Old Sewing Table Turned Desk

I picked up this adorable little sewing table at my local Habitat Restore for $10 buckaroos! I knew immediately I that I would paint it and turn it into a desk for my daughter’s room. Here are my top tips for painting furniture with chalk paint!

My daughter just turned 10 and she is ready to redo her room and not have the adorable Pottery Barn room that she has now. *Insert big ugly momma cries! I am just besides myself that 1. she is 10. 2. that she wants to make her room more “grow up” …. like in all honesty, I’m not even sure I’m living in real life…because in my mind, she is only a baby and loves only me! wahhhh!! This growing up stuff is for the birds! Or for people without hearts! I just can’t handle this!

So I started painting her new desk Soft Pink by Dixie Belle Chalk Paint…I figured she’s like pink rather than purple, like the rest of her room. Well…to my surprise, she wanted to paint the legs teal.  Huh!! I hadn’t even thought of that! Apparently she has been spending too much time with my BFF who is the most incredible decorator, lol.

Trying to be a good and cool mom, I did what she asked for…and I love it! and am jealous I didn’t think to do this on my own!

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Check out: Before & After Projects Using Dixie Belle Chalk Paint

Supplies Needed:

Dixie Belle White Lightning Cleaner

Dixie Belle Soft Pink Chalk Paint

Dixie Belle Mermaid Tail Chalk Paint

Dixie Belle Best Dang Wax

Dixie Belle Gator Hide 

Lets Paint It Together!

Here is the before.

How To Prepare Furniture Before Painting

I always wipe down my furniture with soapy water when I first purchase used furniture. Then before I paint it, I give it a good cleaning with Dixie Belle White Lightning Cleaner…aka magic cleaner! Mix in a bowl with water and wash down furniture with an old rag. I like to wear rubber gloves as well.

After one thorough wipe down, look how disgusting my water was! This cleaner is the best at removing any gunk and grime on your furniture!

Once you are done washing the furniture with White Lightning, you must thoroughly wipe the furniture down with clean water. Otherwise, you will have a difficult time getting the chalk paint to adhere.

Sanding Wood Before Painting

Dixie Belle chalk paint does not require the wood to be sanded before applying it. However, I had a really bad moldy black water ring on the top of the desk so I used a fine grit sand paper and lightly sanded to remove the black ring as much as possible.

Painting Chalk Paint on Furniture: The Wet Method

I personally find chalk paint to be a little dry – not dry in the sense that it’s actually dry, but more thick and less easy to spread. So I apply chalk paint using the wet method.

I put just enough water in a disposable cup to cover the bottom of the cup. I lightly dip my brush in the water (just barely!!) and then dip the slightly wet paint brush into the paint container and paint the furniture. This method helps smooth out any lines, apply more evenly, and makes the paint go a greater “distance”. **don’t let your brush get too watery, otherwise your paint will run and create drip marks!  Apply as many coats as needed.

I painted the main part of the table in Soft Pink and the legs in Mermaid Tail.

Sealing Chalk Paint on Furniture

The best part about Dixie Belle chalk paint is that you don’t have to seal it. However, because this is a desk and is going to be used a lot, I decided to seal it just to be extra safe. I sealed the top of the desk in Gator Hide and the cabinet area and legs in the Best Dang Wax.

Gator Hide is:

• Super tough!
• Great for Table Tops and Cabinets
• Repels Water
• Water Based
• Polyacrylic

The Finished Product!

I absolutely love the way it turned out! Such a dramatic before and after!

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