My first instalment of
'Shabby to Chic' which featured a few pieces of upcycled furniture had a positive response with lots of you saying you'd love to see more, so I'm happy to show my latest transformation - an old telephone table. I'm drawn to anything vintage, so when I spotted this on eBay, I knew it would be the perfect hallway piece. After a tense few moments of last minute bidding, I became the proud owner of this telephone table for just £30.
It was looking a bit worse for wear with worn green velvet fabric and a disintegrating seat, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! Although I love upcycling second hand furniture, the one downside is the amount of prep. Washing with sugar soap and/or sanding the wood and then having to prime with an undercoat can take the enjoyment out of the transformation, so I was intrigued when I first heard about the delights of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. No prep required! With this paint, you can simply slap it on without all the fuss.
After Matt had stripped the studs and old fabric, I gave it two coats of Annie Sloan Old White - a cool, soft white without any yellow or pink undertones - before handing it over to the capable hands of my mum for the rest of its transformation. I thought a neutral palette was best so it could adapt to whatever colour scheme our future hallways may have, so we picked out a cream baroque fabric for an opulent finish and adorned the edges with trim. The seat foam was replaced and for the final touch I used a thin layer of Annie Sloan Clear Wax to protect the paint and give a slight sheen finish to the wood.
A vintage telephone table wouldn't be complete without a retro style phone, so I treated myself to a Mybelle Chic Deluxe Telephone and the makeover was complete. I love how much brighter and more elegant the telephone table now looks, it still amazes me what a coat of paint and some new fabric can do!
Let me know if you like these posts as I have a few other upcycling projects coming up and some past ones to show you!
Take a peek at my other upcycling projects…
