My Nightstand: Dark and Gloomy No More.

The project I am sharing with you today is my nightstand. Although it's functional as-is, I thought it was dark and gloomy, so I lightened it up with Old White chalk paint.

Before:

The finish on the nightstand is a shiny smooth "factory finish".

When using Chalk Paint over a slick surface such as this I start out with a very light base coat of paint. I don't concern myself with getting full coverage or an even finish while applying the first coat.

Here it is with the first coat applied. I know it looks a horrible at this point, but trust me it gets better.

Next I applied the second coat, using more paint than the first coat, and spread out the paint to get good coverage. Because there isn't much pigment to the white paint I went ahead and applied a light third coat. Most darker colors won't need a third coat of paint. I did a light sanding afterwards to smooth out the paint and added a little distressing.

After:

Ah so much better now!

I switched out the drawer knob with an antique knob. I think it adds a touch of elegance to the piece.

I keep a jar with some silk peonies on the nightstand.

Here's the nightstand in my bedroom. I think it looks lovely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Supply List:

(Affiliate links:  I earn a few pennies. It doesn't cost you extra. You're awesome!)

• Old White Chalk Paint and Clear Wax
• Wooster Vintage Effects Brush
• Fine foam sanding pad
• Tack cloth

I used original Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan for this project. If you use a different type of paint, you might need to use primer as your base coat.