There are moments while I’m decorating our home when my old English teacher side quietly takes over.
Growing up with a librarian for a mom instilled in me an enduring love of books. When I picture our house, two things keep coming back to me: shelves full of well-loved, worn books and the nostalgic charm of vintage card catalogs.
My mom has often told me that several old card catalogs gathered dust at her library for years before they were eventually discarded. If she’d known I’d be obsessed with them, she might have saved one. Since authentic card catalogs are rare and usually expensive, I decided to create the look I wanted instead of chasing an original.
A few months ago I found a trunk-style coffee table with great bones and tons of potential. It had excellent storage and function, but the paint was tired and the beige finish blended into our already-beige living room. I negotiated the price down to $50 on Craigslist, which felt like a total score, and I couldn’t wait to transform it.
I left the table in the living room while I sketched out ideas—sometimes the hardest part of a furniture makeover is deciding on the approach. After testing a few options, I settled on a faux reclaimed planked top paired with a softly colored base to hint at an antique card catalog without being literal.
The finished top introduced texture and contrast, and I finally added color to the base—something I usually avoid, but this piece needed character.
For step-by-step instructions on how I created the faux planked top, see yesterday’s post about the reclaimed wood look. For the table base I mixed one part Annie Sloan Pure White with one part Annie Sloan Duck Egg Blue to achieve a gentle, vintage-inspired hue.
After painting, I let the finish cure for 24 hours, then protected it with a thin layer of Minwax Finishing Paste (I used what I already had) and finished with Annie Sloan Dark Wax to add depth and a softly aged patina.
To get the authentic card catalog look I added vintage-style brass cup pulls and label holders I found online at a hardware supplier. At about 60 cents each, the hardware was an affordable detail that made all the difference. I repurposed the table’s original knobs for another project, so everything found a new home.
Functionally, the table is brilliant. The drawers are perfect for organizing DVDs—our family watches a lot of movies—and they also work wonderfully for toy storage. When guests arrive unexpectedly, a quick slide of the drawers hides the chaos and gives the room an instant tidy look. While I was finishing the table in the garage, it was a real lifesaver to have that extra storage when the house turned into Lego-central.
This makeover gave the piece subtle color that complements the shutters on our wall and brings a gentle vintage presence to the room without overwhelming it.
I’m thrilled with how the subtle Duck Egg Blue works with the rest of the room. Even Lola is completely enthralled by the new coffee table—she inspects every drawer as if approving the design.
I’d love to hear what you think—your feedback always makes my day. If you enjoyed this project, check out other recent makeovers and tutorials on the blog for more DIY inspiration.
Next on my list: a custom bookcase to fill the wall behind the couch, some layered wall art, and a cozy rug to tie the room together. Of course, anyone who loves decorating knows a room is never truly finished, but these additions will bring this space much closer to the look I’m aiming for.
Blessings,
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