The Easiest Way to Update Old Furniture Pieces

I recently began clearing out one of the spare rooms in my home, and I started by getting rid of this painted chest. It was really hard for me to part with this piece of furniture because I love the distressed detail on it. Originally this chest was used in our bedroom, but after maximizing our closet space we no longer needed bedroom furniture for storage. It sat in my spare room for months since I no longer had the use for it, so now it was time for it to move on. Luckily I remembered to quickly snap some pictures before it left for its new home! Now I get to share it with you!

Check out what the chest looked like before we picked up a paint brush. My husband and I often forget to take before pictures until we’ve already started projects, so that explains why there’s only one drawer on this piece! You can see it was dark and dreary, and I craved something more uplifting for my bedroom. I decided to mix up my own chalk paint and lighten it up with a cream color. Need the recipe for chalk paint? It is so simple! You mix 1 cup of flat latex paint with 1 tablespoon of unsanded grout. No sanding is required for this project! Just mix up your paint and start slathering it on! This is the easiest way to update old furniture pieces with paint.

I had seen pictures of dressers and chests with chevrons painted on them and adored them, so we decided to add some extra detail to the drawers. Since the drawers are narrow, we decided to paint one chevron on each drawer. We measured and taped it off with painters tape, then painted them on with some leftover paint that matched my bedroom wall. The color we used for the chevrons is Valspar’s Fioli Honey.

Next, I took my sandpaper and got to work distressing this piece. I roughed it up around the edges and here and there to create interest. Then my hubby coated it with a coat of polyurethane to seal the piece and it was ready for hardware. Just check out the detail on this piece!

Doesn’t it look awesome? Have you tried using chalk paint yet? It is so easy to make and use. I highly recommend chalk paint and have been happy with the results I’ve had using it. As a bonus, it saves you from sanding and priming before painting. Nice!

What do you think of my chalk painted chevron chest? Have you seen my other chalk painted chest? You can check it out here. But beware…you will want one of your own. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!