End Table Refinishing

A few weeks ago, my mom and I decided we needed a project. On a sunny Saturday we decided to go garage sale hunting to find some small furniture pieces to refinish. I am slowly starting to think about a furniture look I'd like for my next apartment, trying to keep the cost as low as possible without sacrificing a cute and sophisticated decor.

Here is an oak end table/night stand we found for $10. This photo was taken after its light finish was completely sanded away and the knob removed. The grain of the wood was so beautiful as this is a very solid, and at one time expensive piece, it would be a waste to paint the entire table. I really wanted to do something more interesting than just restaining, I was looking for a pop of color. To get the best of both worlds, I decided I wanted to paint some parts of the table and stain the rest. Here's how it turned out.

My dad had this stain called "chestnut red" in his work shed so that cost me nothing for this project. For the paint, my mom and I went to Lowe's to look at colors. I picked "a day at the jewelers" by Valspar. For $3 they mixed up a 7.2 oz sample, which was more than enough paint for this project (I actually have about half left to use on other DIY projects-yay!) The knob I also picked out at Lowe's for $4. My dad had the polyurithane as well; we applied 2 coats to give it a protective layer and that wonderful shine. $17 for a unique and beautiful end table. I'm a fan!