HERE’S HOW I PAINTED AND RESTYLED A LEATHER TABLE TOP INTO A ROSE TAPESTRY BEAUTY | YOUTUBE VIDEO
Hi creative friends! This makeover had me stumped for a few days! It’s a lovely 1960s French Provincial side table with a varnished leather top and elegant gold tooling. I went back and forth trying to decide whether to keep the leather or give it a whole new look. Well… you can probably guess what I chose by the title of this post! Furniture purists might cringe a little, but for the rest of us who love a fresh twist on a classic — if an old-looking leather table top is not your jam, here’s an amazing makeover to inspire some ideas!
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Bonus, it’s Furniture Fixer Upper Day! If you’re new here, on the fourth Thursday of every month, I join four super-talented friends, and we share our before-and-after furniture restyles. The link to their makeovers is included at the end of this post. I hope you join me in visiting them to see what they’ve created!
Below is the leather top side table I started with. It’s one of the pieces my neighbour Sue helped me acquire. You may remember the haul I picked up here.
This table was in good shape and the wood is beautiful yet I’m not a fan of the maple stain. The leather had staining but no tears or scratches.
It is from the 1960’s and there is a faux drawer and French provincial hardware.
THIS POST IS SPONSORED/CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I USE. YOU CAN SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.
SUPPLIES
Leather Top FP Side Table – SALVAGED
White Lightning Cleaner
Auto Sponge
Sanding Sponge
Paint Brush
Bonding BOSS Primer
Woodubend Appliques
Rose Tapestry Decoupage Rice Paper
Antique Gold Gilding Wax
Truffle SILK All-In-One Mineral Paint
Satin Clear Topcoat
TOOLS
Heat Gun
Plastic Putty Knife
Dewalt Cordless Drill & Impact Driver Set (17% OFF as of writing)
PREP & CLEAN & REPAIR
I started by removing the French provincial handle and separating the table top from the base using my Dewalt Impact Driver Set.
Once everything was removed, I cleaned the inside and out with this heavy-duty furniture cleaner. I like using sponges and I mix the White Lightning into a spray bottle. This makes it super easy to spray and wipe.
SANDING & PRIMING
I brought this into my sanding room and gave it a good scuff sanding with a 180 sanding sponge. This wasn’t to remove any of the existing finish but rather just scuff it up and get it ready for primer. And here’s where the hard decision came into play – keep the leather – or cover the leather??? Uggh. I don’t know if you can see it in the pic below but this varnished leather was stained/and or the varnish was marred – I’m not sure because I don’t work with leather. Whatever it was, I couldn’t get it out.
I opted to prime over it and create an entirely new look.
After this piece was scuff-sanded, I primed with this Bonding Boss Primer. I used an inexpensive chip brush and a 4″ roller. The key to painting over leather is to use a Bonding Primer like BIN Shellac Based Primer or a water-based version. This will ensure whatever you decide to do after you prime will stick and not scratch off.
For the Bonding Boss, I applied the first coat and let it dry overnight.
When I came down the next morning and did a scratch test, this primer was stuck and wouldn’t budge. But I could see bleedthrough so a second coat was of primer was needed.
ADDING WOODUBEND
After the primer was fully dry, I added some Woodubend Appliques to fancy this French Side Table up. I went for these gorgeous chunky corbels and then a smaller design to add to the front where the hardware originally was.
Adding WoodUbend to furniture is easy and so much fun. If you’ve been around the #siblog for a while you know how much I love using it on my makeovers! Just warm the moulding with a heat gun until it’s flexible, apply a good wood glue to the back, press it onto your piece, and heat again. Clamping while drying is a great idea too. Once it’s cooled, you can paint, stain, or gild it for a gorgeous custom detail! I have a full written (and youtube tutorial at the bottom of the post on How To Apply Woodubend HERE.
TRUFFLE PAINT
Now for the fun part – painting time! I chose a new DB paint color called Truffle. I wasn’t sure if they were referring to a chocolate truffle or a mushroom truffle. The description of this color says – “Rich, warm, and grounded; Truffle is a deep, earthy brown inspired by aged wood, cozy cottages, and the indulgent tones of hand-crafted chocolate. This sophisticated shade brings warmth and depth to any space, perfect for creating a natural, rustic feel with a refined finish.”
I always suggest testing a new color in an inconspicuous area before you apply it to your full makeover – especially if you’re matching it up to a design feature – like I did here with this gorgeous Rose Tapestry Decoupage Rice Paper. I thought Truffle would lean more on the brown side, but once I paired it with this decoupage paper, I felt it was more green/brown. It looked beautiful!
I used my medium oval brush and applied two coats for full coverage. This paint applies beautifully and is lovely to work with.
I’m curious what you see more of – brown or green?
ADDING DECOUPAGE DECOR PAPER
To add this elegant vintage-vibe Rose Tapestry Decoupage Decor Paper here are the steps I took…
- Traced the circle following the embossed edge with a pencil
- Cut the circle out
- Applied a coat of Satin Topcoat onto the painted table top
- Positioned the decoupage paper and laid it down on the wet clear coat
- Smoothed the paper out
- Once smooth, I applied another coat of satin topcoat to adhere the paper
- Once dry, I brushed on a paint wash made with Truffle and water
- I wiped back the wet paint wash to reveal a vintage finish
ADDING GILDING WAX
To highlight the Woodubend and trim on this table, I used this Antique Gold Gilding Wax. I gloved up because this product is oil-based (it cures hard and doesn’t require a topcoat) and hit all these beautiful details with a light touch. Using an artists brush, I gilded the grooves on the table skirt and legs.
REASSEMBLE TABLE TOP
Once everything was 100% dry, the last step was to reassemble the table top back onto the base. I laid the top onto a soft towel to make sure I didn’t ruin the freshly restyled design, and used the existing screws and screw holes to reassemble.
THE BIG REVEAL…
Here’s the finished look – very different from the original table!
This is definitely more my style than the leather top and maple stain.
I can’t wait to hear what you think. Are you more a leather table top fan or a vintage floral?
I love the way this all came together. I’m also happy I had the opportunity to try another new paint color. I thought this was going to lean more on the brown side, but depending on what you pair it with, I’d say Truffle leans more green/brown.
The gold gilding wax adds a lovely touch of glam! And I hope you can see how there is a bevelled edge on the design.
And here’s another close view of the leather-covered top with the Rose Tapestry Decor Paper. It’s so beautiful and vintage. It reminds me of Victorian tapestry. The paint wash over the decor paper really tied it all together nicely!
And just for fun, I prompted Ai to generate a few roomscapes with the focal point being this restyled side table. Here’s what it generated. I’d love to hear which one you prefer! I haven’t figured out how to resize the image larger and get the same good quality/sharpness of the images just yet. If any of you know how to do this, I’d love to learn as well. 🙂
YOUTUBE TUTORIAL
Here’s the full step-by-step YouTube video for you. Our #siyoutubefamily is already a community of 55.1K, so don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t done so already. You’re the BEST, and I appreciate your support! 🙂
And now for some FURNITURE FIXER UPPER FUN!
You’re going to LOVE what these creative FFU ladies do! Below are the BEFORE photos. Visit the links to see the amazing AFTERS and learn how they did it! I’m heading over to take a peek as well!
1. A RAY OF SUNLIGHT
2. CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL DIYER
3. MY REPURPOSED LIFE
4. PETTICOAT JUNKTION
5. SALVAGED INSPIRATIONS (HAPPY YOU’RE HERE!)
Here’s another look at this French Provincial Side Table before and after. I hope it’s inspired you and given you some ideas for your upcoming furniture painting projects.
Thanks so much for joining me for another Furniture Fixer Uppers tour. I’ve included some Related Posts below, and feel free to leave me a hello or any questions you may have in the comments below. I always love hearing from you. It makes my day!!
Happy painting, my friends!
Denise x
RELATED POSTS:
SILK ALL-IN-ONE MINERAL PAINT 101
PAINTED FRENCH PROVINCIAL IDEAS!
FRENCH VILLA TABLE MAKEOVER
HOW TO APPLY DECOUPAGE DECOR PAPER
HOW TO DECCOUPAGE FURNITURE
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Love this one! Thanks for another great idea of using paper over the leather top. I’ve only ever painted those tops. Love the wash idea too in order to tone down any too=vivid paper.
Thanks Tracy and ya, I’ve used the wash in a similar color on a few makeovers now and it works awesome! 🙂
I was apprehensive about both the color and the covering of the leather top. After seeing the finished results I give this a perfect 10!
As always you did a beautiful job, love it!
I’ll take a 10 all day long Jewels…lol. Thanks so much and enjoy your weekend. XOXO
I’m loving the color ! On the long shot – it looks taupe / brown. Closer up I can see a green undertone.
I think this color will stand the test of time. A beautiful neutral, and very warm.
I had No idea leather could be painted. I really like the color wash over the paper. Soft and subtle.
The corbels make the piece ! Beautiful choice.
You have a great eye for color and design.
I keep flipping back from brown to green as well – I’m always fascinated with how color reacts to light and what is around it! So happy you like the table and I agree, those corbels are lovely. I’ll be ordering more! 🙂
The woodubend appliques really up the game for this piece. It’s truly unrecognizable. I love the floral paper and the paint aging technique you used.
It’s simply stunning Denise!
Pinned!
gail
Aw, thanks – gotta love that Woodubend. It really does make such a huge difference. Thanks for the PIN my friend. XOXO
Hi Denise. I have also passed on leather topped furniture. I had a leather top desk as a child to do my homework on. I’ll always remember how easily it was marked up and stained. Was super happy to see you cover it over. 😉 The color you chose, accented details, and new floral top are all stunning. Beautifully done.
Thanks Monique, I’m happy I covered it as well. 😉 And how interesting about your leather desktop. I’ve seen some antique desks with leather tops and they look fabulous but I wondered about the upkeep. So happy you like the makeover and have a wonderful weekend my friend. XOXO
I’m not a fan of that particular paper, but I love the wood-u-bend and gold detailing. It turned out great.
I love the woodubend and gold as well – thanks Lizzy! Have a great weekend! XOXO
Stunning! And I love that you used AI to generate a staged image. You clever girl!
Aw, thanks Leslie! I’m having fun playing around with Ai… it’s fascinating what it can do! 🙂
What a fantastic way to address that leather top! I’m not a fan of the original either and often pass on these pieces. The jewel on this one though is the addition of those corbels!! The brown with gilding wax is stunning! XOXO
Gotta love Woodubend, right?!?… I’m addicted to using it on makeovers whenever I can.😆 I’ve seen some antiques that look so sophisticated and gorgeous with leather tops but I’m with you, as a general rule I’m not woohooo about them.
I’ve passed on a few leather top pieces as I didn’t know you can paint over them, so thank you! This table turned out gorgeous and I love the paint color with the rose paper – beautifully done! 🌹
Thanks my friend! And yes, I’ve passed on a few leather tops as well. It’s nice to know we have options to keep it – or change it. 🙂
Gorgeous!
Thanks my friend! Have a great weekend! XOXO
Hi Denise , I just wanted to say that it turned out nice . I would have gotten rid of the leather top too.
Thanks Teresa and ya, I struggled with what to do with this one so thanks for saying this. It makes me feel better that I’m not the only one. 😉 Someone on FB mentioned that you can remove the leather and refinish the wood underneath. I never thought of this but what a great idea.
I was also thinking that too .
Very nice! Adding the paper over the leather was a great idea and it added so much beauty to this piece. Your work is always inspiring and thanks for sharing. Pinned! Have a beautiful day. xo 😘
Thanks my friend! I think the paper added a little ‘extra’ rather than just the paint. Thanks for the PIN and have a fabulous weekend. HUGS XOXO
That is very cool. Really like the finished product.
Thanks so much Peter, glad you like it!
I was all set to not like the “tugging on a traditional cape” .
It is beautiful.
Each touch you added was so cohesive, it makes for a stunning result.
Thank you
I’m so glad you like it Janet and I love the way you phrased this, thank you!💙🤗 Have a great weekend. XOXO