With furniture (and especially old, or inherited furniture), you can feel locked into a certain look. But take comfort in the fact that where there’s a #creativeweirdo, there’s a way!

This coffee table, for example, was one of the only pieces of furniture Krystle had in her living room, and it didn’t exactly match the bohemian aesthetic she liked. So … we upcycled! I’m happy to report that the table is now a vintage-inspired bohemian showstopper, and is getting a lot more love than it had been. The power of DIY-ing!

Prep It:

Coffee Table
Wood planks
Saw
Wood glue
Hammer
Nails
Sandpaper
Paint
Paintbrush
Chain
Drill bits
Wood stain

Do It!:

1. Lay your planks over the length of the table and measure where they should be cut. We wanted to add a little extra around this table top, so we measured about about an inch or two more on each side. Also — you can just use seamless planks across the table, or you can cut two shorter and combine them for a more vintage, hand-made feeling.
2. Saw your pieces using a handheld or power saw (and the appropriate safety equipment.)
3. Meanwhile, flip your table over and sand the legs and any other areas that will be visible with your new top. Once sanded down, paint them with a new bold color. Wait for the paint to dry before flipping over and moving onto step 4.
4. Mark the center (widthwise) of your table and use that as a guide for evenly laying your planks. Cover the bottom of each plank with wood glue before placing. Then, use a hammer and nails to secure them all into place.
5. Sand the sides of the table down so they’re nice and smooth.
6. To give this new tabletop a vintage appearance, you gotta DIY distress it! I used some chain (for slamming against it  — also a great stress release), a drill bit (for individual, specific divots) and sandpaper (for general aging and weathering certain areas).
7. Don some rubber gloves and stain the new table top, letting the stain settle and pool into the distressed areas you created.
8. Let the stain dry, and your new table is complete!