Welcome, fellow DIY enthusiasts and future grandmothers! Today, I’m thrilled to share not one, but two very special second-hand furniture makeovers, brought to life with the incredible versatility of Country Chic All In One Paint. This journey isn’t just about paint and furniture; it’s about anticipation, family, and the joy of creating something beautiful for a new chapter in life.
I have some truly exciting news that I’ve been eagerly awaiting for many years: I am delighted to add another cherished title to my list of roles – Diane, Sister, Aunt, Author, Friend, Mom, Wife, Blogger… and in just a few weeks… Grandmother!
My eldest daughter, who got married last year, and her wonderful husband are expecting a precious baby girl in late March. The excitement in our family is palpable, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome a new little one into the world. Naturally, this wonderful news has sparked a flurry of nesting and decorating activities, and I was eager to lend my DIY expertise to prepare for her arrival.
During a recent holiday visit with both our daughters in Virginia, Ed and I had the perfect opportunity to kickstart the nursery decorating. My daughter, Kelly, had already found a fantastic foundation piece – a second-hand changing table that just needed a little love and a fresh coat of paint to fit her vision.
Transforming a Thrift Store Find: The Baby Changing Table Makeover
Kelly and her husband discovered this sturdy Eddie Bauer changing table at their local ReStore. It was in excellent structural condition, a true hidden gem, but its original color simply didn’t align with the serene, elegant aesthetic Kelly envisioned for the nursery. Her chosen color scheme of white and lavender called for a complete transformation.
Initially, Kelly considered painting the changing table lavender. However, my “experienced mom brain” immediately kicked in, offering a piece of advice honed over years of decorating and childcare. I suggested painting it white instead. My reasoning? Versatility and longevity. Should they be blessed with a second child, and it happens to be a boy, a white changing table would seamlessly fit into any boy’s room without the need for another repaint. This practical approach ensures the furniture can evolve with their growing family, making it a truly sustainable choice.
I reassured her that we could incorporate beautiful lavender accents on other pieces that could easily be updated or moved as the baby grows. And that’s precisely what I did once I returned home – keep reading to discover the lovely lavender project I tackled, perfect for the nursery.
Kelly wholeheartedly agreed that white would be the ideal base color for the changing table. To add those lavender touches and artfully conceal the contents of the drawers, she planned to line the drawer fronts with decorative paper or fabric featuring lavender and white patterns. This thoughtful detail would bring softness and a personalized touch to the piece.
This project provided the perfect opportunity to try out some new products from Country Chic Paint. Last fall, they generously sent me a selection of their “All-In-One” paint samples along with one of their oval paint brushes. While I was relatively new to using oval brushes for furniture, they have quickly become my absolute go-to tool since I painted the sideboard in my foyer. These brushes are a game-changer, making it significantly easier to achieve a smooth, flawless finish on furniture pieces.
As a seasoned DIYer, I enjoy experimenting with different brands of chalk and furniture paints to compare their performance and finishes. I’ve tried and reviewed many, and even shared my DIY chalk paint recipe in the past. I’ve consistently been pleased with the quality of paints I’ve used. Ultimately, the choice often comes down to personal preference for a brand’s color palette and budget considerations.
Country Chic Paint is an “All-In-One” formula, meaning it requires minimal or often no sanding and priming, saving precious time and effort. It’s a clay-based paint that offers a finish similar to traditional chalk paint but boasts superior adhesion, making it incredibly durable for high-traffic pieces. A significant advantage, especially for a baby’s nursery, is that their paints contain little-to-no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), ensuring a safer environment for your little one. I also appreciate that they offer convenient 4-ounce sample jars, which are perfect for smaller projects or for testing colors before committing to a larger quantity, making quality paint accessible for every budget.
Knowing Kelly’s desired color scheme, I ordered “Simplicity” for the changing table – a crisp, clean white. For the accent piece, I selected “Mermaid’s Tail” and “Tribe” with the intention of mixing them to create a custom lavender shade. To protect and seal the painted surface, I opted for their “Natural Wax,” which provides a beautiful, clear finish. While I personally adore the soft, inviting look and feel of a waxed finish, Country Chic Paint can also be sealed with a polycrylic or their “Tough-Coat” product for maximum durability.
My Process: Revitalizing the Changing Table with Country Chic All In One Paint
To begin, I set up the changing table in a well-ventilated area. Even though Country Chic Paint is an All-In-One formula that often doesn’t require sanding, I always perform a quick, light sand on any piece of furniture I’m transforming. Using a sanding block with 100-grit sandpaper, I gently went over the entire surface. This brief 5-minute step doesn’t harm the piece; instead, it creates a slightly scuffed surface that significantly enhances paint adhesion, ensuring a lasting and professional finish.
After a thorough cleaning to remove any dust or debris, I applied the first coat of “Simplicity.” The paint glided on incredibly smoothly with the oval brush, providing excellent coverage. I allowed the first coat to dry completely, then gave it another quick, light sanding to ensure a perfectly smooth surface, wiping away any sanding grit. Following this, I applied the second coat. As you can see in the photo, that second coat was still wet when I had to leave. Our wonderful holiday visit had come to an end, and Ed and I needed to head home, leaving the final touches for Kelly.
Living six hours away meant I couldn’t complete the entire project during my visit. However, once the paint was fully cured, Kelly masterfully took over, adding subtle distressing to specific edges and corners to give the piece a touch of character. She then applied a layer of clear wax, buffing it to a beautiful, understated sheen that protects the paint and enhances its elegance. I can’t wait for our next visit, when this beautifully transformed changing table will be proudly in use, ready for our little granddaughter. I promise to capture some “AFTER” photos then, perhaps even with a sweet little bundle of joy in the frame, and I’ll be sure to update this post!
A Sentimental Keepsake: Customizing a Doll High Chair with DIY Lavender Paint
Back at home in January, during my own “Marie Kondo-ing” phase as I cleaned out the attic, I stumbled upon a miniature doll high chair. This wasn’t just any toy; it was a cherished item both my daughters played with as children. I had held onto it for all these years with one specific purpose in mind: for my grandchildren to enjoy. Did it bring me joy? Absolutely, a resounding YES!
Now was the perfect time to give this sentimental piece a vibrant makeover, ensuring it could find a new life holding a doll or stuffed animal in the nursery. This project also brought me immense joy knowing I could contribute to Kelly’s nursery decorating, even from afar. This small, lightweight high chair can be easily transported to Virginia in my car when we go to meet our granddaughter.
I decided to challenge myself by using only materials I already had on hand for this makeover, apart from the Country Chic Paint itself. The high chair, primarily made of particle board, was quite porous. However, with a thoughtful mix of Country Chic paints, a tiny bit of craft paint, some ribbon, and nailhead trim, I was incredibly pleased with the charming result.
Crafting a Custom Hue: Can You Mix Furniture Paint Colors?
One of the fantastic aspects of most furniture paint brands, including Country Chic Paint, is their mixability. This allows for endless creative possibilities, enabling you to custom-blend shades to perfectly match your vision or existing decor. Mixing colors is not only fun but also a great way to achieve a unique hue that perfectly complements your furniture piece and reflects your personal style. For Kelly’s nursery, I aimed for a specific shade of lavender, which required a little experimentation.
To create the initial lavender base, I combined half a cup each of Country Chic’s “Tribe” (a beautiful deep purple) and “Mermaid’s Tail” (a soft, ethereal blue). The resulting color was an elegant and subtle lavender, undeniably pretty. However, I knew it wasn’t quite the vibrant, cheerful lavender Kelly had in mind for her baby’s room.
To give the color that extra “pop,” I carefully added just one teaspoon of bright purple craft paint to the mix and stirred it thoroughly. Voila! The transformation was immediate; I had achieved the perfect lavender shade to align with the nursery’s color scheme. It’s important to note that when adding craft paint to a chalk or clay-based paint, you should only add a small amount. Adding too much can alter the paint’s unique qualities and adhesion. However, I’m never afraid to experiment, and I knew that a single teaspoon added to a full cup of my Country Chic paint blend would only affect the color, not compromise its performance.
Once the custom paint color was ready, I cleaned, lightly sanded, painted, and then waxed the doll high chair to seal the finish. The paint did an impressive job of covering the textured particle board, but the chair still needed something to give it a unique personality. A quick visit to my craft supply armoire in my “studioffice” yielded the perfect embellishments: some lovely ribbon, silver furniture nails, and white thumb tacks.
Creating Custom Style: DIY Nailhead Trim with Furniture Nails and Thumb Tacks
Adding nailhead trim is a fantastic way to elevate a piece of furniture, providing a touch of sophistication and detail. While commercial kits make the process incredibly easy by ensuring perfectly spaced nails, I decided to craft my own custom nailhead trim using the furniture nails and thumb tacks I already had on hand.
Supplies needed for DIY nailhead trim:
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Pencil
- Furniture Nails
- Thumb Tacks
- Hammer
- Ribbon (optional, for backing or decoration)
- Scissors
Steps for creating your DIY nailhead trim:
- First, if desired, wrap a decorative ribbon around the edge where you intend to apply the nailhead trim. Use a small piece of tape to temporarily hold it in place while you work.
- Place a ruler along the edge of the furniture. Using a pencil or pen, carefully mark increments along the ribbon or directly on the wood, ensuring the marks are centered and evenly spaced. For my project, I spaced the silver furniture nails approximately 1 inch apart. Consistency is key for a polished look.
- Position a furniture nail at each marked point. Gently use a hammer to drive each nail firmly into the ribbon and wood. Take care to ensure they are straight and evenly seated.
- Once all the silver furniture nails were in place, I added white thumb tacks in between each silver nail. This created a charming, alternating pattern that added visual interest and a custom feel to the trim.
I had initially hoped to use a lovely lavender and white striped ribbon directly under the nails to define the edge of the seat. However, it proved to be too wide for that particular area. Instead, I found the perfect spot for it to hide the raw wood section directly under the seat, where it fit beautifully. A reliable staple gun was all I needed to attach it securely and neatly.
The combination of the custom lavender paint, the elegant furniture nails, alternating thumb tacks, and the charming striped ribbon added just enough character and detail to give this little high chair a delightful new life. It’s now perfectly poised to adorn the room of my first grandchild, a true testament to the power of upcycling and personalization.
Despite the particle board surface still having a few rough areas – a common challenge with this material – the Country Chic Paint did a remarkable job of providing beautiful coverage. Normally, I might hesitate to paint something where exposed particle board is a major feature, but this paint truly exceeded my expectations in creating a smooth, inviting finish. This project beautifully demonstrates how thoughtful paint choice and creative embellishments can transform even the most humble materials into cherished pieces.
Now, this lovingly restored high chair patiently awaits its journey to Virginia when Ed and I embark on our exciting trip to meet our first granddaughter. The anticipation is immense, and I truly can’t wait for that moment! XO
I hope these two second-hand furniture makeovers inspire you to look at old pieces with fresh eyes. Upcycling is not only a sustainable choice but also a deeply rewarding creative endeavor, especially when you’re preparing for such a joyous family milestone. Transforming these items with Country Chic All In One Paint has been a truly fulfilling experience, blending practicality with heartfelt sentiment. Happy painting!