3 Step Furniture Makeover – Flea Market Flip

This 3-Step Furniture Makeover – Flea Market Flip was a quick & easy way to transform this cute chest into the perfect piece for our main bedroom. Using only Chalk Paint & Wax, this tired chest has an updated finish and great farmhouse style.

Y’all, I finally got my Christmas Present in January! LOL!!! I had wanted a new piece for our bedroom but couldn’t find what I wanted. A few weeks ago, I found a Small Chest that was the right size at a Flea Market. It just needed an update, and it would be perfect!

The Flea Market Hunt

This space beside our bed has been filled with this cute little table since we moved here. It was a leftover piece from our previous home, and although I love the table, it isn’t working for me any longer.

The table needs to be bigger for the space and provide more storage. So, I’ve been looking for the perfect piece to fill this spot.

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The Flea Market Find

A few weeks ago, I was traveling back from Virginia and couldn’t resist stopping at a flea market I had spied on the way up.

As luck would have it, I found a great solid wood chest at a great price. In addition, my husband was traveling back later that afternoon in a truck we had just purchased, so I knew it was meant to be.

After a quick phone call, he picked up my new treasure and brought it home.

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3 Step Furniture Makeover

Although the chest was in great shape overall, some scuffs and nicks needed to be repaired. Also, when I placed it in the room, it felt dark beside the natural pine bed.

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Step 1 – Flea Market Flip

The first step was to clean the piece thoroughly. Although it was in good condition, I gave it a good cleaning with Pledge furniture cleaner to be sure there were no sticky areas.

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Step 2 – Paint

The second step of the furniture makeover was to paint the chest’s exterior. This was an easy process because I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. It’s so fast and straightforward to use.

I just removed the drawers and painted two coats of Old White Chalk Paint.

It took less than 30 minutes to finish the painting. I love using chalk paint for most projects, and you can learn how to use Chalk Paint here.

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Wax Finish- Step 3

At this point, I decided to leave the drawers their natural finish. In addition, the hardware looked good, so I decided to leave it.

Therefore, everything just needed a little sprucing up. I initially thought about staining the drawer fronts to remove the scuffs and dings.

Instead, I pulled out my Annie Sloan Dark Wax, which worked like a charm to remove any sign of the scuffs. Plus, it brought the rich beauty of the wood back to life. So easy.

Also, the dark wax brought the dull hardware back to life.

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Seal the Paint

To finish and seal the painted surfaces, I used a combination of clear and dark wax.

In addition, I added mineral spirits to the wax. This helps to distress the finish while waxing. All of these techniques are detailed in How to use Chalk Paint!

Using the mineral spirit mixture, you can see how some painted areas are distressed.

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The 3 Step Furniture Makeover – Finished Chest

I love a wood and white combination, and I’m thrilled with how this inexpensive chest looks beside the bed. This has inspired me to refinish the chest on the other side of the bed. Please stay tuned for another makeover.

See that lamp? It was a $7.00 thrift store find. It’s now had a makeover and looks like a Pottery Barn or Anthropologie Hack. You see this easy lamp transformation tutorial.

You may also notice that I slightly adjusted with just a dab more paint. The bed frame’s natural wood is almost a perfect match for the drawer fronts.

I hope you enjoyed this simple project and that it encourages you to look for used pieces when redecorating your spaces. It’s a great way to recycle, and it feels great when you create something yourself.

If you’d like to see how to makeover a slightly more damaged vintage piece, check out Simple Chalk Paint Makeover for Vintage Furniture. Another great idea is How To Make A Jewelry Cabinet from an old TV Cabinet.

You may also like to learn more about how to Shop Thrift Stores successfully.

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