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Red Painted Table DIY

September 27, 2022

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Several months ago, I was looking for a small round table and spotted one at the curb.

Round tables are not easy to come by and, if you can find one, they're usually expensive.

So there was no way I was leaving it behind.

Red paint on white table

Plus, there was something about its unique design that screamed cottage style.

So we popped it in the back of the truck and brought it home.

Unfortunately, once we got there we realized it was way too big for the hallway corner.

Out in the wild, it didn't look that large.

However, inside the walls of this tiny beach bungalow, we realized the scale was all wrong.

Double Shelf Round Table

It's a common occurrence around here.

And in cottages all around the world, I'm sure.

Anyway.

My husband wanted to bring it back to the curb, but I said, no way.

I will find a place for it.

After all, it was love.

Well, I wish I could tell you that my love came in from out of the cold in short order, but that is not the case.

It was actually late this summer when I decided that she would be the perfect new coffee table for my living room.

For years we'd had rectangle tables in the living room. It was time for a change.

Of course, this beauty was never meant to be a coffee table, she was too tall.

No problem, we raised one table. We could cut one down too.

And since I'm a waste not want not kind of girl, I turned the wood scraps into the sweetest junk angels.

Hot Gluing A Halo To Wooden Angel

Two crafts from one piece. Love it.

Now, I'm all good with rustic decor my house, but this table was a mess. It needed some help. 

And some color.

I've never had a red table in the living room and I thought it was high time I did. 

I love painting furniture. I do it all the time and I use all different kinds of paint depending on the project, and my mood.

Painting A Table With Red Chalk Paint 


For this DIY I decided to use chalk paint, like I did on my corner cabinet.

I love that there's not a lot of prep required, it has virtually no odor and washes up with water. I've listed my supplies here, but they're all listed in my influencer shop, under the craft tab.

The steps are basic:

I started by prepping the table which was a quick process.

I gave the entire table a generous coating of vinegar and water.

Spraying Vinegar and Water To Clean A Painted Wood Table

Then I wiped it down with a paper towel. I scrubbed away anything that was sticky or raised, but I didn't go crazy.

And I didn't sand or prime.

Prepping A Table For Paint, wiping it dry


Next, I chose my paint. 

Over the last year I painted a magazine rack and a floral sign in a custom mixed red.

It was such a lovely color, I decided to use the same one on the table.

Paint Supplies Dixie Belle Barn Red

It was a combination of Dixie Belle Barn Red and Dixie Belle Rustic Red.

I mixed equal parts of both in a container and started painting with an angled bristle brush.

Painting red over white painted table

Chalk paint is very forgiving, it's hard to mess it up.

It goes on thick and provided excellent coverage. Best of all you can easily reactivate it with a bit of water if it starts to get sticky or too dry.

I used a handy dandy spray bottle that mists water instead of squirts it.

It's the same spray bottle I used to wet the paste on the wallpaper in the family room. Multipurpose. 

The Perfect Red Paint For Furniture

In no time flat the top of the table was a delicious shade of crimson.

Cottage Style Red Painted Table

Which is when I ran into a quandry. Should I paint it all red or leave part of the table white?

Mix and match or red all over? Hmmm.

Painted table half complete red top, white bottom

To be honest, it didn't take me long to decide.

Red is a very bold color. A little bit goes a long way.

And there's already a lot of red in that room...or going in that room soon.

Red checked and floral fabrics against red table

So I decided that a simple palette was best. One solid color, nothing busy or patterned.

Painting the rest of the table wasn't an easy job though, especially with a shredded shoulder.

I was literally on my hands and knees, trying to cover it all. 

Round Painted Coffee Table

Spray painting the wooden spindles would've been so much easier, but that gorgeous custom color kept me going.

Brass Candlesticks On Red Table

I did give it a second coat and sealed it with Dixie Belle Clear Satin. It's become my go to. 

No odor, goes on evenly, dries clear and protects.

When I was done the table was almost unrecognizable. Totally transformed.

Red Coffee Table In Living Room

It transformed my living room, too.

That pretty pop smack in the middle of the room is so bright and cheerful.

Red And White Cottage Style Living Room


It makes me smile every time I catch a glimpse.

Round, red and just the right size.

Not bad for a curbside find.

Have you painted a table lately?

RELATED POSTS:

PAINTING AN OLD WOOD FLOOR
PAINTING A VANITY
PAINTING CONCRETE








Kim Signature


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  1. That came out gorgeous! - Briana from Texas

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    1. Thank you, Briana!! It's very bright and very red!

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  2. I love how you changed the color on your table. Perfect where you placed it. I have two end tables that are tall and I am thinking about painting them now. The sofa is red and gold damask. Tired of it but will have to keep for a while so changing up the end tables will be good.

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    1. Thank you so much, Betsy! I love the idea of two red end tables. I've always opted for stained wood in that room so this was a very fun update. I bet your "new" tables will change the whole look of the couch, too!! I appreciate the comment and the visit and hope to see you here often!!

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  3. A new table and a set of junk angels? That's a win-win! It's a beautiful color and just perfect in your living room. Kim.

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    1. Thanks so much, Ann!! I love a good freebie and this one was a bonus.

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  4. What a great re love of this table. It looks great. Yay great job. xoxo Kris

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    1. Thanks Kris! Getting back to my {red} roots!! xxoo

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  5. Beautiful. Glad you went all red. Painted my last two tables red, and I love them.

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    1. Sounds fabulous!! I bet they're beautiful..and thank you so much for the kind comment!

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  6. The table turned out so beautiful, what a gorgeous color that red is! I just love curbside or thrift store finds, especially when you can use them in a way you didn't plan for. This is awesome Kim! The candlesticks look amazing too! Hoping your shoulder heals soon!

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    1. Thanks so much, Marilyn! This color makes me smile, especially in fall, bringing a little bit of that deep red, leaf changing color into my home. And thanks for the kind words about my shoulder. I had PT yesterday and it worked wonders!!

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  7. I haven't painted a table lately, but I have considered painting the legs of my kitchen table and the chairs to match. Your little table came out so cute - looks like you did a great job!

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    1. Oooh, I love that idea, Gina! I love a painted leg with a stained or contrasting painted top!! I hope you'll share if you do it.

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  8. That table was adorable and now painted red it is the cherry on the cake! Well done Kim!

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    1. It is the cherry on the cake!! Thanks Mary!!

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  9. Very cute, Kim! I'm bringing more red back into my living room. Weren't you getting a new couch or couch slipcover that was floral? Brenda

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    1. Hi Brenda! I actually gave up on finding a replacement for my family room floral sofa and picked a check. Instead I chose a floral wallpaper and put up already. Still waiting on that couch delivery though...

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  10. Kim, the table is such a nice find! It looks so pretty painted red and you did a great job with the makeover.

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    1. Thank you, Julie! I love finding things at the curb…free and fun! Enjoy the sunshine.

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  11. Love the color. It is so rich. It is beautiful in the space as well. I love that white couch too. Great job.

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    1. Thanks so much! I just adore that color paint, too. It really pops!

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  12. WOW! It turned out beautiful. It looks fantastic in your home sweet home. :-)

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    1. Thanks Carla! Even though there’s a lot of red around here, it was kind of a bold leap for me…but I do love it.

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  13. I love that color! It's a perfect red for wood furniture. The table is so cute too, with the middle shelf.
    I hope your shoulder heals quickly. It's something that is moved so often!

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    1. Thanks Mari! It really is a good color, I’m so happy with it. Thanks for the well wishes, too. I went for PT for the first time yesterday and wow, what a difference!!

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  14. Beeeeeutiful sweet girl!!! You hit a home run with this one, and bitty angels are the cherry on top!!!! Blessings, J

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    1. Thanks J!! I just love this little table now. It makes me smile to know that you do, too!! Big hearts to you!!

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  15. The red was a bold choice, Kim, and you pulled it off in the best possible way. It's perfect in style and color for your cottage. Great find and great job! Hugs.

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    1. Thanks so much, Nancy! It was bold…even for me, the ultimate red lover, but I’m glad I dove in. Besides, I figured if I were wrong about it, I could just paint over it. But I don’t see that happening. 😉

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  16. You know I'm swooning over that gorgeous red. Talk about a drab to fab makeover and it looks perfect in your lovely cottage living room!

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    1. Thanks Marie!! I do love a good trash to treasure before and after...especially when it's red!!

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  17. I love it! You will have so much fun decorating it for Christmas. I have a chalk paint kit for painting a storage box, and I still haven't even taken it out of the box yet. I STILL haven't tried chalk paint yet, but your posts are encouraging me a little bit ;P

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    1. Oh try it Ricki!! It's so fun. You'll love it.

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  18. I knew from the first brush stroke you showed in the first picture that this was going to be gorgeous! Believe it or not, as a self-proclaimed non-DIYer, I've painted quite a bit of furniture. During Covid lock down, I painted the top of the kitchen table. It came out great!

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    1. I bet it looks fabulous, Amy!! And non-DIY huh? Furniture painting seems like a pretty big DIY project to me!!

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  19. How darling the table turned out, Kim. I need to refinish my kitchen table so badly. What’s wrong with me?? I used to go all out on projects, even with four kids, but not now. I’ve painted, wallpapered, but not now. I did reorganize my pantry with new bins, and labels, and organized my fabrics in containers in my sewing room, but just can’t seem to get to my table. Maybe one day…

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    1. It's a really big job, Kitty. I love the sound of your other projects. You're quite a DIYer!

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  20. Kim,
    Another perfect fit in your beautiful home!! LOVE the table...how you painted it and the look of the table itself is just stunning!! So pretty! Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  21. You're the only blogger I've found who loves red (and green) as much as I do when it comes to decorating. The red table is wonderful!

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    1. Thanks so much, Sallie!! Yes, I've found that most bloggers decorate with whites or grays. That farmhouse style is very popular, but I love color, especially red and the drama and pop and adds to my cottage. If you want to peek at an Instagrammer who has a charming style with red and color check out Window Box Cottage. Her house is fun!!

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  22. This has happened to me more than once - you don't realize how big things really are until you bring them home. But this turned out so well!!! I love the unique design of the table and the red is perfect with the room. Another winner, my crafty friend!
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Thank you, Amalia!! I really couldn't part with this one, so I'm glad we could make it work.

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  23. You know, Kim, I didn't really like the table at first - not my style. But what a difference once you painted it red! You have great taste...

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    1. Thank you so much, Dalila!! I really like the red, too. It's bold, but it looks very sweet in the living room.

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  24. I love the idea of using this style of table in the middle of your living room! Brilliant! I'm excited to tell you this post will be featured in this week's Tuesday Turn About Link Party! Thanks for joining us and I hope to see you this week! Pinned :)

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    1. Thanks Cindy!! Very exciting to be featured!!

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  25. That is a beautiful table - great find! What is a "shredded" shoulder? I've never heard that term before. I've had a partial rotator cuff tear and now my other shoulder has impingement. It's so much fun getting "old"! ;-)

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    1. Thanks Melanie!! I'm just getting around to all these sweet comments, thanks to that "shredded shoulder". It's not a medical term. It's just my sarcastic way of describing what happened to my shoulder. Torn rotator cuff and frayed labrum. Soft tissue damage. Not fun...but healing!

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  26. Hi Kim! What a fabulous makeover! You definitely gave this table a new life. The red compliments your curtains and ties in beautifully with your decor. Thank you for a great tutorial.

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    1. Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked the tutorial, I always share in hopes others will be able to mimic the technique if they like.

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  27. That is darling! Perfect shape and style, and of course the red is the best,

    Deanna Rabe

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    1. Thank you, Deanna! I really like the color and the shape.

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  28. That little beauty would make me smile too. She's got such interesting lines and the cutest legs EVER!! Love her new coat of red

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    1. The legs are darling in person, too. Thanks so much!!

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  29. Love the red tables makeover. They look great in your room.

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    1. Thank so much, Tammy!! I love the bold color in there.

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