Budget Decorating: How to Turn Ugly into Fabulous
without sanding and on a budget!
My husband and I made a decision out first year of marriage to get out of debt! Although we are not completely there we are well on our way and helping others get out of debt as well. We got so crazy we paid off 30,000 in just 11 months! We are far beyond that now! But it just goes to show what you can do if you focus your time and energy on it!
How on earth did you pay off 30,000 in 11 months?
We did this by establishing the four pillars of a debt free person in our lives. Read here for more details. This meant we learned how to budget, how to build an emergency fund, save money, and increase our income! This little blog has even helped us earn some extra money to pay off debt!
We just moved into a new rental and since our priority is to pay off debt as fast as possible we don’t have the luxury of new furniture. We had to do what is called budget decorating! This means we had to get clever with what we have. My aunt was going to toss out an old side table but instead I grabbed onto it. I don’t have much free time so I couldn’t take on a large project with stripping and sanding. Instead my secret is chalkboard paint!
Budget Decorating: What do you need?
1) Desired chalk board color
2) Chalk paint/ wax brush
3)paint cloth or old sheets
4) Furniture Wax to Seal Paint
How to refurbish an old ugly side table on a budget
1) clean the furniture thoroughly.
Make sure there is no dust or debris because it will show in the paint.
2) Choose your desired paint.
I only found a few options at my local HomeDepot but online there are far more options to choose from. Depending on the size of your furniture you will need to about 8 – 16oz. I only used about 8 oz for two side tables. I little goes a long way!
There are lots of colors to choose from!
3) Start with Light Coats:
Starting with a really light coat cover the furniture from head to toe. You will want to do a very light coat to avoid clumping. Note: it will not cover completely with the first coat. Do long even strokes. Let the paint completely dry before applying a second or third coat. It is best to sit over night, however depending on the climate it could take only a few hours.
4) Repeat Step 3 until Furniture is completely covered
5) Apply Wax
Once the furniture is completely dry you will want to apply a coat of furniture wax to seal and protect you new beautiful piece. When applying the wax you can use a wax brush or a lint free cloth. Be sure to apply evenly and coat the entire piece.
6) Decorate!
Now for the fun part. It is time to decorate and brag about your awesome find!
Free Budget Form Here!
Download the same budget I used to pay off $30,000 in just 11 months!!!
I love experimenting with anything that can make my house look better! I really enjoyed this post.
I love this idea! I have always wondered, how is cleaning furniture with chalkboard paint? Thanks for the awesome ideas!
To see the potential beauty in an old piece of furniture is a skill! I love the idea though… It’s all about recycling! Thanks for the idea 🙂
That’s such a great idea to use chalkboard paint! I did kind of love the old flowers of the table, but in this way it’s clean and modern to fit any style! Beautifully done!
you did a great job! The paint you used looks like a lovely finish.
Very detailed instructions! I’m gonna recommend this to my brother. 🙂
So love this cute little table. Great instructions.
This looks great!! I’ll have to see if there’s anything in my home that I can update like this!
http://www.elleisforlove.com
I just did this to my stair case and it turned out amazingly!
I love this post. Your post is very in-depth and have great instructions. Thanks for sharing.
What a transformation!!
What a lovely idea!! You are an inspiration!!
Looks great! I love the color choice.
That is an amazing transformation!
Wow. It turned out great.