My Hamptons Inspired Upcycle

As we approach week three of the Covid-19 lock down or (stay in and only leave the house to shop for essentials) here in Perth, I started to think of things that I have been wanting to do around the house for some time. I am a person who always likes to keep busy, catch up with friends/family, go op shopping or be out and about most weekends; so I needed to find new projects to fill this sudden amount of spare time. 

For the last two years I have wanted to update some of my wooden furniture. The pieces are still in great condition, I just wanted to give them a new lease on life. My two favourite styles are Shabby Chic and The Hamptons style, which go with my collective beach, boho vibe.

My husband and I decided the Hamptons style was a good mix that was both of our styles together and we started on our 1^st project: the dining room table and chairs!

How to repaint your timber furniture

You will need:

Drop sheets

Sandpaper & block (or orbital sander for larger pieces of furniture)

Undercoat

White paint of your choice

Protective varnish - optional (we had a varnish and stain which there are a lot of choices from in Bunnings)

Paint brushes

Mini foam paint rollers

Paint tray

Rags for drips and wash-up

Soft brush for applying varnish (if using)

Method:

1. Sand entire piece by hand if it's a small section or with a sander for larger pieces  (a quick job is OK – you’re after a rough surface for the new paint to cling to.) For our Dining Table we sanded back the top of all the chairs and the top of the dining table.
   
   
   
   
2. Wipe over all surfaces to remove paint residue and offer a clean surface for fresh paint.
   
   
3. Prime first with undercoat, allow to dry (check can for timing).
   
   
4. Prep with tape on areas or around edges where you do not want the white paint to go on.
   
   
   
   
5. Paint all over with your white paint of choice.
   
   
6. Reapply until you’re satisfied with the coverage and allow to dry completely - best left overnight if possible (Day one we had done three coats on the Wooden Table and two on the chairs and then left overnight to dry)
   
   
7. Day two we did another two coats on the chairs as there was a lot of little areas that we had to cover and needed the extra coat.
   
   
8. Apply protective varnish (if using) and allow to dry completely – again overnight if possible. Pick the varnish and the stain colour that you are looking for (we did two covers on the varnish)
   
   
   
   
9. Finished! and now you get to enjoy your new Hamptons style dining table.

Overall I loved doing this DIY project with my husband and even though it did take two full days to complete, I was so happy with the final look we achieved. Now we're planning to update the coffee table and buffet set too - so that we have a complete 'Hamptons Style' dining room by the end of our lockdown!

The total cost from Bunnings was $180 which completed all three pieces of furniture. Give it a try and send us photos of your upcycle projects!

Love Tash

xxxx