Bookworm Cottage Style

I am currently scheming a DIY furniture painting project for 2025, which brought to mind a previous DIY furniture painting project that I have yet to share.

Years ago, I purchased an unfinished wooden plant stand to serve as a narrow nightstand in one of my first post-grad apartments. One day when I was feeling particularly crafty, I was inspired to give my nightstand a makeover in the style of these handcrafted salad servers.

To start, I distressed the top of table by banging a hammer and screw around on it a little. Then I stained the entire nightstand (no idea what color — it was so long ago). After the stain dried for a couple of days, I taped off the legs and painted the bottom section white, then used a Q-tip dipped in black paint to add polka dots. I finished with a clear varnish over the whole table.

At the time I felt a little silly, because after everything I spent on paint and supplies, I realized I could have probably found something cheaper at Target or Ikea or Homegoods. And yet today, nearly a decade later, this little table is living in our office/guest room and continues to spark joy when I look at it. Hopefully I’ll have one more furniture makeover to share with you this spring!