Painting Mid Century Modern Step Tables

by Renee Seeling

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Answered

Has anyone painted a MCM table? I have one that I started painting but, have run in to a road block. Not sure if I want to do any more or just leave it as it is now. Any ideas or suggestions? This is where it is now. Black with just a white top. Am thinking of doing the main surface white too or painting the legs white....just no idea what I want now. Any one paint these?

q painting mid century modern step tables, painted furniture, repurposing upcycling

12 answers

Meem Kaplan on Apr 04, 2015
I have a set of them with the coffee table that were my mother in law's. She had Alzheimer's and the tops are water damaged. Hubby won't let me paint them as they are inlaid veneer. He has a fondness for wood....What I would LOVE to do is to do a mosaic on the top part if I could get thinner pieces of something to use. It would be a just for fun piece of furniture that would help quiet my creative muse for a while. I've been seeing some LOVELY painting done here on Hometalk. One was a branch across the front of a dresser in white on the background color. I'm going to do that with another piece in the living/family room and I will probably so some fabric kind of cover on the top of the MCM piece. (Maybe quilted square or something.) Back to your piece, I would leave the top white and do something fun in black on it. Perhaps the chevron theme that is so popular right now. I like that one because it isn't freehand! Later you could do something else if you tire of it. Or do a couple of colors. Painter's tape is a great tool. Just have some fun and play with it. Nothing you do must be permanent, ya know? That's what I have to tell myself when I approach something new or I would never do anything for fear of it being "wrong" or ugly. Do a search for some clip art and click on the ones that tickle your fancy!!! and don't forget to POST the finished product!!! And send me a link! Nevermind, I just discovered the follow button!

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- Renee Seeling on Apr 04, 2015
  @Meem Kaplan Thanks. I would LOVE to find one with an inlaid top!!! Saw one years ago like that and it was GORGEOUS!! Can you sand down the inlaid portion of the top for new stain? There are some VERY talented people here, am getting LOTS of inspiration myself. Lots of fun seeing what others have done with different pieces, how they painted them or rearranged parts to make new pieces....great ideas! This will be a piece I sell in my store so, not worried about what I may do with it later. Just want to do something with it now so I can get it finished and out of my shop and in to my store... I just might do a chevron on some paper and lay it on the table to see if I like it. Did a google search for painted mcm tables and found TONS of tables but, not many painted step tables like this one. I'll keep looking. I will post how it turns out...."if" I ever finish it. Thanks for the idea!
  
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- Rita Revell on Apr 06, 2015
  You could use stained glass and perhaps a clear acrylic type glue (like aquarium glue). It would leave the glass it's true colors and the aquarium glue would be water proof. I suppose you could grout the glass after to give it a true mosaic look.
  
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Meem Kaplan on Apr 04, 2015
http://www.hometalk.com/diy/bedroom/furniture/upcycled-table-with-yardsticks-6572391 See? Have some FUN!

A Table That Really Measures Up

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- Renee Seeling on Apr 04, 2015
  @Meem Kaplan I've seen that link before...neat table. Not what I want to do with thisone tho. Really want to keep thecharacter of the MCM style but give it a new presence. I have another table I thought of doingyardsticks on....just can't find enough yardsticks for it. Thanks tho
  
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Renee Seeling on Apr 04, 2015
I found this table when I did a google search. Thought it was kind of neat looking....

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Wendy Henley on Apr 05, 2015
I have seen where they have gotten remenant pieces of marble and placed on both tops. Another used marble looking contact paper or a marbling technique painting and one set had black on the rest one had white legs and everything else left black. The pictures I saw the all look very nice.

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- Renee Seeling on Apr 05, 2015
  @Wendy Henley I've seen photos of some with marble pieces placed on them. Nice looking. Don't think I would use contact paper for that....I can see paper on some items but...not sure I want to do it here. Perhaps I could use veneer on the top(s).....as it does come apart, would not be hard to add a thin veneer.....hmmmmm....wheels are a'goin now.
  
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Marianne on Apr 05, 2015
I like the picture that Renee posted above. But also thought maybe paint the other part black again and checkerboard in black and white the part you already painted white.

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- Renee Seeling on Apr 05, 2015
  @Marianne Thanks. Would a MCM table have a checkerboard pattern on it? I did not find any photos of any that had been painted like that. Not sure if that would have been done then and I really want to try to keep this as close to "accurate" as possible. I'm kind of thinking of doing both tops white now. Appreciate the suggestions.
  
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- Shawnda on Apr 05, 2015
  The thing is, most mcm furniture highlighted the wood tones, which you already painted. I think I'd throw out any notion of being historically accurate and just do what YOU like. I have a mcm dresser in my hallway that had damaged veneer (had to fill it in with bondo). I had to paint the cabinet in order to save the piece and don't feel the tiniest bit of regret. :)
  
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- Renee Seeling on Apr 05, 2015
  @Shawnda Yeah, I thought of that too before I painted it. It was not all wood, mostly veneer, which did not make me feel too bad about painting it. It is in very good condition, just wanted to give it a "face-lift".
  
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Angel on Apr 05, 2015
Why not paint the flat surfaces white, possibly with some kind of design on them and leave the legs black?

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- Renee Seeling on Apr 05, 2015
  @Angel Thanks...I am kind of leaning that direction now.
  
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Amy Lauzon on Apr 05, 2015
I would go crazy with a zebra pattern.

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Marianne on Apr 05, 2015
Probably not Renee, then I would go with the picture you posted above with the tops white and the rest in black. It is a nice look.

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Nancy on Apr 05, 2015
Hi, check out pinterest for inspiration.

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Spratt on Apr 05, 2015
Here is what I did to two end tables I bought for $5.00 each.

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- Renee Seeling on Apr 05, 2015
  @Spratt NICE!!! Wish mine had nice curves like your tables. Have two other step tables in my parlor I plan on painting...some day.... They both have marble inserts. Since my parlor is mostly a pinkish cream color, not sure what color I want to paint them either.
  
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- Renee Seeling on Apr 05, 2015
  @Renee Seeling I'm thinking of using a soft blue like this table. Styles are very similar and this blue will pick up the pink/cream color in the room.
  
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- Spratt on Apr 05, 2015
  @Renee Seeling Hi Renee, I think your other set of end tables with the marble insets would look really good done like this blue one you show here. Yours are very pretty tables! Sue
  
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- Renee Seeling on Apr 05, 2015
  @Spratt I do too. Have a few shades of blue that I like...chalk paint and non chalk paint...just need to decide which shade I like best. Think I'll do a few "test patches" on some paper and set them in the parlor to see which I like. Really like these tables you found and for $5.00?!?! Wow....that's a buy!
  
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- Spratt on Apr 05, 2015
  @Renee Seeling Thanks Renee. Good luck with your projects! :-)
  
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- Renee Seeling on Apr 05, 2015
  @Spratt You're welcome.. Thanks....think I have the MCM table figured out for color. Going to do it white tops, black frame and legs...kind of like this photo except instead of the pastel color, black. I think it will look nice. I'll "look at it" for a few days before I decide if I want to do any stencil on it....probably not but...can do one on paper and lay it on the table to see if I like it.
  
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- Marianne on Apr 07, 2015
  Can't wait to see your finished table, please posted. I think the white tops with black frame and legs will look great. @
  
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Rita Revell on Apr 06, 2015
I haven't painted one before, but how your's looks now is sharp.

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JoDee on Apr 07, 2015
I would go with a solid color like red purple blue green orange yellow

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