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Hearts and Sharts

A Little Cute, A Little Unexpected

Rustic-Industrial Coffee Table Makeover

June 2, 2015 by Hearts&Sharts 17 Comments

About a month ago I shared a lil’ peek at my living room makeover (check out the updated room here), which is currently moving slow as molasses. At the time, we were using a trunk as a coffee table, which functioned just fine, but wasn’t totally my vision for the room. I had been hitting thrift stores, flea markets and making the usual rounds, keeping an eye out for a rustic-industrial coffee table with some mid-century flavor. Almost two months, no dice. One night I went to visit my  friend Lisa. As I was leaving, she said “Hey, do you want this crappy table?” I hesitated because of the ridiculous amount of junk around here waiting to be loved on (I might have picked up an entire drum set off of the side of the road yesterday. It’s problem. Or is it a future lamp and side table?!).

The table was super sturdy and perfect for some sort of upholstered ottoman situation, so I loaded it – ahem, I watched her husband load it – into the car and drove home thinking of my plans to put it in the booth at Woodstock Market.

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

It had a nasty shart stain in the middle of the table, which I think was actually hair dye, but that didn’t matter because I was going to upholster and sell it. So, there it sat, in the garage. Meanwhile, I’m running around town like a moron looking for a coffee table. I don’t know how your brain works, but mine is off a lot of the time and then it punches me in the back of the face with an awesome idea. I was sitting on the couch, looking at my coffee table trunk when I got the brain-punch. I jumped offa the couch, walked through the kitchen, flung open the garage door and glared at this crappy table like I was going to fight it. And I did.

I started with the shart stain. If this stain wouldn’t come out, then I was thinking it was back to plan A.

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

I grabbed some 220 grit and sanded it down a bit and it came off easily. So I removed the legs and put the table top on my sawhorse (another free-fiddy roadside find) and covered it in stripper.

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

After I got down to almost bare wood, I sanded with 150 grit to remove some of the stubborn stuff and then went back over it with 220 grit. There were a few places where I went a little hard and realized that there was particle board under the wood, which was a little surprising since this thing was so insanely heavy. After it was prepped, the fight was really on. I put a bunch of random hardware in a sock and beat the table to give it some inconsistent dents and dings, hit it with a hammer, a chain, and other random stuff within reach. I went over it again with 220 grit and then used General Finishes Gel Stain in Antique Walnut (the same stain I used on these chairs and this stool), followed by Arm-R-Seal. I quickly did the same to the legs but skipped the top coat because I knew I wanted some different hardware for the legs.

I searched all over the internet and Etsy and found exactly what I was looking for at a price that didn’t kill me. Naked Metal Studio. I wanted some 16″ hairpin legs in unfinished rebar. Naked Metal Studio had them in a set of four for seventy bucks. Done and done.

I measured about an inch an half inch from the edges to place the legs, and boom. The coffee table of my dreams.

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

The legs are so delicious that I almost can’t handle it.

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

We went with the unfinished version because it was slightly cheaper and because we don’t have any short creatures around here that lick furniture. Howard has a little more discerning taste. If needed in the future, adding a matte clear coat to these would be no problem thanks to the sweet nectar that is Rustoleum.

I put some extra throw pillows in my old dough bowl and slid it under the table. Bonus: I hide old magazines under the pillows to keep the table neat.

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

My grandmother’s giant conch shell found a home on the table with some vintage books…

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

…along with my great-grandmothers Avon tin turned marble holder, turned soy candle.

A photo posted by Dena (Holley) Stormer (@heartsandsharts) on May 12, 2015 at 4:36am PDT

The other side of the table is now home to my Ogre Ear terrarium, a seashell fossil I found walking a creek on family land in Texas and … some super heavy vintage bathtub knobs I found at an estate sale in Atlanta. Weird, yes, but pretty.

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

And here’s the result of the beating on the table. You can see the dark spots are where I went a little too deep and exposed some particle board, but once the stain got in there, you can’t even tell.

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

My favorite part of the distressing was using a saw blade. I just took my saw (with the power disconnected), lifted the safety guard and ran the teeth across the table.

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

I couldn’t be happier with the result on this project and the legs from Derek at Naked Metal Studio just make it perfect.

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

One more look at the before and after:

Rustic Industrial Coffee Table Makeover || Hearts & Sharts

If you’re in the market for some hairpin legs, I highly suggest you check out Naked Metal Studio.  I was in no way compensated for this post, I just love the product and shopping small is so important. America!

Naked Metal Studio on Etsy

Naked Metal Studio on Instagram

Also, shout out to my friend Lisa! Thanks for coloring your hair at your coffee table!

DIY Garage Paint Booth
Vintage Hanging Frame

Comments

  1. Cindy says

    June 12, 2015 at 1:09 am

    I. Love. This. Great job. And funny, as usual. 🙂

    Reply
    • Hearts & Sharts says

      June 12, 2015 at 12:57 pm

      Thank you, Cindy!

      Reply
  2. Mel Heth Maris says

    June 4, 2015 at 4:42 pm

    The coffee table looks awesome and I’m so glad you posted about Naked Metal because I’m going to be in the market for some hairpin legs soon! I favorited them on Etsy. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hearts & Sharts says

      June 7, 2015 at 7:11 am

      Yay! Thank you!!

      Reply
  3. Kimm at Reinvented says

    June 2, 2015 at 8:28 pm

    Oh my gosh, I LOVE how that table turned out! The legs are to. die. for.

    Reply
    • Hearts & Sharts says

      June 7, 2015 at 7:11 am

      Thank you so much, Kimm!

      Reply
  4. Mary says

    June 2, 2015 at 3:12 pm

    The coffee table is amazing, awesome, and an A-1 makeover!! I love it and am a tiny bit jealous! It looks great in your living room, too.

    Reply
    • Hearts & Sharts says

      June 2, 2015 at 5:15 pm

      Thank you so much, Mary!!

      Reply
  5. Elaine - Visual Meringue says

    June 2, 2015 at 2:49 pm

    WOW! It is amazing! Good on you! And thank you for the awesome tutorial of how you came to this idea. I am going to ‘pin’ this as I could see doing something like this too down the road. LOVE it! 🙂

    Reply
    • Hearts & Sharts says

      June 2, 2015 at 5:16 pm

      Thank you, Elaine! Pins are much appreciated!!!

      Reply
  6. Erika says

    June 2, 2015 at 2:35 pm

    AHHHH!!! LOVE how it turned out! Oh and the Pink magnolia candle from Target is my absolute FAVORITE. I think I have 5 of them in various locations in my house and even one at the office!

    Reply
    • Hearts & Sharts says

      June 2, 2015 at 5:18 pm

      Right?!? That’s the only candle I’ve found that I love as much as Trapp’s! I bought all three scents that Target had and the Pink Magnolia is definitely the best. So good. Thank you so much, Erika!

      Reply
  7. Christine says

    June 2, 2015 at 2:27 pm

    You are so freaking talented! I love it!!!

    Reply
    • Hearts & Sharts says

      June 2, 2015 at 5:19 pm

      Awww, thank you, Christine! Hope to run into ya at the shop soon!

      Reply
  8. chris aka monkey says

    June 2, 2015 at 2:24 pm

    freaking hell you lucked out with this, you took a piece of crap and turned it into an awesome table, i want this ha ha how far is it from tn to dallas so i can steal it xx

    Reply
    • Hearts & Sharts says

      June 2, 2015 at 5:21 pm

      Hhahaha! Thank you, Chris! We actually live in Atlanta now, so the drive wouldn’t be that bad… Except, don’t steal my table. 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Upholstery Free Chair Makeover | Hearts & Sharts says:
    September 6, 2016 at 3:55 pm

    […] the Codarus showroom (it makes me drool like a baby), the mid-century rustic coffee table is right here and my mcm-inspired army footstool is hiding back there and playing pillow holder. That […]

    Reply

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