How to Repurpose and Transform a Vintage Console Table Into a French Country Farmhouse Kitchen Island
Vintage Console Table Makeover Using Chalk Paint to Create a French Country Farmhouse Kitchen Island
by Kim Hansen, Co-Founder and Artist, JK Hansen Studios
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ON THE HUNT!
I’m always on the hunt for unique used furniture pieces to repurpose, makeover, or transform into stunning one-of-a-kind pieces of artwork. My daily morning routine is to search through online local groups to see what I can find. As I’m scrolling through the listings I try to think outside the box.
Take for example this vintage console table I found online. I often receive requests for kitchen islands. So when I saw this piece I immediately knew what I wanted to do with it. It was the perfect size and would make a charming French Country farmhouse kitchen island. The console table was in good condition – very heavy and sturdy and only had a few scratches here and there.
It had three lined dovetail drawers. The previous owner had installed drawer glides on the sides of each drawer which allowed the drawers to open and close smoothly. I negotiated the sale with the seller. I couldn’t wait to get it home and begin its makeover!
PRODUCTS AND PREPPING THE TABLE FOR ITS NEW LOOK!
- I gathered my products and supplies to start the transformation.
- I removed the drawer knobs.
- I cleaned the console table with soap and water then wiped it dry.
TIME TO PAINT!
I used FolkArt Home Decor’s Sheepskin (Cream) Chalk Paint for the base coat. The chalk paint was really thick. So I added about two tablespoons of water to my bowl of paint. Following the grain, I used my 2-inch paint brush to apply the first coat of cream chalk paint to the table — being careful not to completely cover it. If you’ve read my previous blogs or are familiar with my painting techniques you know that I always allow a bit of the original wood to show through here and there – I think it gives the piece an interesting appearance and adds a worn look.
After the first coat was dry, I applied a second coat of the cream chalk paint using the same technique.
AGED TO PERFECTION!
I used Rust-Oleum Chalked Decorative Glaze to give the kitchen island an antique look. I used a handy wipe to apply the glaze in small sections then, before it dried, I lightly wiped off the same section with a damp cotton painter’s rag.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS!
To give the table a further aged appearance, I applied Dixie Belle’s Bronze Patina to the table’s corners, edges, etched details and legs with a one-inch paint brush then lightly dabbed the Bronze Patina with a damp painter’s rag before it dried.
DRAWER KNOBS
If the original drawer knobs, pulls or handles are in good shape on the furniture pieces I acquire I like to reuse and paint them. The drawer knobs on this table were in nearly perfect condition, but I wanted a darker look for the knobs. So I painted the old knobs with Waverly Inspirations Chalk Paint, Ultra Matte, Ink Paint. (You can find it at Walmart.)
SURPRISE!
Who doesn’t love surprises! Depending on the piece of furniture, I like to add an unexpected, yet nice surprise to the inside of the drawers and/or cabinet doors. On this piece, the maroon velvet drawer liners were in excellent shape. So I decided to keep them and hand-paint a custom French Bakery Stencil in the middle drawer on top of its original maroon velvet liner. I combined selected pieces from the above three French stencils to create the design and hand painted them using Sheepherder Chalk Paint and Modern Master’s Metallic paint.
FINAL STEP!
The next morning — to protect this charming transformed vintage piece — using lint free cheesecloth I applied two coats of Rust-Oleum Chalked Protective Topcoat Matte Clear over the painted surfaces and three coats to the top.
DONE!
The drawers in this French Country Farmhouse Kitchen Island have ample room for storing your good cutlery and serving utensils ~ and the lower shelf for your pots and pans.
SOLD! This charming French Country Farmhouse Kitchen Island sold right away and is the most requested, liked and favorited kitchen island in our Etsy Shop.
CONCLUSION
Summer is slowing fading into fall and the Holidays will be here before we know it! In the meantime, I’ll continue my hunt for those rare, unique and long-forgotten furniture pieces to bring home with me and breathe new life into them.
I hope I have inspired you for your next DIY project!
If you have a question, please feel free to contact me, or leave a comment below. Your feedback is always appreciated.
Many of the products I used for this project can be purchased online at Dixie Belle Paint and our Amazon Shop.
Be sure to visit our Etsy shop to see what other pieces of art I have created.
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