She’s not pretty, but she’s got potential. Check out this sweet end table that was found at our local dump!

Just peep the neat detail in the hardware! I’ve been holding onto this piece in hopes it would speak to me, and I can’t wait to show you what I decided to do with it. Let’s get started, shall we?

So first, I gave it a good vacuum to remove any loose debri. Then, I brought her outside in the natural light so I could get a better idea of what I was up against. Using a teaspoon of powdered Tide in hot water and a linen cloth, I scrubbed any dingy areas and paid special attention the little grooves and details.

I challenged myself to do this without spending more than $10, so I raided our stock of craft and home supplies. Since I’m working on this piece to go in my living room, I remembered that I had left over sage green spray paint from lamps I painted a while back. I decided to use what was left of this as my base coat to cover the yellow and random marks. Then, I found some unopened chalk paint in a similar color, moss green. I rolled 2 coats of this on before coming back and touching up with a brush.

Lastly, I had a partial can of black matte spray paint that I used on the pulls, and man am I glad I did this! The reveal is SO much better than I imagined, and best of all, remember that $10 or less challenge I gave myself? Ya’ll. Sometimes, it pays to be a hoarder, because I completed this project without spending a dime!

We were in need of an extra end table / surface for our living room for when we are sitting on the couch and need a place to sit a drink or plate. Initially, I snagged this piece to try to flip and sell, but found quick use for it at home instead. So far, we’re enjoying the look and having an extra surface. Most of all, I am enjoying the satisfaction of completing it for FREE! Are there any projects you can complete using items you already have?