Painted Yard Sale Table

My mom recently picked up an end table for me at a yard sale. I couldn’t go gallivanting with her that particular Saturday morning, so she took a chance and snagged it for $30. She knew I needed an end table between our new loveseat and sofa, and thought there was something about it that I would love. She was right. I took one look at it and knew it would be just perfect for that spot…once it was painted of course;) Now I know some of you might look at this table and think, Oh! Leave it alone!  But trust me, it was not as pretty in real life as it comes across in this pic:

First of all, it’s not real, so don’t worry about that. It’s a very light table, and not only that, was ALL scratched up…it needed some lovin’. And lovin’ it got.

I didn’t know WHAT color to do at first. Initially, I thought a distressed white. But the couches are so light, I wanted some sort of contrast, even if it’s just a little.

Also, I have a couple other little end tables in there awaiting makeovers. I didn’t want to have 3 different color end tables! I had to think this through. (The other two are going to be white and white/with some stencil action *I think*, for curious minds;)

I am completely in love with the back of the bookcase color, Sheffield Gray. I thought about maybe doing that, but I am not a fan of matchy-matchy. So I nixed that idea. Red? Not with the dark wicker trunk/coffee table right near it. Gray? Not right either. Hmm…this was a tough decision!

Green?

YES! GREEN! Perfect contrast to the soft Sea Salt walls, the beige couches, doesn’t get all matchy matchy with the bookcases, and would look just fine near the trunk. Not only that, it would pick up the green leaves in my favoritest-ever-on-the-planet Ikea pillows. Green it is.

Now, I wish I could tell you what specific color I used. Let’s just say I should have donned a white lab coat for this one. I was QUITE the mad scientist. I must have thrown 15 paint colors together to achieve this shade. You see, I had a sample of this dark green from Lowes. But I didn’t want to go that  dark.

So I added some white. WAY too light sage-y for what I wanted.

I added more green. Some gray. Some brown. Some black. Not even kidding. It was hilarious. Once I hit the jackpot, I added a couple scoops of Plaster of Paris to make it stick-to-anything-paint (no sanding, no priming needed), and slapped it on.

Took it outside to sand it down – make it look all distressed-like;)

Brought it inside, waxed it, and it turned out just right! You wouldn’t believe how soft and smooth this table feels. I am in love. Seriously.

Please excuse the stuff on the table – haven’t ‘styled’ them yet – just threw a couple things on there for the time being.

But can we talk about that lamp for a minute?! That’s my latest HomeGoods find. I L-O-V-E that thing. Found it last week for $39.99 – and that’s for the base AND shade! Oh HomeGoods, you never cease to amaze me.

So that’s the scoop on the yard sale table. Proof that you don’t have to spend a fortune to decorate your space, right? Another man’s trash, is another decorator’s – er, man’s – treasure;)