Have you ever been handed down something that you weren’t sure how to display in your home? Or maybe you love it, but it just doesn’t match the decor and/or style you have going on currently. Well, I am here to give you a few tips and tricks on this. I will show you how to repurpose an old family heirloom and how to give it new life again.
Plus, I will show you just how you can make it work for you and your home. Keep on reading to see how I transformed a special piece that was handed down to me!
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My Old Family Heirloom
I was gifted this beautiful end table made by my great, great uncle at my bridal shower several years ago. He used to be a wonderful furniture maker for Ethan Allen.
There are many of his pieces that have been handed down to family members after his passing years ago. I was so honored and touched to receive such a special gift!
I knew that his hard work and love went into making this special piece of furniture. Because of that, I obviously wanted to display it in my home.
The only problem was that the color of the wood from this piece clashed my decor style greatly. And my OCD self just could not handle that.
So I began to brainstorm ideas on how I could transform this family heirloom and make it into something that was more my style.
My magic answer was of course to chalk paint it! Y’all already know I love a good painting project. If you remember I shared all about How to Paint and Distress a Mirror Frame a few weeks back.
And I always love a good challenge on how to give an old item new life again! So this was right up my alley.
This was also my very first painting project (I actually completed this last spring) and I was SO NERVOUS that I was going to mess this beautiful piece of furniture up.
I felt like I had the pressure of family members breathing down my neck (even though I really didn’t).
My worry was if I messed this piece up, then I basically destroyed a piece of our family’s history. I mean, that’s a big burden to carry on your shoulders right?!
But, I am so happy that I worked through the pressure and went for it! It has become one of my favorite pieces to display!
And if I left it in its original shape, I don’t think I would love it as much. If you are scared about transforming an old family heirloom, I am here to tell you- don’t be!
If you feel like giving an old piece new life, then definitely do it! The process of transforming this piece was super easy and simple and the outcome was worth it in my opinion.
How I Transformed This Old Heirloom Piece
The first thing I did was to wipe the end table down real good with a damp cloth. Then I dried it off well to get it prepared for the chalk paint.
Once it was cleaned and dried, I applied the chalk paint. I used Magnolia Home Chalk Style Paint in Garden Trowel for this project.
I got it back when you could just pick it up at Target, but unfortunately I don’t think they carry the paint in stores anymore. Or at least my local one doesn’t because I haven’t seen it in forever.
But thankfully you can still order it online! I used a total two coats of chalk paint, and I let it dry completely in between coats.
It did not take me long at all to paint it. I was very pleased with this chalk paint since it was my first time using it as well.
After the paint had completely dried, I added a clear chalk paint wax on top. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Wax in Clear and I love how it turned out.
The paint itself has a rough-like texture and after putting this wax on, made it more smooth to the touch. To apply, all you do is take a damp rag and get a little wax on it.
Then I applied the wax all over the piece of furniture in the same direction as my brush strokes. A little goes a long way- you don’t need too much of the wax.
I still have plenty left over for another project! You could also apply this using a wax brush. However, I do not have one of those currently and a rag worked just fine for me!
I let the wax cure (2-3 hours) and at this point you can buff it out if you need too. Just take a clean rag and wipe any excess wax off. Be sure to go in the same direction as your brush strokes again.
If you are waxing a table or dresser that will get a lot of surface use, then you may want to apply 2-3 coats of wax to protect the piece. I only did one coat of wax on mine because I only plan to put a plant on it.
I wanted to give my special family heirloom piece more of a distressed look because I wanted some of that old wood to show through.
To do this, I just took a piece of sandpaper and gently rubbed the sides of the piece where I wanted the old wood to pop through.
I didn’t do it too much, but you could do as much or as little here as you wanted. Or you could just skip this step entirely if you didn’t want to distress it at all.
Conclusion
All in all, I am very happy with how this piece turned out. It was a quick and easy way to transform an old family heirloom piece into something that was more my style and fit my home esthetic better.
Sometimes I like to leave family heirloom pieces alone and display them in all their vintage glory. But for this particular piece, I wanted to change it up.
With just a few coats of paint, I was able to achieve my goal and still keep true to this special piece. I currently display it in our home next to our wood shiplap wall.
This snake plant below is proudly displayed on the table too. I love the pop of color it brings from the wood wall.
If I kept it the same way, it would not have looked as good against this wall in my opinion.
Well I hope you guys enjoyed this little tip I shared on how to transform an old family heirloom piece! It’s amazing what a little paint can do to an old piece of furniture.
Do you guys have any other ideas of how to repurpose a family heirloom? I would love to hear them! Or do you like to keep everything the same and not change it?
Either way, I always think it is so special to display family heirlooms in our homes. I think it tells a beautiful story of our past and where we came from.
It also is a great way to remember those that have passed on before us. Thanks for stopping by my friends and I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Learn more about how to turn your builder grade home into something more here too!
Wow, what a cool DIY! I love a good furniture upgrade. There’s nothing like taking an old piece and updating it for modern decor. I absolutely love what you did with it (and the color!). My husband and I will hopefully be moving to a bigger place soon, and will need lots of new furniture. I have a feeling I’ll be referring to this post again when I have to paint some of our furniture to match our new decor. Thanks!
No problem! Yes, I absolutely love painting and refreshing old pieces of furniture too. There’s nothing like it and I wish I had more time to do more of it too! It’s a great way to keep old pieces and have them match your current decor too!
I have and I tossed it…. I just couldn’t find a use for it in its current state but I never thought about repurposing it. Regrets…..
Awe I bet so. I never really would have thought of this either years ago. Pinterest and Instagram have really inspired me to started repurposing old heirlooms and antiques. I have a new love for old chippy items for sure now!
Whoa that’s a great upgrade! I didn’t know about wax paint before
Yes! Chalk Paint is amazing and can really transform anything!
What a most wonderful idea!
I love how you created the distressed look as well
as that adds so much to the final look and that it has been created by your great-great
uncle is simple such a priceless thing!
I hope it gives decades and decades of joy 🙂
https://www.ecoislogical.com/
/Nathalie
Thank you so much Nathalie! I think it is priceless as well and I think it will be so great to hand it down from generation to generation!
I understand the pressure of the family’s approval, but I’m glad you were brave enough to take the plunge. One of my friends posted a similar situation (with a larger piece) on FB and asked if she should paint it or not. I voted “yes”, but the majority voted “no” so she didn’t do it. 😢My thought is that you can always strip the paint off in the future if you want to take it back to the original. I think your family should want you to ENJOY the piece while you have it. Great job!
Exactly my thoughts too! It’s definitely more important to actually enjoy the piece of furniture you have! And yes, you can always strip it back down and take it back so really it’s not a big deal at all to try it out and see how it turns out!
The furniture itself is so pretty, love the shapes and edges. And the modern update you gave with a fresh coat of paint is so beautiful! Thanks for the post. Maybe one day I will be brave enough to paint one of my furnitures!
Thank you! You should definitely just go for it! It is so much fun to paint furniture. I wish I could do it more often!
I am all about repurposing furniture until it can’t be used anymore. Oooh! I love that there is a significant meaning behind the end table. I love that you still made it work with your furniture style at home! I like the idea of having some of the wood accents still showing underneath. Thanks for sharing the results of the DIY project!
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
Thank you so much Nancy! I am very happy with the way it turned out too!
Ah! I would be so nervous to do that but it turned out so great!!
I love how well it fits in with the bar and stools!!
Thank you Sarah! I was very nervous at first, but I am so happy with the way it all turned out!
Oooh this is amazing! I love it!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
Thank you so much Amie. I appreciate it!
I love how this turned out. Styles change over time, along with having varied personal home styles, and that can make it hard to blend in a family heirloom. I really like how you kept the integrity of the item yet made it your own in a new generation way!
Thank you so much Laura. I appreciate that sweet compliment!
This looks incredible! The original piece looks so well crafted and beautiful so I can fully understand why you wanted to make it work in your home. The finished article looks lovely with your existing deco, you did an amazing job. I love seeing you transform pieces like this x
Sophie
Awe thank you so much Sophie. You are too sweet! Yes, I am very happy with the finished product too!
Dannng!!! Got me brainstorming on how to modernize some of my hand me down treasures
Yes girl! You need to! Just ask the master over here if you need any help! Lol
I absolutely love this! Great idea of distressing it to make it somehow like old furniture still! 🙂 Perfect color choice too!
– Hazel | Hazy Wanders
Thank you so much Hazel! Yes, I definitely still wanted to make it look a little old too so I am happy with how it turned out after distressing it!
This looks like such a fun project! There’s so many little bits I’ve inherited, don’t want to part with but don’t feel it fits anywhere in my home – maybe it’s time I give them a revamp like this!
Sarah x
Yes you definitely should! I love bringing new life to old things too!
This is gorgeous and it’s great that rather than getting rid of it you’ve wanted to hold on to it so just made it a bit more you in terms of your house decor!
Holly x
http://www.adailydoseofholly.com
Thank you so much Holly. Yes, I love it more now that it matches in with my other decor a little better now too!
This makes me regret all the items I’ve thrown away over the years that I could have repurposed.
Great post. I’ll be sure to remember this next time!
Yes! Definitely do. I always love trying to bring an old item back to life and figuring out a way I can display it in my home!
Wow! The final result looks fantastic – I love it! How wonderful to have an heirloom like that in your home.
Thank you so much Claire! I am very lucky to have this special piece for sure!
This is such a fab idea! So creative and a LOT better than just getting rid of it and wasting more money on new stuff x
Exactly! I am all about repurposing things for sure!
How wonderful to receive one of his work as a gift. I’m sure he was a great maker and you did very well with getting new look with your DIY skills.
Thank you so much! Yes, I am so lucky to have this special piece for sure!
Oh my gosh I absolutely love the colour that you painted the stand. It looks absolutely gorgeous and I love how you’ve repurposed and used it x
Thank you so much Kayleigh! I am so happy with how it turned out too!
I love this! I’ve received a few family heirlooms from family members and I love having them! It’s such a great way to honor and incorporate family and traditional, family pieces in your home. I love the way you repurposed yours!
Awe thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
Hi, very good article thanks for sharing.
You are excellent blogger
Thank you so much. I appreciate that
I love this stuff. DIY furniture is so cute. It’s great to repurpose old items, give them a new life. | lanalikes.com
Yes I do too! It’s a huge passion of mine to give old things new life!
This was beautiful before and after. The after definitely fits your style better. I didn’t know about the waxing trick. I have only painted cabinets but I’ll keep this in mind if we paint any tables or dressers.
Yes, you should try out the wax if you do another project for sure! And thank you so much, I definitely think the after looks much better too!
You never know how painting can change the entire look of an object! Very cool DIY!
Thank you so much! Yes, painting really can do wonders for sure!
Looks great!! I love upcycling things. This year I’m going to upcycle a rocking chair that was bought for my mother when she married my dad 🙂
Oh that will be so special! I just got a rocking chair too that has been in my husband’s side of the family for decades and I am trying to decide if I should upcycle it or leave it as is.
I love the color that you chose. The table looks good in that beautiful color! I love that all you had to do was add some paint to update the look to suit your current home decor style. I honestly wish I was given awesome sturdy furniture pieces, so I could revive or re-purpose each piece to add to my home. Overall, great look!
Thank you so much Monique. You would not believe the quality of the older pieces that my great great uncle built! I wish I could get them all lol they just don’t make furniture like they use to as far as the quality goes for sure! And yes, adding a little paint helped transform it so much!
Not quite a heirloom, but I’ve got a solid wood coffee table, passed to me from my grandparents. It’s looking a bit rough and I’d like to do something with it. Thanks for providing some inspiration.
Oh yes! That would be so much fun to paint! You should definitely try it out!
I wish I’d seen this post earlier, we’ve just taken a load of bits and pieces to charity because they didn’t fit in our house and decor! But these are really great tips, I’m bookmarking this post for the next time we acquire something that doesn’t quite fit our style so I can adapt it. Great post, thank you for sharing 🙂 Lisa
Awe thank you so much Lisa! I hope you can utilize these ideas for something in the future too!
Now it looks really stylish and trendy: D
Thank you so much Monika. I appreciate that!
This is brilliant! I’m moving to a new home soon and I can certainly use these tips
Oh perfect! Yes, you will definitely have to utilize this for sure!