Giving a pair of vintage nightstands a new look

Interior Design

Apr 11

Written By

I have been on the hunt for a pair of black, antique nightstands with drawers to go on either side of the bed at SaddleShack since we moved in earlier this winter. I should clarify, I've found a few that I absolutely love, but our budget for furnishing the ski house is pretty small.

A couple of weeks ago I finally found the look I had been searching for at Portland's Flea For All. The only problem was they were not black, and the tops were in need of some minor TLC. I'm not afraid of a little DIY project though, so I decided to take these beauties home and give them a makeover!

Step by Step: Your DIY guide to refinishing antique furniture

Since I wanted the nightstands to be black, I picked up a can of matte black paint - I already had primer at home.

1. The first step in refinishing these was to sand them down as much as possible. I sanded down the tops and sides with an electric sander and the legs and more delicate spots with a sanding block. I managed to get most of the varnish off pretty easily (thankfully) but I'm not sure if it really matters. I think just roughing up the surface would probably be enough since I was planning to paint it.

2. After I sanded it, I applied a thin coat of primer and let it fully dry. I think drying between coats is essential!

3. Once dry, I painted it using a small trim brush (although, if I had a roller I probably would have used that for the top instead).

4. I did 2 coats of black, letting it fully dry between coats and, voila! that was it. I decided to keep the look of the antique hardware, but may change it to something more modern after I sit with it for a little bit.

What do you think? Pretty good before and after in this room, huh?