Pretty as a Peacock

When I came across this little side table sitting outside my parents garage and was told it was headed to the burn pile, I snatched it up and brought it home with me.  

It was definitely looking a bit rough, but I thought there was no harm in trying to bring back its original beauty.  I knew I had my work cut out for me though.

To start, the front of the drawer was dented, scratched and the original hardware (which was now missing)  must have been rubbing on it because it had worn a large divot in one of the panels!  Poor little table. 

Unfortunately the outdoor weather hadn’t been kind to the table top causing some water damage to the surface.

The first thing that caught my eye though was the chunky legs.   I absolutely loved the square detail on them!  Even though I wasn’t quite sure what the outcome would be, I knew I had to try some paint magic with this piece.

I started by filling in the original holes for the hardware,  large dents and other damage with some wood filler.  After a good sanding, I applied a coat of my favorite primer.  After that I sprayed on a few coats of white paint.   

 I thought it looked fine, but it ended up sitting in our garage for a few months after that point.  For some reason it just didn’t feel “finished” to me.

About a month ago, I had this crazy idea to try something bold...I wanted to try painting with color!  Now, if you know me, you’ll know I pretty much always stick to white. White works...it’s a “safe” color.   Ok, so I’ve tried a few different cream colored paints, but that’s about as extreme as I go.  This time I wanted something completely different!  Before I could change my mind, I went and bought a can of “Peacock Tail” blue paint.

The first few coats I sprayed on were a bit shocking!  At first I wasn’t sure if I loved it...or if I had completely lost my mind!  Eek!  After at least 4 coats of paint and drilling new holes for the hardware, I was happy with it and so  I set it aside to “cure” for about a week.  

What I quickly discovered was the dark paint was really bringing out all the imperfections.  Remember the water damage on the top?  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to sand it down to a completely flat surface.  The white paint seemed to camouflage that, but the dark blue, well, not so much.  Rather than try to fight it though, I decided to go with it.  I took my mouse sander and “distressed” all the corners and edges.  I loved how the white paint was showing though!  

After a few coats of wipe-on polyurethane, I added some vintage hardware and it was finished!  

I just love dovetail drawers!

 Sure, it’s not perfect, it’s got its lumps and bumps here and there, but it’s all part of the Cinderella story this little table has to tell.  I’m thrilled I was able to “rescue” it and hope it can once again be enjoyed in someone’s home.

Here's another before & after.  Such a transformation, don't you think?

I'll be adding this side table to my shop shortly!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cristina