Furniture Flip: Transforming a Thrifted Coffee Table for a Modern Home

Why settle for mass-produced, low-quality furniture when you can have a piece with history and personality? We’re going to show you how easy it is to makeover a coffee table with a few supplies to create beautiful and affordable furniture you will treasure for years to come.

Best of all you’ll be building your sustainable living room by reducing waste and creating a custom coffee table to match your home!

​Giving New Life to a Vintage Treasure

Let’s back track for a minute. This table has been with us since my boys lived here. I had originally covered it with a black vinyl contact paper because… well you can read all about that story here. And you see why it worked before in that setting.

The plan was to paint the whole table and hide the darkness of the wood and the black vinyl. Because this was no longer the boy’s bachelor pad.  It was my living room and it had to reflect my taste. Mainly my love of blue and warm and cozy things. ​

Do I need to sand before painting?

No! Furniture paints have come a long way and many are formulated for fantastic adhesion (stick) and durability. For the best results be sure to thoroughly clean your coffee table to remove grease and grime before painting.

Note: The only time we sand our furniture is if there are scratches that need to be smoothed out or deep grooves that need to be filled with wood filler.

What is the best paint for coffee tables?

Because they’re a high-use piece of furniture you’ll want a paint that will give a durable finish. The Decoart Satin Enamels are fantastic for this because they have a build in top coat that hardens over time. The satin finish is super smooth and really easy to clean.

If you’re looking for a matte finish we recommend a chalk paint (Decoart Chalky Finish is our favorite). But be sure to apply a wax top coat over the chalky paint for a protective seal.

How do I prevent water rings on a painted surface?

Moisture sitting on a wooden surface for a long time will cause rings and water damage no matter what. So the best way to prevent water rings is to use coasters with your beverages. Using a high quality furniture paint with a build in top coat (such as the Satin Enamels we’re using), or finishing off your chalky painted furniture with a wax sealer will help to prevent water rings as well.

Supplies Needed for the Coffee Table Makeover Project

• DecoArt Americana Decor Satin Enamels in Beige
• Decoart Americana Decor Satin Enamels in White
• DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint in True Blue
• DecoArt Americana Multi Surface Satin Acrylic Paint in Pewter​

How to Upcycle an Old Coffee Table

​I started off painting the whole thing in the beige color. A few coats and lots of wait time in between because winter is not kind to painting.  And obviously I was not able to paint outside in the winter. 

Isn’t this the ideal painting situation?  In between all the Christmas festivity I had this mess in the living room.  But what was I to do?  I was determined to have the living room of my dreams.  Or at least as close to it as I could get DIY style. 

I liked the beige but felt it was too bland.  I thought maybe the top could use a different color, so I mixed up my own special color trying to match it as closely as possible to a blue shade that was on the rug. I used a bit of True Blue and Pewter to achieve this effect, and lots of white along with the original beige. 

I let the coats dry for a least a few hours in between.  There was no need to add a top coat to this paint since it dries as hard as nails. That’s also why it is my favorite paint and I use it all the time!

​It is a soft bluish grey!  And such a warm color. The beige looks almost like a cream color next to the blue top. 

The accents really pop!  I had consulted with a paint group on Facebook about what to do with this piece and many suggested that I add a stencil on top.  But I feel that between the accent wall and the media cabinet, things are busy enough in here.  I think adding stenciling would have made the room even busier. 

​For now, I’m going to leave it like that. 

But in the future, I am actually thinking of distressing it a bit or even adding some dark wax to make them pop more.  What do you suggest?​ 

This is so much better than the wood and black it was before. ​ 

You can’t really tell from the photos but the whole room is really coming together now. I had painted the wall first and then bought the rug with the hope that it would complement that wall. 

A piece of advice here.  Always paint your wall last.  It took me months to find this rug and even then I was worried that the color would not work since I ordered it through the internet.  Luckily all turned out well but I had quite a few days of nail biting over this. 

I managed to finish this table and one other project just in time for the holidays and enjoyed the harmony and coziness of the room. Because to me spending time with family at home is what the holidays are all about. ​

​I know that many of you were out there decorating and shopping and even baking.  But for me it was important to prepare for the holidays by painting.  Am I nuts? Maybe but having a cozy room and a calm ambiance for my family to spend time, is what it’s all about for me.  I hope you’ve enjoyed how I re-invented my coffee table with paint.  

​More Painted Furniture Ideas you’ll Love:

We’ve done a lot of furniture painting over the years and here are just a few ideas to get you started. You can check out our whole furniture upcycling archive here.