Let me introduce you to Betty, my sad little end table.  I found her seven years ago at D.I. right after we moved to Utah. She was only $10 and in near mint condition. And being a Broyhill, she was the only piece of real furniture that we owned.

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Since that time though, she has been loved and beat to death by my Dirty Half Dozen. They have decoratively carved her … driven metal trains on her … raced match box cars across her … jumped, climbed and leaped off her … painted, spilled and colored on her. In short, they have sucked every ounce of beauty and grace from her life (just like they did their mother-ha!)

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So for the past few years she’s been relegated to the living room corner as an impromptu TV stand.  Luckily the screen is big enough to hide the top and cover most of the brutal wear and tear.  But still, Ugly Betty constantly reminded me how sad my house looked and how much I wanted to change that.  I figured Betty would need to go straight to the dump if we remodeled, because come on … who could salvage thatright?

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Apparently my awesome friend Katie can. 

Hello sexy Betty!

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I have the most awesome visiting teacher! Katie has one of those houses that strikes the perfect balance between catalog beautiful and warm-inviting-and-children-can-actually-live-here. She is a furniture restoring rock star who has mad spray painting skills that I so envy.

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Katie had stopped by the week before we left for Washington to see how I was doing and how the house was coming along (or not really coming along). I told her how frustrated I was with how slow we were going and asked for her advice on to do with the living room furniture.  She took one look at Ugly Betty and the bookcase Mr. Thrive made me right after we got married and immediately offered to paint them for me.

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I thought her offer was sweet and didn’t think much about it until she called the day before we left to offer again. “I’m serious, “ she told me excitedly. “I really would love to paint them for you while you’re gone. That way you’ll have two less projects to worry about when you get back.”

And so she did.

I had Mr. Thrive unpack all the vacation stuff from the suburban and ran Betty and the bookcase over to Katie just before 9 pm. Then we repacked the suburban in the dark, got a few hours of sleep and then left for vacation the next morning at 4 am.

And while I was gone, Katie was busy.  She sanded down the wood veneer around the outside of the table to get rid of most of the scratches. Then she lightly sanded the center area to leave most of the veneer in tact. The result was an awesome, two-toned topper than stained up beautifully.

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She used Dark Walnut stain from Minwax on the top and sealed it with a few coats of poly.

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The legs and drawer got a few coats of glossy black spray paint. Katie swears by the .99 Walmart spray paint and I’m a believer now.

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And I love that Katie left some of the dings, dents and scratches behind to make sure Betty didn’t loose her I’ve-been-well-loved look. 

Katie even added a left over knob she had from her stash to finish off the table. *LOVE*

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Betty looks amazing and I can’t wait to get the dang house painting done so that she can move back in.

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Thanks again Katie!

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Saving Ugly Betty A Furniture Intervention

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42 Comments

  1. it looks great! I wish I could find the time to do that to some of my furniture!

  2. um hello, Katie is like awesome! great makeover. we all need a friend like Katie in our lives!!

  3. Amie {Kitty Cats and Airplanes}

    This is just gorgeous! I love that you kept the integrity of it by staining instead of painting the whole thing a bright color, which a lot of people do. Not that I don't like bright colors! Really though I love it.

  4. Linda Chapman

    This looks amazing!! I am in love with refinishing furniture these days! All of what I have done so far is shabby chic…..sand, paint white, sand, stain, sand! As I move into other rooms in months to come I will do it differently and I so love the look of YOUR little 'beauties!'

  5. Kari at A Grace Full Life

    That before pic looks like the top of my coffee table right now…so there IS hope for it. 🙂

  6. tomiannie

    Now THAT is a visiting teacher! How do I get on her route?! Seriously, though — the table looks just beautiful!

  7. Man, I want a visiting teacher like that :). It looks great–I bet it can't wait to get to show off next to your newly painted white beadboard and lovely grey walls….

  8. What a great friend! The table looks beautiful. I didn't even notice the contrast in the wood grain on the top in the Before pics. Well done!!! (When do we get to see the bookcase??!)

  9. Kelsey @ Tattered and Inked

    Absolutely stunning! This is a fabulous transformation.

  10. Wow! I just found a table similar at a garage sale this morning for $5 and want to do this. But could you ever ask her – HOW she gets the Walmart 97 cent paint to do that? She must have to use like – 5 cans?! It's so thin!! I'd love to know the trick as it IS so much cheaper. Thanks!!
    Alicia
    alicia9265 (at) hotmail.com

  11. Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made

    Wow! Now THAT is a total transformation!! LOL — your dirty half dozen better stay away from this beauty!

  12. somedaycrafts

    Wow! That is a sexy betty piece of furniture.

  13. Just Jaime

    What a great VT! Love the black bottom and wood top!

  14. Anonymous

    Wow! I have the entire Broyhill Fontana set that have also been well loved. Great to see there is hope for them!

  15. WhyCuzICan

    Nice that someone wanted to do that for you 🙂

    Visiting from Tatertots and Jello Linky Party Tonight,
    ~Suzanne in IL

  16. Creative Contentment

    Good Friends, invaluable! Can't beat em. I am sure you were so grateful to come home to this being done. Gives a boost of encouragement/inspiration to keep going. Your house is goign to look great!

  17. Korrie@RedHenHome

    Wonderful! Just goes to show that almost no furniture is 'too far gone' for a makeover!

  18. Wow, that looks amazing! Katie is awesome for giving Betty a new lease of life!

  19. I love it! How did she get the stain to go in different directions like that? Is that how the wood grain is already? I love 2 toned looks like that! Great job!

  20. Katy Lunsford

    It looks great, she sure is talented. What about the book shelf?

  21. Marissa of Ris C Handmade

    Wow! That looks amazing. We have that same end table and matching coffee table that we picked up at a garage sale just sitting in our basement. Now I know how to make them beautiful!

  22. Taryn @Design, Dining and Diapers

    WOW! This transformation is amazing. Fabulous job!

  23. Decor & Harmony @ 4290

    Betty is looking sexy for sure! .99 cents for spray paint I'll have to give it a try. Did you use polycrylic or wipe on ploy?

  24. Rose and Heather

    Love this! You are so talented. We would be so happy if you would come and link up at our first ever link party, Crafty Lassie Tuesdays. http://sewstylishboutique.blogspot.com/ Thanks Rose and Heather

  25. Mandy @ Sugar Bee Crafts

    Thanks for linking to Take-A-Look Tuesday — I featured you today!
    – Mandy, www.SugarBeeCrafts.com

  26. ~The Bargain Babe

    Pretty sure I have Ugly Betty's twin sister in my living room. Looking at her right now actually. You did a marvelous job on the re-do. I may get brave and try it myself!

  27. Rose and Heather

    Thanks so much for linking up!
    We are going to keep this going every Tuesday…
    Everyone is welcome to join in on the fun, so invite your friends.
    :0) Heather & Rose
    www.sewstylishboutique.blogpsot.com

  28. THIS.LOOKS.AMAZING!!!! WOW!!!!!

    I thought I liked the .99 walmart spray paint, but then I tried the rustoleum ultra cover 2x coverage and it's 356984576 times better! Really lives up to its name 🙂

    Visiting from-

    www.iheartmygluegun.com

  29. Cheryl @That's What Che Said

    Betty looks awesome! I love the stained top and the paited bottom…gives me a great idea for a few 'loved" things around my house!

  30. Anonymous

    Wow! Katie really does work wonders! I didn't know she was all into that, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised, seeing as how impressed I am with the decorations in her home! I really miss VTing with her and visiting you! Those were some fun times!

    Raelyn

  31. Rose and Heather

    You've been Featured! Come grab our feature button, hope to see you again this week!
    www.SewStylishBoutitque.blogspot.com
    🙂 Heather & Rose

  32. WOW! I have this end tables big sister, the coffeee table 😉 Great improvement. Funny, after hating it for years, I finally cracked out the paint and gave it an update. Enjoy your "new" Betty.

  33. Karryn and Roger

    Is your VT Katie Welch? She is awesome.
    kda97@hotmail.com

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