Updating our bedroom suite was a goal I was determined to achieve when we first started building our new home a year and a half ago.

We had downsized from our home of 18 years and this was to be the very first time we had built new. Between selling and the time the new house was due to be finished, we rented for 18 months and so continued the process of eliminating clutter and things collected over the 18 years in a much larger house.

However, our Queen size bedroom suite still had good bones.

But as you’ll see in this picture, it has also had its fair share of rough treatment by our beloved cat, Missy who grew up learning how to balance on the ends of the bed. Yes, often on the bed head where she did fall off onto my head a time or two!

I know, you’re probably wondering if and how I removed all of those scratches … stay tuned.

So … how does one work towards a mammoth goal like refinishing an entire queen size bedroom suite without a huge workshop space to do it in? I suppose it’s a bit like trying to eat an elephant – one bite at a time, haha.

So here’s the first “bite” – one bedside table with 3 drawers.

I wanted to turn this set from it’s orangey red wood, into some kind of French Country Farmhouse suite, with a natural wood finish on top and either black/navy or white on the base of all of these pieces. When we took a family vote, white won over black or navy, and I’m glad the other family members overruled my lazy thinking. You see, I knew if I painted the base black or Midnight Blue, it would take way less coats, and therefore I would get the job done so much faster. But now that they’re finished, it was truly worth the extra time taken to do those additional coats of white to get a full coverage.

How does one work towards a mammoth goal like refinishing an entire queen size bedroom suite without a huge workshop space? …one bite at a time.

Stripping the tops

I use this method of adding plastic wrap (just ordinary kitchen food wrap like Glad Wrap) over the top of the stripper once you’ve applied an even coat to the surface. I have another post about this here: Stripping an Old Door. I find that it keeps the stripper from drying out too quickly and allows it to penetrate the varnish to soften it more effectively.

Adding White Wax for a White Wash Look

I wanted a white wash look for the top surfaces and there are a number of ways to do this. I chose to use a white wax, which is easy to apply using a wax brush. Then remove excess with a lint free cloth or applicator, and buff to a sheen with a clean lint free cloth (preferably a white one – eg. an old white t-shirt).

See the difference below with the white wax on the left and the raw timber on the right.

THE CAT SCRATCHES

Oh, and if you’re wondering how I removed ALL the cat scratches from the bed ends that I mentioned earlier – it was tricky, but the tip is very basic – just keep sanding. That’s it. Keep sanding and keep sanding until all those little pesky scratches are a thing of the past!

Ready for the Final Results?

I found these adorable simple gold knobs to replace all the hardware, and the enormous task was completed in time for our move to the new house!

Of course this also called for a new quilt cover set, and later, new linen, but here’s the final look of the whole suite in our new master bedroom. Such a difference from the dark reddish orange (and highly scratched) timber.

I knew the whole room was looking very neutral, so I went shopping for some new linen and found a navy throw rug at Early Settler and this small textured pillow from Pillow Talk (Australia).

USE CODE “IRESTORESTUFF” FOR 5% OFF

I love the navy border stitching feature around the pillow cases and at the top of the flat sheet. Such careful attention to detail.

If you’re after a quality set, the wonderful team at Blessed Earth are offering my readers 5% off if you use my coupon code: IRESTORESTUFF at checkout.

They have some lovely colours in their “Magnificent” range.

Now to find some beautiful artwork for the wall above the bed. We have a big space also in the corner where I am standing to take this last picture. I’m imagining a cosy corner reading chair with a little side table or small book shelf. 

If you’ve enjoyed reading about this makeover, you may like some of my other furniture makeovers or visit my “Learn to Paint” tab to find more DIY tips for painting your own pieces.

Below is a 4 minute video that includes a little more of the process of this makeover if you’re looking for more of a visual demo. Combined with the blog post above, I’m sure you’ll find it a helpful addition and inspiration for your own room makeovers. If you have any further painting questions, feel free to leave a comment at the end of this post, or reach out to me for a more in depth consultation by booking a one-on-one session to learn more about painting your own furniture.