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This dictionary stand has been in my house for at least the last six years. I don’t know how it got here, but my son seems to have a certain attachment to it. Which is not a bad thing. The bad thing is that this cherry red piece sticks out like a sore thumb in my otherwise black, beige, and blue apartment.
Yes, most of the furniture is either black or a dark brown. No cherry in sight here. It was time to upcycle the dictionary Stand with chalk paint.
What is a DIYer to do? I could go to Michael’s and make them richer than they already are, but I have a plan here. You see, my dear old dad is my inspiration for my creative side. He worked as a house painter for many years and although many of you would not think of that as being creative, I remember that our home was full of hand painted pieces by him.
Of course he used enamel paint on his furniture. You know the old fashioned kind that is thick and gooey and drips all over the place. But I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce him to the joys of chalk paint.
I made it using an acrylic paint he had around the house. (Our house is full of paint cans). I used 1/3 cup warm water, 1/3 cup plaster of Paris and a cup of the acrylic paint. At first my dad was very skeptical. And when I started painting he complained to me that I was ruining a perfectly good piece of furniture. I’m sure that many of you who have ever painted furniture have heard that one.
I added 3 coats of paint and let it dry overnight. The next day I sanded it a bit… not too much, and used cream wax from DecoArt to seal the paint.
I’ve done all this before with my bed frame makeover and the blue beach table.
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Of course my dad was still skeptical till he saw this…
I had him run his hand across the top…
That’s when I got the desired effect ”Oh it is really smooth” .
And… “it does look much better now!”
That’s what I wanted to hear!!!
He was also very impressed with the price tag! 😉
And he liked the distressing!
A quick look at the before. Now that I’m looking at it again it seems as if the spindles are a different color from the shelves. Hummm… Maybe it was a different type of wood. But I fixed that!
This piece is finally finished. And I have shown my dad the beauty of chalk paint. You can always learn something new no matter what your age.
You may be wondering why I felt the need to show all this to dear old dad. I mean why can’t I leave him alone and give him some peace and quiet? Well, I am going to paint some larger pieces of furniture in the house the same way and I needed to ease him in slowly with this smaller piece. See there is a reason for my painting madness.
I hope you all enjoyed my quick how to upcycle a dictionary stand with chalk paint. Dad is satisfied! And I am painting up a storm in my son’s apartment! But more on that later…
Have you ever tried to make your own chalk paint?
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Mary, I really love cherry wood, it is such a pretty color. But, if the piece is not serving you it doesn’t matter what color it is does it? It did look dark and dreary before. Now it looks fresh and pretty. And you can really see the shape of the piece.
I like the way you went about this, getting your dad to like it by showing him how you did it. It is hard to retrain how people think, isn’t it? I’m happy that he came around and that he has seen the value of your homemade chalk paint. Can’t wait to see how the rest of the furniture turns out.
Nikki my dad is a work in progress too. I still have to get him on board with the rest of the radical stuff I’m planning on doing. Cross your fingers.
gorgeous! I’ve never heard of a dictionary stand before but love this one! And your tray with the seashell handles is amazing!!!
Audra I had to google it because I didn’t know what it was called.
What a pretty transformation! I am the laziest DIYer out there…I don’t paint furniture anymore, but you make it looks tempting! 😉
Kim it really is super easy with chalk paint. None of those nasty fumes and no dripping like with the older enamel paints. Go for it. Paint something red!
Mary – I love it! Such a huge improvement. I have never seen a dictionary stand in person, but the pictures are beautiful. I love what you did with this piece. I found you at #WayWow
I guess it is kind of rate Debbie. I know that in order to figure out the name I had to google it. I’m glad you like it. Paint transforms everything.
Χαίρομαι που σε βρήκα Μαρία!Πολύ καλή η μεταμόρφωση αυτού του επίπλου,δείχνει πραγματικά πολύ καλύτερο από πριν που ήταν σκούρο.Θα του πήγαιναν και τα κουτιά με τις ρίγες στα ραφάκια του!
Έριξα μια γρήγορη ματιά στο blog σου και πρέπει να επιστρέψω σύντομα γιατί έχεις δείξει πολλά “θαύματα” εδώ μέσα που θέλουν μελέτη!Καλή συνέχεια!
Ευχαριστω Λαμπρινη! Θελω να τελειωσω κι αλλα δυο κομματια και μετα θα δειξει η ομορφια του.
Nice job! I like the way the chalk paint lightened up the piece, made it look not-so-heavy. It will be a nice addition to your room.
It already makes a huge difference Mimi. I’m also painting some other pieces to go with it. .
This is beautiful! You are lucky you won your Dad over with this piece. I keep showing my mother-in-law my latest projects and she just kind of says, “hmmmm” (meaning,if you don’t have anything good to say, say nothing!). I love it- it turned out really well!
Haha Melony, my dad is like your mother in law too. But I had him touching it so he could not deny the silky smooth finish. Now I have to convince him that I’m doing right with the rest of the pieces I’m painting.
Super cute! Gotta love homemade chalk paint:)
Chalk paint is a live saver. If I didn’t have that I’d actually have to spend money on a project I was hoping to finish quickly and on a budget. Besides I had to buy the wax.
I think its wonderful that you got to spend some time with your Dad, he must really miss you. Your post is timely as I just called our local supplier to see if they have the brand name chalk paint in white. Nope they are sold out! Thanks for sharing your recipe. Leanna
Try the recipe Leanna and save yourself some money. It is super easy to make and you can play around with the consistency.
Will do Mary. I have to see why everyone uses it instead of the told stuff. Enjoy your vacation and don’t work too hard. Leanna
Mary,
This piece turned out beautifully. You are so clever..mixing your own concoction. Chalk and milk paint are so freaking expensive. Hopefully you convinced your dad it is ok to paint furniture.
Much Love,
Erica
Erica, you’re not kidding. I go thru chalk paint like water. I convinced my dad for this piece, now I need to work on the rest. He is a hard sell.
Wow, Mary–what a transformation! Pinned and I’m sharing on FB too! Thank you for sharing at Vintage Charm!
Thank you Cecilia. It is so much better than all that red!
Such a great upcycled piece of furniture. I am a huge fan of homemade chalk paint and this turned out awesome. Thanks for sharing with us at Waste Not Wednesday.
Homemade chalk paint is great when you cannot get your hands on the ready made stuff and it is equally as good.
Oh I love the book stand in white Mary! I got my Mom on the painting bandwagon by having her create a piece of her own with chalkpaint now she’s in the tribe with her very own set of brushes… lol Thanks so much for sharing your project at Fridays Furniture Fix!
Brenda I do believe I have converted him! What a great feeling especially at his age.
Fantastic makeover! And the added bonus – getting your dad to change his opinion. 😄
Great makeover!
Happy Fall,
Kippi
I love the chalk paint update on your table. In fact, I love almost all dark wood projects that include chalk paint!
This was done so well, Mary! Love the color, and the distressing, as well!
Mary, what a beautiful transformation. It doesn’t even look like the same piece at all. Way to convert you dad to an updated way of painting furniture!
Toni he had to move forward with his painting ideas, kicking and screaming all the way. 😉
What a fabulous transformation Mary! Love the how nice and bright it looks now. I had never heard of a Dictionary Stand before so thank you for sharing that with us!
Thank you also for sharing your project at Waste Not Wednesday!
Sam I had never heard of that term before either. But I knew it had a special name and google helped me along.
Hi Mary, the stand looks so much better after you’ve up-cycled it. And it sounds like you can teach an old dog new tricks, or teach him to like different things.
I like the tray on top too. There are a couple of traditional carpenters on the island that similar stuff.
xx
Debbie he is learning weather he wants to or not. Haha.
I love your painted projects. I don’t know how you come up with a way to make your own chalk paint…good for you! It turned out very professional looking.
Thank you so much for that Debbie. My dad is my harshest critic. So if he’s satisfied so am I. Chalk paint is actually easy to make, once you get the hang of it.
I love it in white – It was the perfect thing to do to it and it turned out great
Amber it stuck out like a sore thumb before. Now it looks so much calmer and fits in with the whole room.
Wow! Such an improvement. I love the transformation!
Oh yes, another convert. Well done Mary, it looks lovely and your dad must be super proud of his daughter. I wish I could have seen the look of love and admiration on his face. It really looks beautiful.
He had such a skeptical look the whole time that I was doing this. haha. But now that I am doing more pieces he is shell shocked.
Although I am partial to cherry furniture the dictionary stand looks wonderfult. Good job and I am glad your Dad likes it.
Wood is nice but in this case, it was a two toned piece which did not sit well with me. I am trying to open up the dining room and make it brighter… more to come soon. 🙂
Man, I really need to get on the chalk paint band wagon. That looks so much better than before!
Kari it is so easy to make. You can’t go wrong. And if you are not happy with the results just sand it off. It is very forgiving.
Hi Mary it turned out beautiful the distressing is just right,glad your Dad likes the chalk paint.
Mary we will have to wait till I finish to get the final verdict. I am also adding some bookcases on the sides to turn it into a whole unit. More to come…
It turned out great. I think it looks so much better. I’m glad your dad liked it. 😉
We will have to wait and see what he says when I am finished with the whole room. 😉
Oh Mary it looks so updated!!! You did excellent job as always!!! I love also this dictionary stand! It is so unique!!!
PS Did you leave from Greece?
Christina I am in NY visiting my sons who live here. I’ll be back home soon, but for now I am helping them out with the house.
Wow, what an improvement! And a lesson that we are never too old to learn something new , congrats on converting your Dad to a Chalk paint fan!
Yes I truly hope he stays converted. You know at that age they are a bit fussy.
Mary it is beautiful! I am happy that you are having so much fun with your dad, lol, I bet he is enjoying it a lot too and will soon paint with you! Can’t wait to see more!
Katrin he can be a stick in the mud as many are at that age but I think he is softening.
This just goes to show that you can teach an old painter new tricks! I am always nervous when I first start a new paint job because I am afraid I am ruining it. But the new paint job always brings old furniture to life.
Haha! Michele. I will not give up on him. Once I finish with the room he will see that it is much better with these lighter colors. And chalk paint is so easy you can’t mess up.
Mary…Another craft question. <3 ...I have a cagillon greeting cards for various occasions that amy husband and I exchanged over the 48+ years of married bliss. Love them. I have not wanted to toss them He went to HEAVEN 2007 after 2 1/2 yrs. of bone cancer. I was thinking to purchase an ottoman OR would have preferred to find an unfinished wooden box.LOL And then I thought I would like to decoupage these cards...torn to fit,etc like we did a lot of in the past years. I am diabetic....and I get my meds shipped from a main order express pharmacy and my diabetic meds come in a heavy duty styrofoam box - much better/thicker quality than a cheap ice chest from the local market,etc So what would I do...slightly rough up the outside of the box....and then using Mod-Podge just apply the torn card pieces to the box to completely cover it. Any suggestion you might give me would greatly be appreciated....I know it is hard not seeing the "foam box", etc but I am not savvy with any camera and putting on my computer to share. I AM SAVVY at Vintage [and other styles] of Spider Solitaire. LOL <3 Thanks for your superior craft ideas....Sue
Mary: is there some You tube video that explains the use/mixing/protection of chalk paint? I have no clue! I have wanted to paint an old stereo cabinet that is pretty cool and I have used it for years in my foyer as a table. It is just dark walnut stained wood. I would love to paint it a nice “cranberry red” or something along that line of the color wheel. <3 What do you do to rep the wood? I have used furniture polish on it for care - for all the years since like maybe 1969 or so. <3 The unit still works but never is used = years ago I would put CHRISTmas records on it while we decorated the tree. <3 It you can enlighten me on the chalk paint I would so love it. The front of the stereo cabinet is like tapered on the front ends of the cabinet.....or corners cut at angle. In the middle of the cabinet there are two hangers with pulls that you would think might open the "fake doors". <3 And on either side of the middle "fake doors" where the speakers are....there is speaker cloth,etc and then a fancy like grille on top of the speaker cloth. Does this make sense. HAHA <3 If you can let me know on instructions I would love it....Sue
It looks beautiful Mary, so smooth and perfectly distressed. I am sure your dad is so proud of you now after the first impression of “ruining” it. Sure he will help you with the next projects.
Pili I always you used to see you making DIY chalk paint and that is how I got this idea. Why spend all that money? I am so happy I tried this. It really came out smooth. We will see what he says when I finish the room.
Yay, another naysayer came to the other side! It looks so much better now and what an interesting piece of furniture. You are so much braver than I, Mary, because I’ve had the chalk paint recipe for over a year and haven’t attempted making it yet. It’s on my Must Do In 2017 List. Looking forward to seeing the other pieces you’ll be working on.
Marie I’m surprised you’ve never done DIY chalk paint. I use it in a pinch. But this turned out great. You can adjust the consistency and work it any way you want. Plus it is so cheap. 😉
Mary , the stand turned out absolutely beautiful . I’ve used chalk paint a few times too on small projects and loved how it turned out . Thanks for sharing . Hugs and blessings , Cindy
Cindy I am a big believer in the power of paint. And now I have hopefully converted dad too.
Ooooh, Mary!
I really love how the book stand turned out! It is really nice in white. Glad your dad had fun being there with you! <3
Happy painting,
Barb 🙂
Barb I have just begun. As I type this I have two pieces half finished and another one or two waiting to be done.
It looks so much better Mary! The spindle and the shelves do look like they are different colors, but not more you fixed that with your beautiful paint job. I’m glad your dad was happy with it. Love the wood tray, and I can’t wait to see what you are painting next.
Linda I am on a painting frenzy. I have to finish all the pieces before I leave and time is running out.
Oh, Mary. You make it look so easy. Love the quirky furniture piece and subtle distressing. Thanks so much for sharing.
Julie it really is easy. the paint glides on, the only drawback is that you have to put a few coats on the furniture. It is like you are building layers on it.
That is a wonderful transformation! Love how the details pop now. My hubby didn’t like the idea of chalk paint at all until I made my own and painted some furniture in the guest room. He loved how it looked too and was converted. I find it really easy to work with and quite easy to make too.
I agree with you totally Tuula. It is such an easy transformation without breaking the bank. I am tempted to paint everything now.
You’re kidding! He actually liked it?? Thought it was smooth? Amazing. It didn’t take much to convince him, but it looks like you’re setting him up pretty good for more to come. Sounds like you are having fun painting. Cute shelf too. I think it’s an improvement.
He was convinced with this one but every time I show him another piece he balks. He is a tough cookie. We’ll see what happens when I show him more stuff.
Amazing! One can hardly recognise the old dictionary stand under that layer of new paint. It looks great, it really does (would look even better with a few boxes full of yarn 😉 )!
Seems you’re having a whale of a time in the US!
Marjan it would look great with all of your colorful yarn. All those pretty colors against the white.
Wow Mary! You are crafting even being in vacation! Your are like the perfect mother!
Katerina the blog stops for no one! Anyway I had a vacation during Christmas. I don’t want to get too lazy! 😉
Mary, I love what you did with the dictionary stand!! I’m glad your dad likes it too. That’s pretty exciting to have several pieces that you’ll be painting. I hope you post them to your blog so we can all see your lovely painted transformations. The bird carving is beautiful also.
Keri you know we live for the blog. Haha! Not he house really needed a refresher. It looks so old and dark in here.
The stand looks so shabby chic, what a transformation paint can do! Great Job! Maria
Than you Maria. It was an easy fix with just a little paint.