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In honor of Mother's Day this weekend, I gave my mother's 1980's Ethan Allen Console Table a little makeover. I remember going to the showroom to select this table with her when I was a little kid. It brings me a lot of joy to have it back out and being used again. See how I made it over, as well as restyled it, below.

Oh, and it's Thrifty Style Team Day! This Ethan Allen Console makeover is just one of several fun and thrifty ideas listed out below.

While my mom would probably think my hot pink direction for this table is a bit questionable, at best, I do think she'd love the fact that we're using it again. Honestly, in the end, she always did enjoy my "wild ideas", even if they were a bit out of her comfort zone. See how this table started out, below.

Ethan Allen Console Table Makeover

Anybody else an Ethan Allen junkie? I love their furniture...its style is timeless, and it lasts for ages. In fact, the cream colored wingback chairs in this room (pictured below) were also 1980's throwbacks from Ethan Allen, as well. They were also from my parents' home (I do plan to have them recovered in the future, but for now, they work fine). This console table that I'm sharing today was always in the TV room (or, "den", as they called it) of my parents' home. It was always behind the couch and always filled with framed family photos. 

I'm definitely trying to duplicate how my mom always used this piece. The shape of it really stands out, now that it's pink. It just screams "chinoiserie" to me...which is what I love. Slowly, this room has definitely become a throwback of sorts to the home I grew up in...lots of that 1980's classic furniture here and there. Now that both of my parents have passed away, I seem to crave their style that they always had. I think it brings me comfort.

To give a bit of background, we had the above 1950's console here previously. I did love this piece. It came from an antique store on Hildebrand in San Antonio (a great street to antique on). However, the actual record player part never worked properly. And, the nearest place for repair was over an hour away. Also, I couldn't take a paint brush to it...it felt criminal. But, I also didn't love the color. So, I gave it to our neighbors who love anything mid-century modern. 

A 1980's Console Table Gets a New Life

Sadly, I don't have any photos (that I can currently find) of the table when it was in my childhood home. However, I did have a couple of older photos of the table in the entryway of our previous home:

I had actually painted it black myself (which I regretted later...it was a "slap on the paint" kind of job). It never looked great, especially the part where the caning is, under the glass top. So, I would stick scrapbook paper or fabric under the glass to hide the paint job.

We honestly didn't have a good spot for it in our new home when we moved in, so it went to the storage shed. Fast forward a few years and I pulled it back out and dusted it off...ready to bring her back inside!

My mother had several pieces of furniture that have caning. I have painted a few of them (like this Ethan Allen Console), and learned a few tricks along the way.

Tips for Painting Furniture with Caning

• Use a quality quick-drying spray paint. I really loved the Cover Maxx from Krylon in Mambo Pink for my table. 
• I purchased it here on Amazon.
• Clean and prep your surfaces thoroughly. When using spray paint, you usually don't need to sand, but test an inconspicuous place on your piece to make sure your paint adheres properly. If it doesn't, do a light sanding with a fine-grade sand paper and then wipe down with a tack cloth before painting.
• Begin using light, consistent, "strokes" of spray paint. Be super patient. This will take several coats. Don't get carried away and try to get the job done too fast...paint will drip through the caning and dry that way (with actual dried drips hanging down from the underside of the caning, often).

Pictured above is two coats of the paint. It took a total of four coats, in all.

• Allow each coat of paint to thoroughly dry before doing the next. Spray paint dries fairly quickly, so this usually isn't too big of a deal. 
• While I didn't, you can always seal your spray paint with a clear coat for extra protection. Since I used a really nice brand of spray paint this time around, I opted to skip that step.
• Allow your paint to dry for 24 hours before using your furniture. I paint outside, but after a couple of hours, bring my piece inside to finish curing completely. I've had leaf prints in pieces that I've left out overnight, so lesson learned there. 

After my piece was dry, we brought her into the living room the next day.

I'm really happy with how she turned out. And I love how the piece coordinates perfectly with my hot pink drapes. Incidentally, I love these drapes. They're heavy black-out drapes that are beautifully lined. I grabbed them here on Amazon.

The larger photo on the console is me and my parents from about 25 years ago. And that very photo (in that very frame) sat on this table in their house for a number of years. I still miss them both so much. The smaller photo is my husband and me on our wedding day. It was my mom's copy of that photo and she had it in that bow frame, also on this table.

On the other end of the table is my favorite ginger jar of all time. I actually got it at a Goodwill, y'all! It is in mint condition and I just love it. When I posted here on Instagram about this jar, I laughed at the comment, "That must be one boujee Goodwill to have a ginger jar!" Yep, I guess so. I've been back to the same store over the years, but it hasn't ever happened again. 

I mean, honestly, can one ever have enough blue and white?

The Chinoiserie Plumed Bird Lamp was from a different Goodwill, a couple of years back. The colors are perfect in this space. And that back photo (of my parents and me) has definitely graced this table before...probably for 20 years or so!

This is the same room from the other side. If you saw my post on Use What You Have Decor, you may remember that I "borrowed" a few items from this room for that newly made-over TV room. I have since replaced the coffee table in here with this simple glass-topped one. I ordered it from Amazon and it was easy to put together. You can grab the same one here. It's a really great piece for how inexpensive it is.

The sectional is originally from Ikea. See how we "made it blue" in this Blue Ikea Sectional post. I also shared a tutorial on how I made the pillows with the orange pom pom trim (they're actually envelope pillows and I wash the covers regularly). I purchased all of the aqua and white pillows from Minted here. They have a fantastic selection.

My original brass floor lamp in here also went to our "new" TV room. But, I love this new one even more because of how it "hangs" over the little Rose Medallion garden stool. You can grab it here on Amazon (that's where I bought mine).

Incidentally, that Chinoiserie Rose Medallion piece was from a local thrift store, too. It's truly become more of a plant stand than a side table, though. I have an abundance of Peace Lilies since my father's funeral...I'm a plant person, so I love them all. I actually still have plants from my mom's funeral, too, scattered throughout the house. They're all sweet reminders.

My "staff party" of Staffordshire Dogs is happening on the mantel. You can grab this free Staffordshire Dog printable, if you're into these pups, too.

I think this Ethan Allen Console of my mom's really rounded out the space. So happy to have it in use again. 

Thrifty Style Team Projects

Listed out below, you can find links to all of my friends' fantastic and budget-friendly projects, as well. Thrifty Style Team day is definitely one of my favorite days of the month...there is so much inspiration to be had.

• Redhead Can Decorate - Sun Clothespin Wreath
• The Painted Hinge - How to Make Paperback Books Look Vintage
• DIY Beautify - DIY Weathered Wood Pedestal
• 2 Bees In A Pod - Thrift Store Planters - Thrifty Style Team
• Postcards From The Ridge - Tiered Tray Decor Ideas with Thrifty and Vintage Finds
• The Creek Line House - Ten Plants to Grow for Home Decor
• The How To Home - Upcycled Berry Basket
• The Tattered Pew - How to Easily Recover an Old Footstool
• Unskinny Boppy - How to Frame a Puzzle without Puzzle Glue
• Sweet Pea - DIY Patriotic Vase
• What Meegan Makes - Thrifted Mirror Gallery Painted with Homemade Chalk Paint