I'm totally in the nesting phase of this pregnancy - where suddenly all the projects or ideas I've either been putting off or too tired to even consider have been causing me sleepless nights and long days. I think most normal women would be working on projects for the new baby - decorating the nursery, sewing clothes or burp cloths...but I, my friends, I am decorating my own dang bedroom. HA.
Our bedroom is always, always the last to get any attention because let's face it, it's really one of the few rooms that no one else ever sees. But I was starting to feel miserable in my own bedroom - this is the honest truth, we had an Ikea dresser in there that was literally falling apart and we just couldn't get motivated to replace it and move it out. It sat there for MONTHS until it was hazardous to the people who got within a foot of it. Drawers falling apart, sides coming undone. It was ridiculous. I finally had had enough and off we went to purchase a new bedroom set and I was ready to get started.
I'm excited to show you bits and pieces of this room makeover as I work through it - I've done some really fun stuff and I'm starting to LOVE our room. Finally!
Today I'm starting with an easy project (oh, let's be honest - all my projects are easy). This is a fun way to update some furniture you already have and give it more of a custom look. And you know chevron is all the rage (hopefully for a few more months at least...)
This is a cheapy Target nightstand that we've had for several years. Since we've started to incorporate some white furniture into the bedroom, I wasn't sure what to do with it - but I'm using white, black, grey and yellow as some of my base colors so I decided to keep this little nightstand and just spiff it up.
Ready?
First, go to Vivaciously Vintage and read her blog post. She includes a link to a great chevron pattern that makes this project a breeze. No measuring, no marking - just taping! Hello, sign me up. Chevron has always intimidated me because a lot of the projects involve measuring and penciling out things and I just am not detail oriented enough for that stuff.
Get to taping your furniture. This is the most tedious part of the project - it didn't take me long on a small surface like I was using - but if you're doing something big, just be patient.
Make sure you seal the edges of the painters tape REALLY well. I went over mine several times, and still had to clean up a few sloppy edges. But it was no big deal. Now you can start painting - because this was a cheap piece of furniture from Target, and not real wood - I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I love this stuff, especially on hard to paint furniture - no stripping, no sanding - just brush the paint on and it will work!
I did a couple of coats and then removed the tape while the paint was still in the tacky, not too wet/not too dry phase. I was freaking out at this point, I'm not going to lie. I was a little worried everything would be crooked or sloppy or just completely jacked up.
Imagine my happiness! Now, in full honesty, it's a LITTLE crooked because I applied the stencil slightly off. But you have to really look - and let's just pretend it adds that homemade charm we all love. Ok?
I let the chalk paint dry overnight and then I used the Annie Sloan wax to finish the piece and protect it from getting dinged and scratched up.
I also replaced those boring drawer pulls with some blingy ones.
And that was it! Easy, and cute. I love the way this looks in the room. I haven't been able to convince my husband to let me do his yet - he says it's 'too girly'. I may have to take matters into my own hands one of these days when he's away on business. It's better to ask forgiveness than permission, right? Heh.
Here's the before and after!
I LOVE IT!
