Grandma's Old Vanity
When I was planning my design for this vanity, I wanted them to have the ability to be used more and still represent my grandmother. I intended to go white. However, a recent nightstand project I did totally swayed me to embrace the blue. So, I decided to go baby blue with pops of gold!
Step-By-Step Guide to Achieve Painted Blue with wallpaper top Night Stands:
The process to get the look of these blue nightstands is a unique one because i ended up after painting the whole thing in the blue decided it needed some texture and that's where the wallpaper came in!
To begin, these nightstands started off as a vanity! I have done similar furniture transformations like this with different vanity styles. One was a waterfall-style vanity. The process was nearly the same as the one I used for these blue nightstands! I will outline below how to deconstruct a vanity briefly below!
Painted Blue Nightstands Steps:
- Initial cleaning
- Deconstruct vanity to two nightstands
- Prep cut sides for repair and fill
- Sand fill and prep sand end tables
- Remove sanding dust and clean with simple green
- Route cut tabletop edges
- Remove sanding dust
- Add wallpaper with wallpaper paste
- Paint nightstands in base color
- Add detail gold trimming paint
- Add details like drawer liner and hardware!
Step 1: Initial cleaning
Like all my furniture refinishing projects, I started with the most important step: prep work! For me, I like to start with a good scrubbing with simple green and a sponge. This ensures I get all the built-up grime off the piece.
I like to clean first so the dirt and grime doesn’t get pushed into my piece when I prep sand later.
Step 2: Vanity deconstruction
Next, deconstruction. To do this I used my circular saw first to cut the vanity in half at the middle joint. I cut as far as I could down the middle. Then, I used my jigsaw to cut the remaining edges.
Once in two pieces, I used my hammer to remove nails holding the middle plate.
After this, I made my specific measurements of where I needed to cut the vanity tops down to create a flat nightstand top. I used my saw to make these cuts.
Step 3: Prep cut sides for repair and fill
Once this step is done and you have your two nightstands cut down, it's time to assess the damage and make your repairs!
Prep those spots:
To do your spot fill, you will want to have a prepared surface. Make sure to sand down the areas you are about to start prepping/filling in. Doing this will keep from having jagged edges. I use medium grit sandpaper. Also make sure to clean off your sanding dust before filling in so that the filler will adhere.
Apply filler:
For this step, I used stainable wood filler that you can get at any hardware store. You may have to do more than one coat to get it smooth.
Step 4: Sand fill and prep sand end tables
After the filler dries, I sand it down using 220-grit sandpaper using my hand, you can also use a sanding block if that's easier for you!
Step 5: Remove sanding dust
Once your nightstands are sanded, remove the excess sanding dust with a lint free cloth and some simple green to get off all particles from sanding
Step 6: Adding wallpaper (wHAT!)
YES i added wallpaper. It was a true statement of my grandmother and her love for unique things. I wrapped the tops and added a detail band on the inside for both of the nightstands.
To add wallpaper I took wallpaper paste and a clean paint brush and generously applied the wallpaper paste to the flat side of the wallpaper.
After letting it sit for a moment I applied the wallpaper to the nightstand and pressed on every area to get the bubbles and uneven areas out!
I let the wallpaper dry for 48 hrs before applying the paint.
Step 7: Paint your nightstands!
I chose Elegance by Countrychic for these nightstands and did 2 full coats and a quick light coat. I also did not have to use a primer as I did not feel there would be bleed through. If you do suspect you are going to get bleed through I would use a shellac primer before applying my paint.
I used one of my absolute favorite Zibra painting brushes – my palm pro brush for this project! It gives such a smooth finish, and fits into my hand like a glove. It also contoured amazing for the detailed sections and legs too!
Step 8: Adding detail and sealing
With the wood detailing on these nightstands, I decided to add some gold trim to really allow those details to POP! I also knew i wanted pop in my hardware.
When sealing these nightstands I used Countrychic Clear coat to provide a glossy finish and to provide an extra layer of protection for the wallpaper tops.
AND YOUR DONE!