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Nightstands Makeover With Americana Decor Satin Enamels

This post is sponsored by DecoArt. I only work with brands I know, use, and love, so you can trust that the information I’m sharing about Americana Decor Satin Enamels is reliable.

Nightstands Makeover With Americana Decor Satin Enamels

This is the last in my five-part series of posts where I feature projects using paints from Americana Decor’s brand new paint lines. You can see my previous four projects below:

DecoArt Americana Decor Projects

Top: Nesting Tables // Trunk Bottom: Map Art // Ceramic Pot

Today I’m sharing my nightstands makeover with Americana Decor Satin Enamels in Classic Black! (Plus a little hardware upgrade.)

before and after nightstand makeover pictures

But before we get to that, I want to talk a little bit about this paint. Since the Satin Enamels line is designed specifically for painting cabinets and it cures to a durable finish, it’s perfect for high-traffic areas like our nightstands. We use them a lot–they don’t just sit in our room and look pretty. So they need to be durable!

I also want to talk a little bit about the different neutral colors in the Satin Enamels line. When I’m looking at paint colors, one of my biggest worries is that the computer-generated color swatches won’t accurately represent how colors actually look when they are painted and dry. If you’re looking for a solid gray, just a pinch too blue can ruin it. Likewise, beige can come in many different shades and tones. All colors look a bit different with different lighting, but I still think it’s helpful to see the actual colors painted on to something. So here are some samples–I hope seeing them helps you decide which shade is right for your project.

paint tests of different paint colors

Top (L to R): Classic Black, Rich Chestnut, Natural Sable

Middle (L to R): Grey Taupe, Neutral Beige, Dove Beige

Bottom (L to R): Smoke Grey, Warm White, Pure White

As part of a mini bedroom makeover I am working on, I decided to paint our nightstands using Classic Black. This simple update gave them such a nice sheen, and coupled with the new hardware I picked up, they look seriously fly.

decorative knobs on a black nightstand

So here’s what I used for this project:

(Affiliate links below; read more about those here)

And here’s how I did it.

(Remember to wear an appropriate mask while working with paints, stains, and finishes. Follow the directions and warnings from your particular brand.)

Step 1: I removed the drawer knobs, wiped the pieces down, and flipped them upside down. This will help you get into the crevices a bit easier.

The Satin Enamels instructions say to sand lightly between coats when painting on raw wood and to lightly sand already painted or sealed surfaces before applying. However, the nightstands had really slick surfaces–much like the finish you see on a lot of Ikea pieces–so I decided to do a coat of primer instead of sanding. Then I brushed on the first coat of paint.

first coat of black paint on the nightstand

Step 2: For the second and third coats, I decided to switch to a roller. I wanted the black to look super slick, and I was worried that any brush strokes would muck that up. I used the paint brush to cut in and around the crooks and then rolled the paint on. Make sure you use a fabric roller, not a foam one, and a fine-bristle brush so that there isn’t a huge difference in texture between the roller-painted and brush-painted sections.

Step 3: I let these dry and then set them aside to cure for a few days. Again, these are high-traffic pieces, so I wanted to make sure they were ready. After curing, I screwed on the new hardware. Good as new.

first coat of black paint on the nightstand and new knobs

And here they are looking lovely with the plant gang:

painted black nightstand with new knobs
painted black nightstand with new knobs
plants on a black nightstand
gold and black knobs on a nightstand

Want to test these paints out for yourself? The Americana Decor Satin Enamels are available in Hobby Lobby and Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores right now. Start checking A.C. Moore by June 24th and Michaels in August!

PIN IT

collage that says learn how to paint a nightstand with pictures of the project

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  1. Marlee Strah says:

    How much paint did you use?

  2. Julia McNeill says:

    Loving that new hardware! Nice project!

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