Sewing Table Turned Planter

Repurposing an old sewing table is a super easy project that anyone can do. I see sewing tables all the time for sale at thrift stores and in the classifieds - usually selling for less than $40. Total time for me to complete the project was 4 hrs and a total cost of $35 (that included the table). You can use these tables as nightstands in your bedroom, or as an end table, I turned mine into a planter. Here's how I did it...

Like previously mentioned, finding sewing tables is pretty easy. People are not using them much anymore. I picked this one up for $25. After bringing it home I removed the flip-top lid along with it's hinges and the also hardware on the front. I left the front door attached - it was easy to paint around.

You do not have to fill the holes that the hinges left behind, but I wanted to see how my wood filler worked. It turned out awesome. After painting, you could not even see where the hinges were - if you do this, make sure to apply it in several layers so that you don't get cracking and separation.

Use your wood filler to fill any imperfections, then once dry sand it smooth. I also gave a very light sanding to the rest of the piece. You don't have to if you are using chalk paint but it's a habit of mine and I think it always gives a better finished piece.

I purchased the pot at Walmart for $5. It fits perfectly in the hole where the sewing machine usually sits.

I used acrylic craft paint from Walmart and mixed up my homemade chalk paint recipe. By using craft paint, you can come up with any color that matches your taste.

I painted this in several layers. Usually when you are distressing a piece, you paint the dark color first. But I did the exact opposite. Since it was already a darker color wood I decided to paint the base coat in a lighter tone (same paint color - only added more plaster of paris to lighten the color). Then the next layer I painted the darker aqua color in streaks. Don't worry, after a light sanding it turns out great.

See, nothing to worry about. Just lightly sand and everything blends nicely. After the paint was just right, I took a rougher sanding block (80 grit) and sanded some "distress" marks throughout the piece. I'm not one for tons of distressing, but you could go all out if you'd like.

Once you have your paint the way you like, it's time to move on to the stenciling.

There are many ways to apply a stencil to your work. On this project I used my Tracer Projector and projected the image on to the front door of the table - then just traced the outline. I next mixed up a little brown craft paint and filled in my outline with a thin paint brush (see next image).

I downloaded the image from The Graphics Fairy (it's free).

This is how the front of the piece looks up close. To protect the table/planter from water damage, I sprayed the entire piece with polycrylic - giving it several layers. When I water my plants, the water just beads up and doesn't ruin the paint or the wood.

Find your favorite flowers and plant them in the planter. I can't wait for these to grow and start overflowing the top. For this table I used two taller plants and then several smaller ones that will grown longer over the sides (the standard "hanging basket" type flowers).

Thanks for taking the time to read. I have a ton more pictures and go into a bit more detail on my website if you are curious.

Tandy@The Gift of Thrifting.

http://www.thegiftofthrifting.com/painted-sewing-table-turned-planter/