Hi friends! Last week I shared my Salvaged 80’s Pine Headboard painted in Annie Sloan French Linen. This week, a night stand makeover updated by adding grasscloth wallpaper.
You know you may have an addiction when there’s furniture in your home – and you can’t remember where it came from – right? This night table was either curb-shopped or bought at my local ReUse Centre, which sadly closed down last year. I’ve had this piece for so long, I don’t remember where I picked it up. But the interesting thing about it is it’s handcrafted – aka homemade.
I love all the homemade irregularities of this piece. I didn’t want to replace this night table because the size fits perfectly beside my angled bed, and the drawer space is magnificent. If I wasn’t so embarrassed by the sheer volume in these drawers, I’d show you, but you’re just going to have to trust me on this one. They’re deeper and higher than standard drawers, and they fit a TON. When I think there’s no more room, I find more – it’s like the magic night table.
The inspiration for this makeover was a big roll of grasscloth wallpaper I bought a the Restore for $5, and these brushed brass pulls from Hobby Lobby. Don’t they look great together!?
THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS USED. YOU CAN SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.
A few of you on FB asked what grasscloth is. So, for any of you interested – here’s what I googled. All natural grasscloth is woven using strands of jute, sisal, or hemp burlap and held together with thin cotton or sea grass strands fastened to rice paper. (I didn’t know this) When it’s 100% natural, it can be delicate and expensive – not great for high traffic areas… this I did know! There are faux options that are a lot more durable (like my $5 roll) but still give that natural look. Grasscloth is traditionally used for walls, but I’m seeing more and more costly furniture versions.
Source List::
- Night Table – SALVAGED!
- BIN Shellac Primer (just on top so no stains show through)
- Annie Sloan’s Pure White Chalk Paint & Clear Wax
- Texture Grass Wallpaper – SALVAGED $5 Restore Find!
- Elmer’s Spray Adhesive – Acid Free
- Brushed Brass Hardware – Hobby Lobby
- Ruler, Scissors, Rotary Cutter, Tape Measure
Adding Wallpaper to Furniture::
- First, I did a few repairs and cleaned the night stand.
- Then I primed (just the top) with my fav BIN Shellac before painting with AS Pure White. I did this because I and don’t want ANY stains or spots showing through once I top coated.
- I painted 2 coats of Annie Sloan’s Pure White on the entire piece minus the front drawer face.
- Then, I cut the grasscloth wallpaper to size – one for each drawer front.
- Because this is my piece, I didn’t even bother to fill in the hardware holes. If I was selling this piece, I would have filled in the holes and painted the drawer fronts, but because this is mine, artistic short cuts are okay. I knew the new brushed brass hardware pulls wouldn’t disrupt the old hardware holes so not a problem.
- I used this acid free spray adhesive to attach the wallpaper and then secured it.
- Then measured and drilled the new pulls into place.
- Annie Sloan’s Clear Wax was used for the top coat.
3 Tips for Adding Wallpaper to Furniture
- Wallpaper looks amazing in insets and framed drawers.
- Use Acid Free adhesive so it doesn’t discolour your paper over time.
- If using a patterned wallpaper with color, match one of the colors with the paint used on the piece. It ties things in beautifully.
And Suzanne from Australia – if you’re reading – this last pic is for you. I moved the pillows down so you can see all my hard work. 😉 🙂 🙂
Have you added wallpaper to any of your furniture makeovers? What’s your favorite way of adhering it? Chime in because I always love hearing from you! 🙂
Happy painting and stay inspired!
Denise xo
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AlL i can say is wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww so beutiful
Thank you Kay!
Hi- wondering what you would recommend to adhere wallpaper to a space where there is no “inset” area or panel, such as a flat table surface.? Do you think the that would need to be top coated in some way to make sure the edges don’t come up with use… thanks, love the nightstand.
I would like to do a dresser without a current edging, but will probably add a frame to keep the grass paper from getting damaged. If you’re doing a tabletop, you’d probably want to put a glass or an acrylic sheet on top fir durability.
I LOVE this! My guess is that you have to have some sort of furniture with a ledge or detail. Hopefully I will “acquire” a piece that I can try this soon!
Hi Erin! Ya, it does look really nice when it’s ‘framed’ for sure. 🙂
Hi. Love your beautiful work! Have you ever papered inside drawers but the paper isn’t wide enough to cover? I thought of painting inside to match the background of the paper but too late! I already applied adhesive down the middle (not the entire paper yet). Help!
What brand wallpaper was it
I can’t find anything I like as much as the one you used
Hi Denise,
These photos give me a lot of ideas about my room, thank you very much
Can you use wallpapernto de0page furniture thankyou so much you have taught me so much kind regards phillippa
You sure can! 🙂
I too am new to your site and so far, loving it. I’ve done many pieces with wallpaper in the past and loved it, but my favorite pieces were when I used posters that I put on dresser fronts. I used Modge Podge at the time because I didn’t like the smell from the spray adhesives. It’s a good 10 years now, and not a problem with any of the pieces. I wish I could send a picture to you but don’t know how. Monica
Hi Monica and WELCOME! Spray adhesives work amazing, but I agree, they are smelly! Your ModPodge dresser sounds amazing!
What do you put over the poster?
Thank you for sharing! I used actual burlap to pretty up a headboard for a bed (not grasscloth paper). I stitched it with cotton stuffing so the wood wouldn’t be so hard. I was going to a rustic country look, and it turned out rather well. I wore down the burlap a little to make it softer by soaking it, then washing it in hot water with extra fabric softener.
That sounds amazing… and I like the tip of washing the burlap in hot water with extra fabric softener to soften it up!
Beautiful piece!! Question…you said you attached the paper with the spray adhesive and the “secured” it. What did you secure it with?
Marianne
Hi Marianne! I could have phrased that a little better. 🙂 I secured it with my hands making sure every nook and cranny was properly adhered with the spray adhesive while it was still wet.
Wow. This is a great project and your instructions are great. I just picked up 1960’s buffet /server with simple lines and lots of drawers, this may be the perfect finish for it. Thanks!
Hi Johanna! Glad it’s given you an idea for your 1960’s buffet/server… I bet it would look GREAT! 🙂
Wow, you just proved how adding wallpaper and changing out the hardware can completely transfer a piece of furniture! Very high end looking, Denise. Pinned and sharing
Thanks so much Marie! And I really appreciate the share. Pinned your adorable pink and gold desk too. 🙂
I love how this turned out!! SO elegant and high-end looking now! XO
Thanks Christy! It was a fun makeover. I was joking with my sister that it’s probably good I have a dog and not a cat. I think the texture may be the perfect scratching post…lol. 😉
Hi Denise,
I like the clean look of the grasspaper! Good inspiration. Ginene
Hi Ginene! Thank you so much – it is a much cleaner look for sure. 🙂
I love the French Linen headboard and the sweet little nightstand. They look fabulous together. Thank you for always sharing how to do things! It is very much appreciated ❤
Hi Cynthia!!! Thanks so much, I’m glad you like them! 🙂
Hi Denise,
I’m new to your site. Thank you for having me. I love what you did to your nightstand! The pulls work perfectly with the grasscloth.. Another thing is your use of grey on your headboard. As much I think grey is going out of favor the more I think not! What a soothing color in the bedroom. Nice job on both! Congratulations and thank you for listing your sources.
Hi Piper – WELCOME and nice to meet you! I’m so glad you like the nightstand and ya, I agree 100%. There’s always a buzz every few years in regards to trending colors. Orange is the new red (I’m tempted to say orange is the new black seeing as your name is Piper heehe) – grey is the new black etc. I believe we should just go with what we like. Everything makes comeback anyway. Perfect example is the grasscloth wallpaper that was used in back in the 70’s. 🙂
Amazing makeover!!! I love how you used wallpaper to give the night table a whole new vibe. I MUST try this technique out for myself. You make everything sound so do-able with your easy to follow instructions. Thank-you for sharing all of your knowledge.
Thanks!:) And like I was saying to Julie, this IS an easy project. Measure, cut and paste – so for anyone who likes the look – it’s worth a try! I think the key is finding the right wallpaper (one that you love) for the right piece. And even better if you don’t have to spend a small fortune for the roll. 😉
My Mom was ahead of her time. She did it all, sewing, painting, refinishing furniture, gardening, etc. The family joke was not to stand in one place too long for she would rearrange, paint over you or otherwise ‘redo you’! You never knew when you got off the school bus whether the furniture would be in the same place or not (likely run into a piece that wasn’t there when you left that morning). And she loved to use wallpaper like you did with this piece. There was a chiffarobe with curvy legs and beautiful lines that she applied a gorgeous floral wallpaper in the panels and antiqued gold wood appliques to trim it. I would love to have that piece now! She had to ‘make do’ because we weren’t well to do and with 7 kids to feed and clothe, there was no budget for buying new furniture and decorating chotchkes..I really respected her. She could make any old piece look good. Did I mention she also had a job? Phew, makes me tired just to think about all she did.
You’re Mum sounds AMAZING Denise! And the chifforobe with “curvy legs and beautiful lines that she applied a gorgeous floral wallpaper in the panels and antiqued gold wood appliques to”… just the way you described it – I would love to have that piece now! 😉 🙂 🙂 Sometimes the most beautiful things are created out of necessity, right. There was only my sister and I in our family, but I was raised in a thrifty home too. Both my parents were creative hard workers too. And both could make a dollar stretch around the block and back! 🙂
Denise, first off Yeah! It worked … and you just never stop amazing me with your makeovers! This truly is one I must try…just need to find a victim! LOL 😉
Haven’t received my birthday airless yet, but I’m a patient waiter! Or till I go shopping!
yeah, glad it worked too! I don’t like having to figure out ‘techie’ stuff…lol. And I’m betting as soon as you receive your airless, you’re going to find a TON of things to makeover! Can’t wait to hear what you do and how you like it!
The nightstand looks wonderful. I’m wondering where one goes now seeking wallpaper. The ones I see in decorating magazines are incredibly expensive.
Thanks!
You’re not kidding Rosie! I was in a paint and wallpaper store here in Burlington and rolls were selling for between $50-$100! I can’t believe how expensive wallpaper is! …. and glad you like the night table btw. 🙂
I love this whole look, and I have the supplies to do this, but haven’t taken the plunge yet.
Great styling Denise, love it
I pinned this to my Pinterest page so I don’t forget it : )
wonderful… thanks for the share!!!….now go pull out those supplies my friend… 😉 hehe
Thanks Julie! And if it’s something you’ve been thinking about and already have the supplies, I’m going to encourage you to take the plunge! It’s a super easy project and you’ll love the results. 🙂
Dee I absolutely adore your bedroom. It looks so inviting and cosy yet so luxurious. Love the wallpaper drawer front. As always…. GORGEOUS!
HUGE compliment – thank you.{BIG HUG} I haven’t decorated in a while so I feel rusty…lol. It’s a work in progress but it’s getting there. 🙂