such a shame. However, the paint job had it been applied on a different piece would have been nicely done.

Grace’s description above is spot on. This is the first furniture makeover I tried, and I assure you that if I can do it, so can you! (Especially if you follow the above pointers).

I used satinwood paint, rather than gloss, which is much easier to manipulate, and still gives a rich shiny finish. (You will need several coats to create a durable finish though – the top surface has about 8 coats, the rest has 5).

Jenny, thanks for pointing out that the drawer pull is upside down – i hadn’t noticed. Oops :)

Thank you all again!

i’d be happy to walk you through the steps via email, it’s not too tough.

it involves:

-sanding
-painting
-installing new hardware
-staple gunning new fabric on

first, pre-project, remove the seat from the chair and remove the hardware.

the first step to a project like this is to sand, sand sand. you have to remove the glossy finish of the previous stain or treatment very well.

after thorough sanding and wiping down of the table the piece is ready to paint.

for painting, it’s best to use many (ie: 3-4) thin coats of paint versus one or two thick/gloppy ones. this is ALWAYS the problem people have when refinishing furniture like this. so pick up your favorite color paint, a nice brush and go over the piece several times with a thin layer of paint. be sure to allow plenty (ie: several hours) of time between coats to assure no bunching of paint, sticks, or ripples.

when the final coat of paint has dried, finish with a coat or two of sealant. i prefer a poly finish, but you can use a clear varnish or something similar to a lacquer if you can find it. real lacquering should be done by the pros but you can get a similar effect with clear poly from the hardware store.

once that is dry you can install whatever hardware you like- a knew hook, knob or a hanging hook like elizabeth has.

then you need to tackle the seat, which is an easy-peasy staple job.

get a decent staple gun at a craft or hardware store and use it to secure the new fabric over the old fabric. if you prefer to remove the old fabric first you can do that, if it makes for an uneven surface.

simply flip the cushion upside down and slide your fabric under and pull it taut onto the back. staple gun it into place and cut excess off the bottom.

a nice finishing step is to cut a square of fabric about 2 inches shorter all around than the shape of the seat bottom and then staple that over what you just did on the bottom. that way when you flip it over and install, you won’t see little threads or loose ends hanging.

flip the cushion right side up, place back in the piece and voila- new telephone table!

grace