Forever ago, I saw a picture of a dresser with wood balls glued to the drawers and I put that idea in my back pocket. Then, I started redoing the guest room and decided that I could use a larger nightstand. So I headed to the thrift store and found a $10 chest that was the perfect blank slate! Here’s how to diy a painted night stand with wood bead detail.
painted night stand with wood bead detail
SUPPLIES
- White Lightning Cleaner
- Slick Stick Primer
- Cotton White Chalk Paint
- Paint Brush
- Mister
- Easy Peasy Wax
- Applicator Pad
- Split Wood Balls (I needed 80)
- Liquid Nails
glue on wood balls
- Start by gluing the wood beads along the drawer trim. I used construction adhesive. Wood glue would also work, but I wanted something super strong since they’re on the drawer which will be touched a lot. Just use a tiny dab of glue so it doesn’t seep out under the beads. I ended up needing 80 beads for this project.
- Note, where the wood beads didn’t fit perfectly on the drawer, I spaced them out. The good thing about construction adhesive is that it’s moveable for around 30 minutes before drying.
PREP
- Clean the furniture. Mix 2 Tablespoons of White Lightning or TSP in 1 gallon of hot water. Use a rag dipped in the solution to clean the entire surface of the furniture you’ll be painting. Wipe the piece clean with a damp rag to remove any White Lightning residue. Let dry prior to painting.
- Lay a drop cloth on the floor. Put a towel or drop cloth on the floor underneath the furniture you’re about paint. This will protect your flooring from paint drips.
- Since the finish was slick, I primed. I used one coat of Slick Stick to prime the piece. I let that dry throughly before continuing to paint.
PAINT
- Spritz your brush. With chalk paint, you always want to start with a damp brush. Continue to spray the brush and furniture piece with water while painting.
- Start painting. Dip the paintbrush in the chalk paint and apply it thinly on the furniture. Brush in the direction on the wood grain until you’ve covered the entire piece. Note, you WON’T get full coverage with the first coat. If it’s streaky, don’t panic! I used Dixie Belle’s Cotton White for this project.
- Let the paint dry. Usually you only need to wait 20 minutes between coats. While it’s drying, wrap your paint brush in a wet rag or plastic bag so the brush won’t dry out between coats. If you’re painting a big piece, you might be able to begin the second coat immediately without waiting since it’s probably been 20 minutes since you first started painting.
- Paint a second coat. Repeat the instructions for the first coat of paint. This time though, you should get full coverage. If you don’t (which can happen if you’re covering dark wood with a light cover) continue with a 3rd coat of chalk paint.
- Wash out the paint brush. Usually tap water will remove all wet paint. If needed, also use mild soap. Rinse the brush until the water runs clear.
- Seal the furniture. If you’re using a clear coat, apply it with a paint brush thinly to all surfaces. If you’re using wax, apply it with a lint free rag or applicator pad all over the furniture. Buff it in with the rag after. I like to use Easy Peasy Wax Spray for sealing furniture.
note on white paint
For this piece, I went with a pure white chalk paint color- Cotton White. The problem with that is that anytime you use a pure white, the coverage takes longer. Usually I use Fluff and since that has a bit of a beige tint to it, it covers quicker.
The same thing happens with wall paint. I love a pure white wall paint, but I definitely have to do more coats. If you add pigment to the paint, even just a little, it covers MUCH better. Just a note that if I were a beginner, I’d stick to Fluff. I ended up doing 5 or 6 coats of paint and I was OVER it by the end!
after
Here’s some after pictures of the painted night stand! I’ll be honest, they aren’t the best images. I’ll take more in the morning and add them in. Last night I went to add the drawer pulls and messed one up (it was super crooked). I had to use wood filler. The whole thing took forever and it was pretty dark outside once I finally could snap some pictures.
But even though this project ended up a little frustrating, I LOVE how it turned out! The wood beads add really fun texture! The piece is high quality and so the drawers open up nicely (an important detail). And now I have a proportional night table to the bed! Isn’t this view shaping up nicely?!
Update- I took a few more pictures this morning to better show off the new wood bead nightstand. I’m struggling with how to describe it, but here’s a close up-
I love the texture it now has. And the gold pulls modernize it a bit! If you’re noticing my new books, aren’t they cute?! I snagged them off eBay- they’re called “My Book House.” I have a total of 10, with another on the way. They come in a full set of 12 and they’re meant to be that you read one with each grade. The illustrations are beautiful! I rounded up a few if you want some too-
There you have it! My newest DIY for the guest room. I have some other fun plans in here. It’s been fun watching it evolve!
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This is so beautiful and looks expensive!!
Thanks Jennifer, don’t the beads add so much? 😍
dear precious Ashley 🙂 & precious family 🙂 I love it & it’s adorable! It looks like you now 🙂 & is so charming & beautiful! The darling books & delightful picture & white frame with the pink flowers are wonderful! It’s a perfect lil vignette to enjoy! I think every room in your home needs one ~ as it’s sooo cute! 🙂 My heart was touched by your love of decorating to heal ~ i always~ always do the same thing & now more then ever ~ So keep painting rainbows they are a joy! 🙂 Enjoy all the sweetness in your home~ it’s so fun! With love from all of us! 🙂
Thanks for spreading the love, Pam!
The nightstand is beautiful and such a wonderful touch!
Thanks Kim, the beads add more than you’d think!
I am absolutely in love with the rug in the close up picture of the beads and the glue. Do you by chance have a link for it somewhere?
The nightstand turned out just adorable. This is definitely a project I want to try.🤗
Hi Carrie- thank you so much! Here’s a link to the living room rug (where I took the bead picture) https://bit.ly/2DS7qTL
Brilliant idea! And the result is GORGEOUS!
Thank you so much Beth!
We are so excited that you participated! Thank you for sharing your creativity! This is so cute!
Thank you for participating in our linky party!
What a great addition to our linky party! We are so happy to have you!
Thank you so much for sharing! Your project is absolutely darling!
So cute.