Beachy End Table

The stenciled end table I did several months ago didn’t sell, so I decided to give it a little makeover (again). Because I wanted a beachy end table this time, I kept the turquoise base, but washed it with white and gave the top a {sort of} driftwood look.

A reminder of the first stenciled makeover:

A close-up of the newly white washed base:

For the top, I sanded it back to bare wood, then base coated it with Pure White Chalk Paint. I didn’t really need to sand it down that much, but at the time, I wasn’t sure what direction I was going.

To give it a driftwood look, I mixed some of the white chalk paint with a touch of black latex paint.

I used the frog tape we got in our Haven swag bags to tape off the two side sections. That way, I could stop and start my brush strokes past the edges of the middle sections and get a smoother stroke from side to side.

When the middle was dry, I taped it off and painted the side sections in the same manner.

Tips for Getting a {Sort of} Driftwood Look:

• Water down the gray paint mixture- you don’t want solid coverage.
• Brush in the direction of the wood grain.
• Working in sections, brush on the gray paint, then wipe off excess in long, even strokes. Repeat if necessary until you’re satisfied with the look . I wanted to keep this table light and airy, so I left more white showing through.
• If it gets too dark or too solid, brush on more white, also watered down.
• Stir your paint occasionally, but don’t worry about getting the colors mixed completely- it’ll just add to the streaky finish you’re going for.

Top with polycrylic or other non-yellowing finish. (Polyurethane will yellow, so don’t use it over light colors.)

And that’s how my stenciled end table became a beachy end table. Which do you like better?

Doodles,

Partying here:

Miss Mustard Seed, Be Different Act Normal, BNOTP, Primitive & Proper