Bombe is the French word for curvy, so I guess you could say this coffee table is bombe.
I was careful not to write “da bomb” because that was popular when I was a teen, and it’s so NOT popular now. Now, all the cool teenagers simply say something is “bomb”. Having proven how uncool I am, let’s move on to this table project!
This elegant style is from 17th century French design. With color and finish, though, you can fit bombe pieces into most decors. Traditional, eclectic, and yes, even farmhouse.
I got this particular coffee table off of Facebook Marketplace. Unfortunately, I made the cardinal error of forgetting to take a before photo. About the best I can do is show you the before picture of the matching end tables that came with it. I painted them completely differently, and will be sharing them next week here on the blog.
This set caught my eye because I just love curvy furniture. And check out all the other details as well. Rattan insets, nailhead trim and corner carvings. These pieces were just screaming for an update, so they could be beautiful again! What do you think? Beautiful, no?
Painting the Base
It was in great structural shape, so no repairs. Plus the original hardware was intact. I wasn’t so lucky with the end tables. I gave the coffee table a quick sand and wipe down, and then I pulled out my favorite creamy white color, Drop Cloth.
I painted one coat on everything but the top, and let it dry thoroughly. On the second coat, I painted a side, and then immediately took a damp cloth and wiped back the paint in certain areas. I concentrated on the details I mentioned before. The rattan insets, the nailhead trim and the corner carvings. Wiping all the way back to the wood in those spots really highlights what’s special about this piece.
Layered Finish on Top
I wanted to keep the top dark, but I wasn’t really down for sanding and stripping on this piece. My alternative, and I like to think one of my signatures, is a layered finish. To start, I painted the top in Chocolate brown.
After that dried thoroughly, I switched to a dark gray called Hurricane Gray. I used a chip brush, which is a cheap brush with very few bristles. It’s good for applying a small amount of paint. I dipped it into the paint sparingly, and scraped most of it off on the edge of the container before lightly dragging the brush across the top. I immediately wiped it with a damp paper towel to blend any edges, and take off any excess. You do this in straight lines, no rubbing in circles.
Then I repeated that process with a color called Urbane Bronze. It’s a little darker than the Chocolate for some variation. Lastly, I sealed the top with 2 coats of satin sheen polyacrylic called Gator Hide. This gives it durability. Actually, in full disclosure, I still need to do the top coats, but I will!
Resources
Here are the products I used to do this makeover:
- Coffee table (thrifted)
- Drop Cloth
- Chocolate
- Chip brush
- Hurricane Gray
- Urbane Bronze (Sherwin Williams)
- Gator Hide sealer
- Paint Brush (large round)
You can see quite a few other tables I’ve done on my Portfolio page. Or if you want even more inspiration, check out what Rachel did with her beautiful coffee table makeover here.
Click this picture if you’d like to sign up to get weekly projects and inspiration to your inbox:
