Red Coffee Bar

Hi Friends!  Are you ready for a little upcycling project today?  I found this dresser and mirror at Goodwill for $20, and immediately envisioned it as a coffee bar in a funky color.  And this turned out to be one of those projects where my vision actually came to life!

Here is what it looked like before.  The angle of the picture is a little weird because I had it upside down, took the picture and then rotated the picture right side up.

The shape of the piece is so cute, but the color and grain aren’t really very popular these days.  Based on the construction, it may be an antique.  So it was definitely worth saving and re-purposing.

Adding WoodUBend Mouldings

After a good cleaning inside and out and a little wood filler here and there, I added a few WoodUBend mouldings.  Could you tell they weren’t original to the piece?  I bet you couldn’t!  

To apply a moulding, you heat it up with a hair dryer.  Then paint  a layer of wood glue on the back with a small brush and stick it into place.  Use the hair dryer on it again and press it down firmly with your fingers.  You can really feel it bonding to the surface.  Then you’re done! 

You don’t need to tape or clamp it into place.  I love that you don’t need any special tools, and trust me, if I can do it anybody can!

If you’d like to get my projects and behind-the-scenes info to your inbox, click the picture to sign up!  I’ll also send you my free 1-pager with the 6 elements that make up farmhouse style.

Paint and Glaze

Using my 2″ flat synthetic brush, I gave it one coat of Barn Red.  It didn’t give full coverage, but since my finished look was pretty rustic, I stopped there.  Then I applied the Lovely Ledger transfer to my bottom drawer.

It looked far too fresh and new, so I gave the whole piece a coat of Van Dyke brown glaze, even going right over the transfer.  I brushed it on with a chip brush and wiped it off with a paper towel.  It took a little paint off in some areas, which added to the rustic look.

For the top, I used the same technique I used on the farmhouse sofa table last week.  I painted it Coffee Bean, and once that was dry, I added some Tobacco Road going with the grain, but leaving some areas of pure Coffee Bean.  This gives a stained top look, without all the work of stripping and staining.  Then I sealed with Gator Hide, water-resistant top coat.

Making a Mirror into a Chalkboard

Since the mirror is a slick surface, I used 2 coats of Slick Stick on it before adding the chalkboard paint.  This ensured my next layers would stick well.  Once that had dried really well, I added 3 coats of Rustoleum chalkboard paint.

The chalkboard can be used for writing menus or grocery lists, or just for pretty chalkboard designs.  There are so many ideas on Pinterest for seasonal chalkboard designs, especially if you’re good with hand lettering.  If not, you can always use a stencil too.

Here is everything you need for this project.

Resource List:

(These are affiliate links from which I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

• small dresser with mirror (thrifted)
• White Lightning
• Dixie Belle Mud in brown
• WoodUBend Keyholes #996
• WoodUBend Scroll Embellishments #366 and #367
• Barn Red
• Van Dyke brown glaze
• ReDesign with Prima Lovely Ledger transfer (available on Amazon or Etsy)
• Coffee Bean
• Voodoo Gel Stain in Tobacco Road
• Gator Hide
• Rustoleum chalkboard paint (available at hardware stores)

If you enjoyed this red coffee bar upcycle, you may also like this rolling coffee station I made out of a free hutch top or this red farmhouse dresser.  Please Pin for future inspiration!

Leave me a Comment below, and let me know if you love red furniture.  There has to be some of you out there!!