Bedside tables and cabinets are the perfect candidates for the shabby chic treatment. Inevitably your typical British bedside table is of pine construction–with a raw, waxed or varnished finish. That’s the perfect recipe for shabby chic success. A solid foundation built with sturdy pine, or other woods, works best.
We can always remove waxed and varnished finishes easily, with sanding, white spirit and proprietary treatments. Though we will baulk at detailed patterned work!
Once we’ve removed the wax and varnish we can move on to painting the initial coats: primer and undercoat paint. Then we apply the decorative coats, typically an eggshell finish. But satin wood and matt emulsion finishes also work.
Shabby Chic In Progress
We recently worked on such a bedside table–this three drawer pine unit with turned feet. It’s a fairly typical piece and we do work on a lot of bedside tables
We removed the varnish by sanding. Mechanical sanding for the flat surfaces and hand sanding for the moulded edges, drawer fronts and handles.
The picture above gives a view of the drawer fronts after sanding. The rest of the varnished bedside cabinet waits its turn.
Shabby Chic Success For Table
We then treated the bedside table to coats of primer and undercoat before applying several coats of white eggshell paint. We often use a Farrow and Ball paint. But on this occasion we used a Johnstones paint. An alternative shabby chic treatment might have involved Pointing, which is always popular.
Afterwards, we finished the treatment with a gentle shabby-chic sanded finish, and then followed with a neutral wax coating.
The change in appearance is striking. From looking relatively mundane this little bedside table is now fit for purpose once again, ready for its re-decorated new home.
We can work on similar pieces, bedside tables with open lockers, with hinged doors or a combination of drawers, open lockers and doors. The results will be stunning. Shabby chic success.
When you have a furniture project that’s crying out for a bit of shabby chic success, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss.
Let's Get In Touch
Contact Details
Please don't hesitate to get in touch for shabby chic and furniture painting advice.
Phone Number
07766 225329
Email Address
furniture@shabby-chic-surrey.com