When Randall Beale, half of the Beale-Lana design team, showed me this table in his fabulous Upper East Side apartment, he described a piece of furniture that he paid something like $65 at a local Housing Works. Featured in The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating With Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details, this white table, not of any special provenance got a fresh coat of white paint, and serves as a surface for more lofty discoveries. Photographed by Jim Franco, this table doesn't have a designer label, but its sexy curves make it appealing and it was built to withstand years of use. Even though Randall didn't want to tell me how much he spent to have it re-finished, you shouldn't be deterred in trying to paint a piece of furniture yourself and give it a new personality if the current finish doesn't suit your fancy.
The paint job is usually pretty basic, as explained by Alex Bandon, editor at This Old House. Lightly sand with 150-grit, prime, if necessary, and then get to painting with an oil-based paint for a glossier finish, or a latex for easier application. After the first coat, lightly sand again with a 250-grit paper, and then apply your second coat.
Of course, replace the hardware to fit your decor. Even the plainest-Jane table can become a princess in the course of a day!
Pick up a copy of The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating with Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details at Borders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or Powell's.
