"custom" furniture part 1: Paint Stick Coffee Table

It's really easy to go into a furniture store, look at a matching furniture set, slap down your credit card, and have it delivered straight to your front door. Well friends, I don't like taking the easy way out, and I certainly don't like cutting into my clothes shopping budget!

I know, I know... I'm being a bit preachy, but it pains me to think of all the money people spend on decorating when my latest DIY project, 2 "custom" pieces of living room furniture, cost me $16 (not including new hardware) and part of a weekend.

The idea for this project started back when I spruced up a dresser for my friend Annie. We were at Home Depot picking out a paint color (Behr- Ash Grey in a satin finish) when I glanced at the massive orange bucket of free wooden paint stirrers. I ignored the lightbulb that went off in my head and promised myself that Annie's project had to come first. As soon as the last coat of polyurethane was brushed onto her dresser I bolted back to the paint dept.

The Home Depot employee looked at me like I grew horns right before his eyes when I asked him if I could take all of the paint sticks in that orange bucket plus any he may have had stored away...dispite my horns, he agreed.

My next stop was the cutting station in the back of the store, and when I told the HD employee that I wanted him to cut 45 + paint stirrers (some down to 10" and others to 7") he looked at me like I grew horns AND a third eye...but, he obliged.


So, here I am walking out of the store with a cart full of freshly cut paint sticks waving goodbye to the checkout guy that I have come to know, happy as a clam and not caring about the whispers around me about the girl with 3 eyes and horns.

Remember when I posted about my big dandelion painting? If not, you can see it here. I used this awesome wipe on stain to give the wood an older feel. It was the perfect color for my paint stick project.

While my paint sticks were drying I moved onto the next part of my project: priming my coffee table.

I love my coffee table- I snagged it off of Craigslist for $20 two years ago. It is solid wood and the perfect shape/size; but, it really needed some TLC.

Before I applied the first coat, I was pretty excited about my decision to paint the bottom half of my table metallic gold.... I envisioned a luxe/classy version of my craigslist find.

Unfortunately, after the second coat, I had a table that looked like it belonged to Mr. T.

Thinking that the gold would grow on me, I returned to my paint sticks. I arranged them on top of the table, alternating between the two sizes of sticks so that they were in a staggered pattern.

Once they were where I liked them, I went to town with some gorilla wood glue to secure them in place.

Once the gorilla glue dried, I applied 2 coats of polyurethane.

So...Here is the finished product the first time around:

I suppose the table looks a little less Mr. T ish with the slatted top and hardware; however, when I stood back and looked at it, I still wasn't thrilled. In some light it looked boring, country, and beige, and in other light it looked like it belonged in an Austin Powers movie. So being the crazy person that I am, I immediately started to sand and prime the table...again.

This time around, it was a bit more difficult because I had the wooden slats secured to the top of the table. I had to be extra careful not to get primer or paint on them.

I opted to paint the bottom of the table the same grey as Annie's dresser (mostly because I didn't want to spend money on new paint and hate it again).

I am so much happier with the way it looks now...what do you think?

It still has a little bit of gold (where it was too tough to paint without ruining my paint sticks), but I kind of like the way it matches the hardware (the original handle primed and painted).

Here is an up close look at the top of the table:

And last, but definitely not least...The Before:

and After: