonged to a kid or a teen.


It wasn’t super beat up so I decided to make it a fun furniture flip project.

Step 1 – Paint this piece with chalk paint.

I mixed 2 different paints that I already had to create this fun mint green color. Then I took my Plaster of Paris and warm water stirred it together. Once it became a creamy mixture, I added my paint to it.

Step 2 – Add hardware + add cat for decoration. icon

I had extra drawer pulls from a previous project, so I decided it would be perfect for this project. My cat Grace decided it was important for her to help me while I did this step. She is a cute addition to this nightstand.

Step 3 – Figure out Stencil placement + secure it.

I used painters tape and spray adhesive to secure the French poem stencil so it wouldn’t shift when I added paint to it.

I decided to use this french script fabric and mod podge to line the bottom of the inside of the drawer to give it another custom touch.

Step 4 – Add paint to the stencil.

I did this process in layers. I would allow the paint to dry before adding the next layer of paint.

Step 5 – Cover entire top with the stencil

I still had to go back with a smaller brush to clean up the writing and make it fully legible

Ta Dah!!!!!! 

Here is the AFTER of this fun DIY furniture flip! I wanted to keep this makeover simple yet elegant. I planned on selling it after I was done with this makeover, so I wanted it to fit in many different types of spaces. If you liked this post, you will love my French Poem Gold Dipped Drop Leaf Coffee Table Curbside Find Makeover and my IKEA Hack Cube Unit Curbside Find Makeover!

To see all the supplies I used for this project, visit the blog link below.

What did you think of this project? Let me know in the comments below.


If you live in the South Bay area of Southern California, it is now up for sale on Facebook Marketplace and other Selling apps.

Resources for this project:
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Meredith - Arts & Classy
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 15 questions
  • LAURA  BECK LAURA BECK on Aug 06, 2018

    Why did you u mod lodge and the fabric for? What was the chalk used for? I have a piece of furniture that would be great for this.

  • Stephanie Stephanie on Aug 07, 2018

    My question is regarding the addition of plaster of Paris to the mint green paint. Was that an effort the add like a layer of cover up for the stickers and any knicks or scratches? The piece is beautiful and I love the fact that you detailed in the drawer! Tres bien!

  • Daisy@TX Daisy@TX on Aug 18, 2018

    What is the ratio of Plaster of Paris and water?

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  • Yvonne Gustafson Yvonne Gustafson on Aug 22, 2018

    Just love finding old furniture pieces for cheap and repurposing them. We found this wicker basket that we painted white to use in my daughters home that was for sale. She saved the cost of staging her home. This wicker was $2.50 at her local Good Will that was having a half price sale. At first she said Mom that’s just junk. Now she loves it. We will add some glass to the top and add some cedar wood to the inside. Maybe add an insert shelf and use it to put extra blankets in it. I now shop at my local thrift shops looking for some real fantastic cheap finds for redecorating.

  • Yvonne Gustafson Yvonne Gustafson on Aug 22, 2018

    Love your project. I found this end table for only $5. Good Will was having a half price sale on all furniture. The piece was solid wood with a nice brass handle. My daughters father had just died and we were trying to get the home ready for sale. We had stored all his furniture that she kept in a storage unit. Not wanting to hire a home stager and or remove his furniture, we selected some furniture he had just purchased to use to stage and used the end table and wicker basket as staging pieces. Most of his furniture was very large and would have made the home appear much smaller. She now has the end table and basket in storage and I can’t wait for her to buy a new home so I can update the end table with stencil of her choice.

    • Jewellmartin Jewellmartin on Sep 11, 2018

      Yvonne, you are almost the first person who admits that a beautiful piece is just kept for staging. I thought everybody sold their pieces immediately. I put a couple of beloved pieces on a very local Neighbors site and only sold the fern in the background! So now, I can say I’m saving these pieces for staging. Thank you so much for being honest. That really encourages me. ☺️

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