DIY Ottoman Makeover with Velvet Finishes

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I know today is technically supposed to be reveal week for the Casa Watkins Living New Year, New Room Challenge, but my rug is still MIA…I honestly don’t know if it will make it in time even for next week, but the show must go on! Luckily I had plenty to do this weekend since I decided to revamp a vintage store ottoman.

I picked up this fabulous accent furniture piece during Small Business Saturday after I had sworn off buying furniture I would have to repaint. I did that a lot previously and I’d either get lazy and never would do it or…yeah, basically that was it. Painting is not my favorite thing to do, because of all the prep work involved, so when I read that Velvet Finishes required no priming and no sanding, I knew I found my painting soul mate.

I used Velvet Finishes paint in Luxurious from head to toe on this ottoman (a huge thanks to Kellie, the owner, for sending me the supplies for this project). I even painted the icky stained fabric. I was convinced the fabric was originally white and I could OxyClean it back to life, but nope. It was beige and forever stained.

I’ll run down the super easy steps I went through to accomplish this look.

Step 1: Clean off all the dust and cobwebs- I used my trusty pal, Clorox Scentiva wipes. I had to really get in there because of all the various bevels.

Step 2: I generously sprayed on READY by Velvet Finishes, let it sit for a few seconds and wiped off with a clean cloth.

Step 3: Apply a thin coat of paint all over. I was amazed to see that there are legit no brushstrokes once it dries (you can see that below- the leg is dry and has no brushstrokes) and it dries really fast. The paint is very thick, so a little goes a long way, but there’s still no need to be heavy handed. Lighter coats are truly better.

I couldn’t find a paint brush, so for my first coat I used a foam brush. It took me about 90 minutes to get the first coat on the whole thing. I switched to a (affiliate link) high quality paint brush for the second coat and it took me about half the time.

Step 4: Allow the first coat to dry for at least an hour. Put on the second coat. Let dry a couple of hours and do any touch-ups needed.

Fabric Note: The fabric took about three coats to get the coverage I wanted.

I could have stopped there, BUT I also had some ENHANCE in the gold finish to create some fun accents. Initially I was going to only apply to the bevels, on the legs but then I added some to the leg bottoms…and then my husband suggested I paint the center portion, too. 

Much like the paint, ENHANCE is highly pigmented and truly metallic. The first coat I was a little skeptical, but after a second coat I was a believer. I ended up doing three light coats to get the metallic finish I was after. I used a small craft paint brush and a tiny round paint brush for the detail work, which took about an hour, plus a steady hand and some Diet Dr. Pepper. And pizza. Love me some pizza.

I found that with ENHANCE, the paint can start to get a bit “sticky” after brushing it on, so apply the metallic paint in small sections/areas and move it along. Don’t over brush, and keep an overlapping wet edge for a flawless and seamless finish.

I then used PROTECT to seal it all. My friend Jess from Domicile 37 gave me the tip to mix a bit of the paint color into the top coat to avoid streaks and to use a sock to apply it. Both tips proved to be super useful and now I have a flawless looking piece. Well, there are some imperfections in the wood, but it’s a vintage ottoman, so we’ll say it has character. 

This is truly a DIY project anyone can tackle in a weekend, especially if you’re like me and hate all the prep work (usually) involved and want to hop to it. I started the project Friday afternoon and was styling it in my office Sunday evening. 

The fabric looks good. It is a tad streaky in one spot (I may need another coat), but solid in color. I eventually plan to reupholster the seat with a velvet leopard fabric, but this is leaps and bounds better than a stained ivory fabric. The fabric was a tad firm after painting, so a light sanding softened it up, plus I sat on it for a few hours yesterday (and no paint came off on my jeans!) while working on another project and that also helped.

If you’re wondering where those gorgeous blooms are from, they’re from Michael’s. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…their Spring Market florals are amazing! Go buy a ton when they’re on sale. This is the rose and succulent bouquet I’m featuring below.

Velvet Finishes works on wood, metal, fabric and plastic, is available in so many colors, and you can see a bunch more blogger DIY ideas on their website organized by color. If you buy from Velvet Finishes, you’re supporting a woman owned small business- Kellie Smith, the interior design maven and mastermind behind these fab products, also sells home decor as part of her new SmithHonig line. I am incorporating a pillow and acrylic block art from her home decor collection- I can’t wait to show you all next week!