Pretty Nightstand Makeover: Painted Pink + Wallpaper

Check out this amazing old oak wood nightstand makeover! The bones were good but this piece definitely needed to be pimped before reaching a happy girl’s bedroom.

Old nightstand before makeover — Old nightstand before the makeover

Thanks to a fresh coat of paint, we were able to say goodbye to the dark wood color. This makeover was given by Amelie. I can’t wait to show it to you because the after is pretty cool.

Table of Contents

Supplies and Tools Used for this Makeover

Prep Work

Like every makeover, it all started with a good cleaning. So, the nightstand was carefully dismantled and thoroughly cleaned. The knobs were also removed. The original wax finish was also removed with a degreaser. This piece was in pristine condition. No holes or cracks to be filled with wood filler, which is pretty rare!

The nightstand was then entirely sanded using 120 and 180-grit sandpapers to get a smooth finish.

Painting the Nightstand in Pink

Last step before the nightstand before painting it pink: the primer!

This nightstand was made of solid oak wood. And oak is a wood rich in tannins which means there is a 100% chance to get paint bleed-through when painting it with a bright color. Trust me, when it comes to bleed-through, it’s better to be safe than sorry. That’s why I recommend priming before painting when dealing with oak furniture, especially when you want to paint it with a light color. Go and check our supply list above to get a good primer paint.

This Carved Sideboard Makeover is another example of oak furniture I primed before painting it with a light color.

The next day, Amelie applied two coats of bright pink paint all over the piece except on the back panel inside and the small drawer.

Workshop inside: Painting the old nightstand with pink paint

She tried not to paint the small drawer and keep a raw wood finish. It matched pretty well with the pink color. But Amelie had another plan for this cute drawer.

Nightstand makeover: painted pink with raw wood drawer

Adding a Touch of Wallpaper Inside

Those who are used to old furniture can relate, the inside of the drawers are often dirty: dust, grease stains, ink stains, rust stains, and so on… If you can’t clean them, you can try to hide this kind of damage. The first option is of course to paint it. Another great way to hide persistent stains is to add wallpaper. Wallpaper is a great way to customize your piece of furniture with special eye-catching patterns. It takes very little time and is easy to process. If you chose a peel-and-stick wallpaper, it is even easier to apply. No glue or paste is needed.

For more wallpapered furniture, check out my Carved Sideboard Makeover: Painted white + Wallpapered.

Detail of Japanese style wallpaper waves pattern glued inside the nightstand — Detail of Japanese-style wallpaper glued inside the nightstand – Love this pattern so much!

An elegant Japanese-style ocean waves wallpaper was chosen for this makeover. The drawer front was therefore painted with light blue paint to match this white and blue wallpaper.