Solid Oak furniture is expensive to buy brand new; however, upcycling an older piece, which may not fit your colour scheme, might be exactly what’s needed to refresh it! If you have old furniture pieces sitting around that need a little love, don’t rush to toss them out! We often find that older wood turns orange or amber with age. With a bit of creativity and the right tools, you can easily update and refresh your existing furniture to give it new life. That’s exactly what we did with these nightstands that had been at the cottage for over a decade. Here’s a step-by-step guide to transform old nightstands with a DIY furniture makeover. Sand, stain, and paint for a fresh, modern look using Fusion Mineral Paint. Easy & budget-friendly!

Tools and Materials Needed:

• TSP Alternative
• Orbital Sander
• 120 Grit Sandpaper
• Stain and Finishing Oil (SFO) in Taupe
• Chip Brush (for applying stain)
• Applicator Sponge (for removing excess stain)
• Algonquin
• Staalmeester Angled One Series Brush
• Staalmeester Roller
• New Gold Handles

Nightstand DIY Furniture Makeover

We started by thoroughly cleaning the nightstands using Fusion’s TSP Alternative. This is an essential step to ensure that any dirt, grime, or old finish won’t interfere with the sanding or painting process. This process takes only a few minutes.

Prep for Stain and Finishing Oil

Next, we sanded down the old varnish from the orange oak tops of the nightstands to reveal the raw wood underneath. Using 120 grit sandpaper with an orbital sander, we made sure to sand evenly and consistently. You want to sand in the direction of the grain for the best results. This step is crucial for prepping the wood to absorb the stain properly. In this video, Loree Pringle shows you step by step all the correct prep for using SFO over raw wood. 

We chose Fusion’s Stain and Finishing Oil (SFO) in the shade Taupe for the tops of these nightstands. Using an inexpensive chip brush, we applied a generous amount of stain to allow the wood to fully absorb the product. After letting it sit for about 15 minutes, we wiped off the excess stain with an applicator sponge, leaving a beautiful light finish. We were happy with the colour results, but you can add another coat of SFO after 8 hours if you want to deepen the shade. If you love the colour but want extra protection, add a coat of SFO in Natural. 

Furniture Transformation

For the bottom parts of the nightstands, we opted for a classic, neutral tone with Fusion’s Algonquin paint. Our favourite eight-year-old helper pitched in, learning how to apply paint in thin layers for a smooth, even finish. We used a roller for the larger areas and a Staalmeester angled brush for more detailed spots, applying two coats to achieve the desired coverage.

Bringing It All Together

To complete the furniture transformation, we added new gold handles. This small change made a big difference, pulling the whole look together and giving the nightstands a stylish, updated appearance. It really doesn’t take much to update your existing furniture! The budget for this makeover came in under $80! We used only a quarter of both the Algonquin paint and Taupe SFO, and just a few capfuls of TSP. That’s a huge saving compared to replacing them, and these have been saved from land fill. Win, win. 

DIY Furniture Makeover

We couldn’t be happier with how these upcycled nightstands turned out. The combination of the Taupe-stained tops and Algonquin-painted bodies, accented by the new gold handles, gave these old pieces a fresh, modern look that complements the cottage bedroom nicely.

This project is a great example of how you can upcycle furniture you already have, saving money and creating something unique in the process. Instead of discarding that old orange oak piece, consider transforming it into something on-trend, like a beachy, washed wood look that suits today’s styles. A little bit of Fusion Mineral Paint and stain can go a long way in updating your home’s decor, giving your furniture a fresh, modern appeal. So, before you decide to get rid of that old piece of furniture, think about giving it a makeover instead! You might be surprised at the stylish results you can achieve with painted furniture