Today I’m sharing another easy project I completed for my recent living room makeover. Just wait until you see the amazing transformation of my $10 thrifted small chest!
When I ran across this lonely small chest at my local Salvation Army Thrift Store, I knew I had to have it. I loved the detail and hardware on this piece, and to top it off it even had dovetail drawers! I really thought this was a steal with a $10 price tag, so I snatched it up and home we went. This poor, lonely chest sat in my shed for month after month after month. I had so many other projects going on at the time which forced me to put this small chest makeover on the back burner for a while. I was so happy to pull it out this Spring and finally get to work on it. Now it’s found a home in my living room, and I’m really happy with the transformation of this simple little chest.
Let me be clear…the white paint was not on this chest when I originally bought it. This happened while it sat out in my shed for months while I completed various other projects. Apparently I was painting something white. Anyway, when I bought this piece I noticed there were a few imperfections in veneer. You can see some of the damage in the picture below. No worries! My hubby helped me fill in the spots with the miracle worker for veneer….Bondo. It helps fill in any chips or gaps to provide a smooth appearance before painting. 
I gave the piece a light coat of some spray primer I had on hand before I started painting. Although you don’t have to use primer when using chalk paint, I decided to do this since the chest had paint splotches and Bondo on it and I thought it would be easier to have a more uniform coverage while painting. I then painted the chest white with some FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint I keep on hand. Haven’t I told you that I love this stuff? 
Two coats later I had a beautiful, white chest. I gave the hardware a light coat of gold spray paint, reattached it to the chest, and then I was done. Or should I say I was in love? I am sooo loving the new look of this thrifted small chest!!!
My new chest fits perfectly in the space beside my front door, and I think it’s a great place to display another thrift store find. I found the mirror at Habitat for Humanity last year and painted it to match the chest. Don’t they blend together nicely? It’s easy to make two pieces match with a coat of paint! 
I really love that I have extra storage in my living room now. I must admit, this thrifted small chest now belongs to my little fur babies, because I use it to store their things. I love that it keeps things hidden, but close to hand for when I need them.
I’m so pleased with the updated look of my thrifted small chest. Not only is it beautiful now, but since I had the Bondo, primer and paint on hand already, the whole project only cost me $10. Isn’t that amazing? Never underestimate the change a coat of paint can make on a piece, so keep those eyes open the next time you head to the thrift store. You never know what you may find!
Have you seen my other simple living room makeover projects?
This turned out amazing. I love the white. I like the idea of spraying the primer onto the piece before using chalk paint. I usually have to use 3 coats of the chalk paint and maybe with a primer two would do the trick. Thanks for the tip!
Yes, the primer did help with the coverage of the white chalk paint. I’m so glad you liked this tip!
This is such a beautiful find! I love the style of it!! Great makeover!