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Furniture Transfer Updates Ugly Nightstand

ByGail Wilson Published on Updated on
20 Comments

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Have you ever tried furniture transfers? I have had a Prima Redesign transfer for a few years, but I’ve always been too afraid to try it. It’s huge.

I got this old nightstand from my cousin Terry, and it was the perfect size for my Dark Floral Prima Transfer. My aunt’s dog had chewed it up, and it needed a lot of repairs.

See the bottom of this post for all the details on how I fixed it.

It’s Furniture Fixer Upper Day! Please visit my friends and tell them Gail sent you!

Repaired Nightstand Ready For Paint

Here’s the damaged nightstand after I repaired it. Now it’s ready for paint and the perfect furniture transfer.

How To Paint Furniture Drawers

How do I paint furniture drawers? The best way is on a work table. I removed all of the nightstand drawers and gathered my supplies.

Prep Drawer For Painting

I used HTP Surface Prep and a chip brush to ready the drawers for paint. It cleans and deglosses all in one easy step. Brush it on and wipe it off with a rag.

I did the rest of the nightstand the same way, using caution where I had patched the wood.

Painting Furniture With a Paint Roller

With paint on a styrofoam plate, my small sponge roller made this paint job quick and easy.

The roller was perfect for all of the nightstand. I used a small paintbrush to touch up tight spaces.

I hope the Iron Gate (black) will work with my furniture transfer.

It’s hard to believe it’s the same piece of furniture I got from Terry.

Placing a Rub-on Furniture Transfer

I think the Prima Dark Floral transfer is supposed to go the other way. But it looks good this way, so I’m going with that. I have done furniture transfers on a smaller scale. Check out my blue bar stools.

After taping the transfer in place with painter’s tape, I worked my way down the sheet, pulling the white paper down as I worked. I’m not sure if that’s how other people do it, but it was so large I didn’t want to mess it up.

Some tutorials refer to “rubbing” the transfer in beveled areas. However, this nightstand has grooves and lots of drawers.

On the left, you see my tools. The wooden stick is included with the furniture transfer. I also used a cheap exacto knife. These tools made this project relatively easy.

The middle image shows how I cut the plastic and the transfer simultaneously. This was done in all the drawers’ cracks and grooves.

Lastly, I used the wooden stick to rub the furniture transfer in place.

If this project is too intimidating, perhaps you would like to start with a simple picnic basket makeover.

None of the transfer was removed; it’s pressed in place down in the grooves.

I used all three sheets of the furniture transfer, which fit perfectly.

This is how the nightstand looks, with all of the drawers removed. If you’ve ever wanted to try this, don’t wait years like I did!

Old Nightstand Makeover With Furniture Transfer

I replaced the original hardware, leaving off the tiny fake keyholes.

Black Nightstand With Prima Dark Floral Furniture Transfer

In some photos, the nightstand appears blue and looks pretty with the furniture transfer. So, I think a navy blue would be an option for the dark floral transfer.

So, are you ready to see the projects from the very talented Furniture Fixer Upper team?

But before you go, you can find all the details of the original nightstand and how I repaired the damaged wood.

Beautiful Furniture Makeovers

Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.

20 Comments

    1. I know what you mean about distressed furniture. I light light distressing, but sometimes distressing is needed because a piece is in such bad shape.

      gail

  3. Hi Gail, your makeover is stunning! All of your hard work paid off in spades! You mentioned Iron Gate black paint; what company makes it? And did you seal it? If so, what did you use? It has a lovely finished sheen.

    Reply

    1. Sherri,

      Iron Gate is from Heirloom Traditions Paint. It is an easy paint to use, and the sheen is beautiful. Not flat, not glossy. I did wax the ReDesign transfer. I always allow my furniture pieces to cure in a temperature controlled environment for at least 2 weeks. Anything any sooner, may cause your items to “stick” to the paint if left for an extended period of time.
      Thank you very much for your comment, it made my day!

      gail

  10. I think this night stand is one of loveliest things you have repurposed. You definitely gave it new life. I would buy that in a minute. I do like the
    transfers. Please do an armoire with the transfer. I have seen some really
    expensive ones that were painted. This would be quicker and easier than paint. A headboard with a transfer would also be wonderful. Thanks for your great work. Love your posts. Leona

    Reply

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