Updating box store furniture for a modern sleek look

I’ve been working on some super secret projects the last few months that I hope to reveal soon, but in the meantime I am still chipping away at unfinished blogs. This set of end tables was probably one of my favorite makeovers of 2019 for two reasons. One, they are your average box store furniture pieces. They are pieces you see on the curb awaiting a kind stranger to pick them up and take them home. Or two, perhaps you’ve run across hundreds of sets of these in thrift stores or yard sales. As a refinisher, pieces like this have endless potential! Which is why I knew I wanted to go sleek and modern, yet timeless and classic.

*This post contains affiliate links. All supplies are linked at the bottom of the post.

Nothing makes a statement like black. It’s also a neutral in my design palette (whatever that’s worth). Black will always be one of those colors that draws your eye to it, but also seamlessly blends in all design styles. When I saw this set of tables on Offerup for FREE, I snatched them up ask quickly as possible and I knew I wanted to do black. I knew that a couple coats of Country Chic Paint in “Liquorice” would do the trick. Originally, they were a cherry color, but a little sanding and cleaning brought out the pretty oak grain on top.

Oak veneer tops with General Finishes HPTC

I wanted to leave the tops the natural sanded wood just for an earthy contrast. Even though these were oak veneer tops, they still sanded nicely. I was careful not to over sand the edges where the veneer meets the banding so that I wouldn’t sand through it. I just used General Finishes HPTC in Satin to clear coat the tops.

With all oak wood pieces (and even some veneer) the grain will drink up your paint. It can reveal the wood grain pattern underneath your finish, but I love that about refinishing furniture. I don’t always want to hide the wood grain and the graining on this just ties in with the woody top. These took about 3 coats of CCP and 3 coats of topcoat (that’s usually my minimum).

I replaced the wood knobs with these bronze knobs that I think add a subtle metallic accent. These pieces are so versatile, I think even cup pulls or knobs with a pop of color would have worked well but I wanted to keep these modern.

A classic black and white ticking stripe paper helps to hide the sticker and pen marks in the drawers. Plus who doesn’t love a nice little surprise when opening the drawers?

I hope you enjoyed the makeover of these nightstands, and I hope you see the potential if you come across a pair like this. A little paint can go a long way when it comes to updating furniture, so let your creativity flow and find a unique way to bring some life into those big box store pieces!

Here’s a list of supplies I used for this makeover: