Coastal Cottage Style Table

Here’s a super simple DIY project… haha… I notice that as I’m getting older and older, my DIY projects are getting easier and easier. This was a fun re-do of a vintage kitchen table to add coastal cottage charm. Here’s what I did:

First, I found this gorgeous heavy single sheet gift wrap at a fun little gift shop out in Maine last year. It is titled ‘Merveilles de la mer’, which I understand is French for ‘wonders of the sea’. It was so beautiful, and only $5 or $6 dollars for a large, poster size sheet. Expensive for wrapping paper, but maybe not so much to transform an entire piece of furniture with!

The table was a Craigslist purchase, and though nice and solid, it had a grungy dirty coat of flat white paint on it.

After a coat of primer/paint on it, (HERE is my all time favorite bonding primer that will stick to just about anything and assure you the paint will stay on!) legs in sea green color and the top in a cream color. I selected a color for the top that really, really closely matched the background color of the sea life paper. That way when I cut out the sea life I could leave the little numbers next to each one that I liked and the paper background wouldn’t be so noticeable.

In fact, the paper edges in the background color are nearly invisible with the layers of Mod Podge on it.

So once the paint was totally dry, like a day later, and after I made a final decision with the placement of the sea life illustrations, I painted a layer of Mod Podge on the table top, section by section, adding a paper cut out on the wet Mod Podge, and then painting a layer of Mod Podge over the paper cut out.

Here’s a tip I’ve learned from Mark Montano since re-doing these stools: Lightly mist the graphic, front and back, with water before setting it on the Mod Podge to prevent air bubbles.

Then I added the skinny black line outline on the table top and side of the table apron. I’m not very good at painting a thin line free hand, so I cheated and used a paint marker. Love those things! (Here you can see how I used that same paint marker treatment on my bird table.)

As you can see, even with a paint marker, my lines aren’t perfect, but I just mark it up to a ‘hand painted’ look and don’t fret about it.

Once the first layer of Mod Podge was totally dry, another layer completely covering the whole table top was added, covering over the now dry black line as well. I did do at least 3 or 4 layers of Mod Podge, to be sure the top is durable to just wipe up with a damp cloth.

That’s it!

With an addition of some wicker chairs, (another Craigslist purchase) it’s a fun coastal cottage style table set.

Now this once ugly table is a happy little spot to drop packages or do a puzzle or have a snack on. And I didn’t have to be an artist to get a unique detailed look.

SHOPPING LIST: Mod Podge

Here are some more furniture re-do ideas:

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This post can also be found at: Skip to my Lou, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, StoneGable, Yesterday on Tuesday, Home Stories A to Z, A Stroll Thru Life, Tip Junkie, The DIY Dreamer, Savvy Southern Style, Just a Girl and Her Blog, DIY by Design, From My Front Porch to Yours, Common Ground, Between Naps on the Porch, Posed Perfection, The Charm of Home, My Repurposed Life, Design, Dining & Diapers, Must Love Home, Too Much Time on my Hands, French Country Cottage, My Romantic Home, Miss Mustardseed, The Shabby Nest