Giving a little love (and a lot of paint!) to old and forgotten furniture is one of my favorite parts of decorating. It’s no secret that I love a good deal. But, when I stumble upon a gem for next to nothing (or in some cases, actually nothing) I get SO excited for the possibilities. Keep in mind, most of the time a “gem” would probably be the furthest from most people’s minds when seeing some of the pieces I find.
When purchasing a new home you need to look past the gaudy wallpaper, rusty fixtures and old carpets, and focus on the “bones” of the home. Everyone will tell you, the rest is cosmetic and can be changed. Furniture is the same! A piece can be a terrible color, covered in schmutz and missing a few knobs, but if it has good bones the potential to be brought back to life is there. Fortunately for me, most people miss this potential. Their trash becomes my treasure. I find treasures at consignment shops, garage sales, antique stores, craigslist and if I’m lucky…. the curb!
When I was redecorating our upstairs guestroom, I had a few ideas in mind. I really wanted the room to be bold and I wanted to mix old pieces with modern. I only had a bed and few antiques planned for the room, but that was about it. I am always decorating on a budget so I scoured my usual antique stores and consignment shops. I wasn’t sure what exactly I was looking for until I found it:
I know… right about now you think I’m crazy, right?
They may not look like much, but I thought they were perfect! I was in need of bedside tables and I already had a few accessories that had bamboo accents and these nightstands couldn’t have fit the bill any better. Best part of the story?
I first spotted just one of these with a $12 price tag. Awesome! But, there was only one and I needed two. Bummer. The woman working at the store noticed my interest and told me that it had just arrived. She said the owner had unloaded a truck full of items that did not sell at auction and this, along with its match, were part of that truckload. The matching nightstand however was already roughed up and the truck ride to the store only further damaged it. So, the owner decided it wasn’t worth selling and put it on the curb! I ran to the front, trash picked the damaged one and purchased the other. So basically, I scored both nightstands for only $12. Sweet start.
I gave them a good wipe down and a quick sand in the sketchy areas, removed the knobs, then started on my paint. I wanted these white and I love recycling, so I used some leftover wall paint. Typically, I would use a primer before slapping on a coat of paint, but this particular wall paint was a paint plus primer in one, so I figured I’d give it a go. Once dry, I went over only the bamboo accents with a bright, gaudy gold, acrylic paint. Because I love me some gaudy gold!
I finished them up with some new gold knobs I scored for 50% off. I love my “new” nightstands and they work with the room perfectly. The best part… I spent less than $30 total for both of them! So the next time you pass by a piece of furniture tossed aside – give it a second look!
Happy “gem” hunting!
Over the One Lane Bridge 
I remember this “find” and many more finds when we went to our “favorite” antique store. Fabuous Bre. You are my inspiration and I am doing a nightstand that I found in a friend’s barn for his guest room. Hope it turns out as good as yours!!!!
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