Stephen and I had been on the hunt for nightstands for our guest bedroom for months but couldn’t seem to find anything inexpensive that we liked. One Saturday morning at a thrift shop I saw these cabinets sitting there and had a vision. He couldn’t quite see it but trusted me so we haggled them down to $70 total (sorry the picture is blurry… this one is stolen from my Insta stories. Apparently I was so eager to start I couldn’t even snap a picture!).
This post really should be titled, “What not to do when repurposing nightstands” since it was such a unfortunate disaster. Anyway, we’re going to use this as a very large lesson as to what NOT to do. Learn from my mistakes. You can thank me later. Now, let’s get this party started.
Step #1: Remove any hardware.
Step #2: Sand out any scratches/scuffs off the top. It’s not necessary to sand the entire thing when using chalk paint, that’s the best part about it. It can be a good amount more expensive than normal paint but the time saved, its durability, and the way the finished product looks is worth it in my opinion.
Step #3: Clean off any dust leftover from sanding.
Step #4: Paint using chalk paint and a brush.
Step #5: Paint hardware. I used this spray paint and it worked really well. With things like screws, if you are worried about ruining them when screwing them back in, spray some paint onto a paper or plastic plate and hand paint them after everything is put back together.
Step #6: Find some cute knobs. My favorite place to look is Hobby Lobby which is where I found these among many other cute options. Target, At Home, Amazon, and D. Lawless Hardware are some other really great places to look!
Step #7: Put everything back together.
Step #8: I found this drawer liner at Target for about $7. Cut them to size, remove the backing, and stick it to the bottom. Make sure you get rid of any dust first! I’m on the hunt for a black and white buffalo check pattern… Once I find it I’ll be swapping the current lining out for that!
Step #9: Cover with wax. Paint it on lightly and wipe the excess off and then let it rest overnight.
Overall I think they came out alright! I have to admit though, once I get that yellowy wax residue taken care of, I’ll probably go back and paint the hardware black… I don’t know if I like the gold in that space. *monkey emoji covering its eyes* It’s not “rustic” or farmhouse enough for this room. I don’t really know what I was thinking… I can definitely see these in a few different types of spaces but considering our house is more farmhouse esque, I’ll probably change them a tad. As usual, I’ll update you all if I make any changes on here or Instagram stories!
[…] over time. The bed was purchased on clearance on whim (because the deal was that good), the nightstands we found at a thrift shop in Arizona, and the TV console was purchased in Arizona when we agreed […]