Update: Check out my complete distressed coffee table tutorial here.

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve been a very, very bad blogger of late (tist, tist to me).

And whilst I wouldn’t be surprised if due to my month long hiatus there’s no-one still around here to actually be reading this right now, just in case there is, I’d like to beg forgiveness (pretty please?).

Thing is, I’ve now got just a few weeks of ‘real’ full-time work left before I begin TWELVE WHOLE WEEKS of leave prior to the baby bundle coming along and boy is my decorating ‘to-do’ list chockers!

Soooo, this means once the un-fun stuff finally starts to slow down I promise to make it all up to you. And for those who thought I’d dropped clear off the face of the earth I just wanna clarify that my intention is to keep blogging as long as I have something interesting enough to share.*

(*Disclaimer: Level of interest may be subject to reader’s enthusiasm for interior decoration :-)


Anyways, to begin my attempt at redemption I thought I’d share a coffee table makeover.



You may remember how I wrote about our new living room sofas and some associated impending updates. Well, I was originally looking for something a bit out-of-the-box and industrial in style for the coffee table though when I spotted this gem on eBay for just $25 I couldn’t say no.



Given the unorthodox shape of our living room I’d always liked the idea of something round and when I put this table in place (aside from everything being all too ‘brown’) it was just right.

A mini makeover to create some character and break-up the ‘blahness’ was all it needed so I painted the base white before heavily distressing it (by hand using a sanding block) then glazing and sealing it in one step (using a mixture of acrylic sealer and burnt umber craft paint).


The top was sanded back to raw (using an orbital sander), scuffed up just a little bit with a prick punch, hammer and heavy steel chain then stained walnut before being sealed with one coat of danish oil. Over time the danish oil will mellow and leave a lovely natural soft lustre.