Here’s how I transformed a dated old apothecary table using paint and contact paper!
We have had this wooden apothecary table since we lived in our first condo! I bought it at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore in North Carolina somewhere around 2013 and I have always loved it.
![apothecary table makeover](https://www.charlestoncrafted.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Charleston-Crafted-46-683x1024.jpg.webp)
It’s big, heavy, and really unique with 16 drawers!
It was a side table in our condo and the entryway table in our old house.
![DIY Starburst Driftwood Mirror - Charleston Crafted](https://www.charlestoncrafted.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/MG_5599-683x1024.jpg.webp)
Now, we have it on the landing at the top of the stairs, right outside our master bedroom.
I have been walking past this thing every day, and while I love it, I hated how the wood stain color looked with our floors. The stain is cherry red and the floors are brown-gray – it clashes.
So, I decided to refinish it!
![apothecary table before](https://www.charlestoncrafted.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Charleston-Crafted-17-2-683x1024.jpg.webp)
My idea was to sand off the finish and white wash it in a light wood color.
Well, I sanded it a lot and used stripper to remove the finish and realized that it is not solid wood but actually a very thin veneer.
I sanded through the veneer in several placed and could not get the finish off completely without exposing the plywood underneath the veneer. Whomp whomp.
So, after all of that sanding, I ended up painting it. I chose Deep Lagoon chalk paint by Jolie Paint. I had this left over from when we turned a headboard and footboard into a bench. It’s a gorgeous color!
I love the blue but wanted to lighten the piece up, so I decided not to paint the drawer fronts. Instead, I wanted them to look like linen.
I got this linen contact paper and applied it to each drawer front.
Tip: Don’t cut a square to cover the front. Cut excess and wrap around the sides of each drawer front for a more perfect finish.
![contact paper on drawer front vs wrapped around drawer front](https://www.charlestoncrafted.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Charleston-Crafted-14-2-1024x683.jpg.webp)
Then, I stuck the hardware back through the contact paper (it was easy to pop a hole in it with the screw end.) The hardware was actually 2 pieces and I didn’t reuse the back plates, just the loops.
Finally, we added new feet. I ordered these tapered wooden feet. They felt a little too long so we chopped about 1/2 of the length off with the miter saw before screwing them into place.
![apothecary table after](https://www.charlestoncrafted.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Charleston-Crafted-26-1-898x1024.jpg.webp)
I decided to leave the legs raw wood since it contrasted nicely and also helped to lighten up the piece.
![apothecary table feet](https://www.charlestoncrafted.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Charleston-Crafted-25-1-1024x683.jpg.webp)
I absolutely love how this makeover turned out! We ended up painting and hanging new art and a hanging plant here, too. This little landing is so happy now!
Video demonstration
Check out this whole makeover process in a video!
![Apothecary Table Makeover Youtube Thumbnail](https://www.charlestoncrafted.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Apothecary-Table-Makeover-Youtube-Thumbnail-1024x576.jpg.webp)
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Hello, I’m Morgan, half of the creative force behind CharlestonCrafted.com! With a passion for DIY that dates back to 2012, I’ve transformed three homes and now I’m dedicated to helping others craft their dream spaces. Let’s turn your house into a home together!