Side Table to English Memory: A Weathered Flag
Make a beautiful Union Jack Side Table from an old weathered thrift store find.
The Furniture Girls are at it again. Today we are sharing what we’ve come up with for our monthly #furnitureREFRESH challenge. This month’s theme was weathered. I’m sharing a Union Jack Side Table makeover. I hope you’ll check out the links below to see how my talented blogger friends have flipped their pieces!
I had the privilege of helping a friend re-decorate a room in her house. It was time for her to re-claim a space for herself, much to the disapproval of the youngest two of her four children. My girl needed a place to call her own, to re-charge her batteries and fill herself up so she could continue her day job…of filling everyone else in her house.
To say I had fun digging through her cabinets and closets to find decorating items is an understatement. Hopefully I can do a full room reveal in time. We moved furniture and resurfaced relics to create a haven for my friend. Once we got things in place it was obvious she needed a small end table to round out the room.
While I was shopping a flea market I came across this table, in need of some love, and I knew it would be perfect.
My friend, Meredith, has a deep love for England. She actually spent time teaching there back before marriage and kids were her world. England holds fond memories for her. I wanted to evoke those memories in this special space. So I painted a weathered flag on this sweet side table.
I started with repairing one of the side details that had come undone with some wood glue and lightly sanding out some rough spots. I painted the whole table with a homemade ivory chalk paint.
After printing a copy of the Union Jack I taped off it’s likeness with painter’s tape. I would love to give you details on how to do this, but I totally made it up as I went. 🙂 Using regular acrylic paint I double coated the blue and red parts for nice, even coverage. Once it was completely dried I sanded and scuffed for the ultimate worn and rugged look of an old weathered flag.
What a special treat it was for me to give the gift of memories. I hope Meredith will venture back to those special times and feel loved and rejuvenated each time she sees this table. Do you have a special time and place you can conjure up through decorating?
Check out how these furniture flippin’ friends translate weathered into works of art:
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![[caption id="attachment_3108" align="aligncenter" width="900"] This private courtyard is off the master bedroom.[/caption]](https://kimpepperblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/back-yard-swimming-pool-home-tour6-768x1147.jpg)
I am sure she will love this side table and how sweet of you to do this for her. I really did turn out great!
Thanks Tammy!
I just love this piece and the fact that it is a gift makes it all the more special! ;o)
Thank you Lucy!
You did an amazing job on this! It looks completely different! This would be something that I would love to get as a gift. Love it!
I love how intentional you are! You could have painted this table in any shade of the rainbow but you chose something special to her! You are beautiful, friend. Inside and out!
Thanks Holly – it was a fun project to tackle
Kim,
How sweet is this story! And, how lovely is this table!! What a beautifully weathered gift you have given your friend. Bless you for your gift of time and talents to this family. May your friend enjoy them to the fullest. Love it, girl. Linking you to my blog now. 🙂
Thanks! I do hope she loves it 🙂
I love this piece and the story behind it SO much! I have yet to work up the courage to try a Union Jack piece, but after seeing how gorgeous this turned out, I might just have to suck it up and give it a try! 😀
go for it – I had to wing the design, but it worked out once I got the basic idea started! thanks friend!
Gorgeous once again! I have a few pieces I’d love your opinion on… how do I convince you to come refresh parts of my house?? You’d have blog material for months! 🙂
Girl…I’m there just say when!
What a great gift you gave to your friend! She’s lucky to have you:) I’ve always loved British-inspired furniture and décor, my husband spent time in England while in grad school and that’s where he was when he said he realized he wanted to marry me! So, uh, yes I love the British isles! Your weathering is perfect, and I wish I had your free hand skills. I can hear the Vintage Charm link party calling your name lol xoKathleen
http://charmbraceletdiva.blogspot.com/2015/11/vintage-charm-party-4.html
well, I bet that is a good place for you 😉 Linked up!
Love this piece, you did a great job. Do you share your recipe for your homemade chalk paint?
I would love to share my recipe if I had one, I just eyeball it every time…but I do use Plaster of Paris and water with just about any paint I come across. Hope that helps!
WOW! I would not have had that vision for that table. This turned out amazing!!
I had good inspiration!
This is just lovely. My daughter is an Anglophile so her room is full of the Union Jack. This past summer she painted it onto her desk as well. Yours turned out lovely and I really like the distressing you did on it.
Thank you Mary! I bet her desk is precious!
This is absolutely stunning! I love the way it reaches out and grabs you! I am pinning and sharing! Thank you for linking up with Dream. Create. Inspire. Link!
Cat
Always appreciate you Cat! Super thanks!
My husband and I just got back from England, so I’m very appreciative of this piece. I love how you wanted to help out your friend and found this piece so in need of love. The Union Jack is always an appropriate choice and you did a terrific job.
I am glad you think so, coming off an up close and personal with the Union Jack! I really wanted it to look authentic 🙂 Hope you had an amazing trip…
Cute, cute, cute and such a great tutorial! Thank you for sharing @Vintage Charm! Blessings, Cecilia
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Kim–wanted to let you know I’ll be featuring your post tomorrow at Vintage Charm 🙂
woo hoo thank you! That means the world to me 🙂
Beautiful makeover! I am a lover of all things recreated and this is just lovely! You did a fantastic job:)
Thanks Lisa!
What a stunning makeover! The style of table is perfect for this piece, especially painted white and distressed. Pinning to share!
Thank you! It was fun to figure out 🙂