Tips for distressing your bedroom furniture

 

I have had the urge to paint and distress something for awhile now.  I absolutely adore how rustic it looks and how each two pieces are never the same.  Initially I had been wanting to paint our kitchen cabinets but the husband nearly killed me. So I decided to settle for distressing our bedroom furniture instead to give it a little makeover. These cute stamped farmhouse books were my inspiration.

For those who are new here, Joanna Gaines is pretty much my spirit animal.  Like Jo I get these grand ideas and hubby well he’s like the Chip to my Jo, he makes it happen! It came out great and it was super easy! I shared pieces of the process on my Instagram stories and so many people had been asking for a tutorial so here it is.

Here are my tips for distressing your bedroom furniture.

First you will need:

•  Screwdriver

• Chalkpaint or Rust-Oleum light color kit (I’ve seen lots of tutorials using chalkpaint and after doing some research I decided to use the Ruse-Oleum cabinet kit because it is a little more durable and doesn’t wear as easily)

• Palm sander

• Sand paper (I used 120 grit and 220 grit for the distressing)

• Paint brush

• *** If not using the Rust-Oleum kit you will also need a clear wax.

 

Step one: First remove all the hardware with a screwdriver.

Step two: Lightly sand all surfaces of the furniture with 120 grit sand paper. We also used a palm sander which made it much easier.  This will give the paint something to stick to. When sanding, sand in the direction of the grain of the wood.

Step three: Wipe down the furniture with a damp cloth or towel to remove any of the sawdust particles.

Step four: Once the furniture is dry, paint with either your chalkpaint or according to step 2 of the Rustoleum kit if using the kit. We did two coats.  Then let dry.

 

Step five: Using sand paper (we used 220 grit for this part), lightly sand/distress the corners and edges of furniture until you receive the worn look you want.

 

Step six: Clean all surfaces again with a microfiber cloth.

Step seven: Apply the lacquer included in step 4 of the kit. If not using the kit, apply a clear wax. This will serve as a protective coat.  When applying the lacquer or wax, you do not want to over brush, apply in long passes.  Let dry in a cool area.

Step eight: Replace all of the hardware

We went a step further and reupholstered the headboard and footboard of the bed.

For the re-upholstery you will need:

• Fabric of your choice for reupholstering

• Stapler Gun

• 3M Spray Glue

• An old credit card

• New razor blades

Step one: Cut all of your fabric to the appropriate size you are looking to cover.

Step two: Stable the fabric to the bottom edge first.

Step three: Using the spray glue, spray the entire area you are going to cover.

Step four: Pull the fabric from the bottom up to cover the area.

Step five: Using a credit card, go side to side to smooth out the fabric and any wrinkles.

Step six: Using the stapler, finish stapling the remaining three sides.

Step seven: With the razor blade go around the edges and trim the fabric to your liking.  I left mine a little unfinished to give it more of a rustic look.

I completed the look by adding these stamped books for a farmhouse vibe.

Be sure to check out my master bathroom makeover here