From old dark beside tables to bright, white and beautiful – read through my easy and budget-friendly IKEA hack.
If you’re like me, then you move on from your furniture and decor pretty quickly. This can be a struggle to keep up financially so instead of purchasing new items, I try to find a new use for them.
In this case, our bedside tables were in need of a little TLC. We bought them from IKEA about 4 to 5 years ago. They served their purpose but I felt that the dark wood was no longer something I liked and wanted to brighten our room with lighter pieces – but on a budget.
I knew that a simple paint job was going to make all the difference. I had white paint from a previous paint job that included a primer and all the other tools such as sandpaper, gloves, paint sponges, etc. I priced all of these items out (including the paint) and it came to under $50. If you have a piece of furniture sitting at home rather than tossing it, see what you can do with a fresh coat of paint.
So to begin, I’ll list the items you’ll need below along with the costs.
ITEMS
- Gloves – 2$ from Dollarama
- Sandpaper – $5 from HomeDepot
- Damp Rag – $0
- Two – Three sponges (small and medium size) – $1.50 each
- One small paint can (including a primer) – $30 from HomeDepot
So the first step is to clean the bedside tables thoroughly. Make sure you get rid of any dust particles or dirt. Lay a sheet down in an area with some wide open space and place the tables over them.
Remove the hardware and the drawers. Sand the bedside tables and drawers well (this step is so important. If you don’t do this properly, the new paint won’t have anything to grab onto). Keep sanding, then wipe with a rag. I would recommend sanding once more just in case you missed any areas and then wipe down with a damp rag again.
After the tables have dried, open the lid to your paint and mix well. Dip your sponge in and begin painting. Long, easy strokes will make the paint go on evenly. Keep doing this until the drawers are completely coated.
You’ll have to repaint about 2 to 3 times depending on the colour you choose and your preference. I like the small faint dark streaks so I stopped at 3 layers. Let the paint dry thoroughly and make sure you let them dry in a cool dry place. If you’re doing this project in the summer, keep the tables inside. The paint will not dry properly in humidity.
After the tables have dried completely. Put the drawers back in place and the hardware back on.
In this case, I wanted to change the hardware too so I spray painted them with a matte black finish from Canadian Tire. They usually take about 20 minutes to dry completely. I sprayed them twice for good measure.
After all of that… it’s done! And you have new bedside tables and a refreshing new perspective of your bedroom!
