Curbside Table to Mini Office
Have you ever had a spot in your home where you need a certain piece of furniture for a specific purpose? You’ve been on the hunt for weeks looking for that just-the-right sized piece to fit in that spot? I’ve been wracking my brain brainstorming what I could use for our printer in the pantry. Until I realized this cute little roadside table I found a couple weeks ago could be reinvented and be the perfect piece!
I have been loving my new yardstick framed chalkboard wall in the pantry {“Chalkboard Wall in the Pantry”}. But despite all my fun, vintage inspired organization {“Pantry Organization, Vintage Inspired”}, I still had a couple items that needed a home…a.k.a…they were on the floor;( The kitchen is the hub of activity at our house and therefore the perfect, handy place for the printer. It’s worked out very nicely to have it in the pantry, until I gave Big Boy that piece of furniture for his first apartment. The brown grocery bags and plastic store bags didn’t really have a home either, and then there’s the printer paper.
After I’d arranged my spruce tips on that little roadside table in the driveway {“Spruce Tips 101”}, it was resting in the garage. Hmmm…I grabbed a tape measure and went and measured that little spot in the pantry and compared it to the roadside table. The height was perfect and so was the width of the base. With a little editing of the top and the legs, I think it would be perfect!
Mr. Fix-it split the beefy, pine top and used 1/2 for the top and created a shelf at the bottom. He used a random board from the garage for a smaller shelf in the middle. He cut the legs and arms down so they would take up less floor space. Roadside table, re-invented! And it’s a sturdy little fella.
Now for the beauty makeover;)
First I gave it a good sanding to smooth out the edges and ready the surface. I was going to simply paint it all white and be done with the job, but then my artistic flair stepped in. And I was really liking the knots on that pine top and shelf. So it took a little longer that I expected, but I like it a whole lot better!
I stained the pine top and shelf with MinWax’s Hickory Gel Stain. (I didn’t bother filling the holes cuz I’m not selling this cutie). I used white chalk paint to paint the rest and unfortunately got a couple little paint splatters on the lower shelf:( I know, I know…I should have covered the bottom shelf with something, but this was supposed to be a quickie job. I used a little steel wool to rub out the paint dots and was not happy that the stain came off a little, causing splochiness. Ugh; don’t you hate it when a project has little hiccups?
Now is the time to get a little more creative…and cover the blunders. Besides…the table was looking a little BORING so far.
I ran to the store for some Painter’s tape and decided some grain sack stripes in black were just what this roadside table needed to complete it’s new outfit!
I measured out a 4″ stripe in the middle and then just eyeballed the rest. I used black acrylic paint and brushed off the excess on a newspaper, giving a dry-brushed kind of texture.
And to cover my baubles on the lower shelf…it got some stripes too!
Once dried, I gave the stained shelves 2 coats of poly to seal and protect:
This roadside, re-invented table is looking pretty sharp in it’s new duds!
This cutie would have sold so quickly if I still had the store, because it’s the perfect combination of function and beauty in a compact footprint. But I’m a little bit happy to not have the store anymore, because I can keep this one for myself! {“Do I miss It?”}
With a little re-creating, this roadside find is the perfect piece for our pantry!
And we’ve got the floor space back! Isn’t it great when you solve a little decorating snafu in your home…and you accomplish it with a roadside find? Makes this junk-loving girl just smile;)
Sharing at these lovely parties:
Love it! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm!
Your welcome, Cecilia!
LOVE finding the perfect solution already in my house. You really rocked this one!!
Thanks, Julie! Guess I’m just a trash to treasure girl to the core;)
Love it!
Me too! Function plus beauty is my favorite combo!
So cute!
Thanks, Cheryl! It wouldn’t have lasted long at PG! Glad I can keep it;)