On a trip to the Salvation Army Thrift Store a couple of years ago I came across this very ugly, but solid, footstool for $10. We had recently purchased a beautiful reading chair for our bedroom and I wanted a footstool to work with it. After unscrewing the padded section, the base was sanded, painted and sealed, the old cover was removed, and new batting was added to smooth it out. My friend, Shirley, gave me a wonderful piece of upholstery fabric quite a while ago and I finally had a use for it. It turned out so well and looks great with our chair.  

My best find so far, a year ago this past summer, turned out to be a mid-century modern buffet and hutch from Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I had been looking to replace a cabinet in my dining room that I got (not second-hand, but third or fourth hand!) from a friend over 20 years ago that had slowly been falling apart. The price tag on the buffet base was $30 so I asked how much it was going to be for the upper glass hutch section. The saleslady said that the price was for both pieces and I was in luck because that day all furniture was 50% off. OMG! So for only $15 I took home an amazing set...score!!! 

It was pretty scratched up and rough looking, but before I started with the actual work some research was necessary to make sure I wasn't messing with a collectable piece. It was a set that was mass-produced so it was good to go. After a good sanding it was painted with 2 coats of Behr, my favourite paint brand (Behr melamine paint at Home Depot), in “Cracked Pepper” PPU-1801 (which was also used on the footstool base). Depending on the colour you choose they have both a dark base and a white base. Four thin coats of Minwax Polycrylic added a protective layer and the hardware was spray painted flat antique nickel. I am incredibly happy with how it turned out and it now sits proudly in my dining room.

So, if you're ever thinking of doing some DIY projects of your own my biggest piece of advice is prep, prep, prep...preparation sometimes takes longer than doing the “pretty” stuff...and it guarantees a nicer, more professional finish. You will be amazed at what some elbow grease and some paint will do for your long forgotten pieces of furniture. And, if you're like me, Pinterest lures you in and gives you so many more ideas that you'll never be able to finish in your lifetime!