We've almost finished redecorating our kitchen. Beside the table we have a bookshelf that the TV sits on. I felt with the kitchen painted the 'caramel macchiato' colour, that the dark wood was too dark. Today I got my sandpaper and paint out and set to work.
Before...
I sanded the whole thing down, removed the shelves and did the same to them. Then I wiped it all clean and started to paint. 
I must admit that around this time I wanted to cry, thinking I'd made a horrible mistake. Then I got a grip and remembered that absolutely all paint projects look hideous when you start. It takes time. Ah. Something I didn't have a lot of. My little girl was having her nap when I started this, and I optimistically thought/hoped I'd have it more or less finished by the time she was awake. Ha! Some hope!I plodded on, painting, letting it dry, painting again, entertaining and feeding my daughter whilst keeping her away from wet paint, and then painting a bit more. Eventually I was able to add wallpaper to the back of the bookshelf and to scuff up the oh-so-fresh-and-far-too-neat paint.
We all have our own level of distressing that we like, and mine is not too much. I don't like to go overboard with the sandpaper, I just scuff away until it looks right to me, and then I put the sandpaper away before I get carried away and ruin the effect. That said, after looking at these photos I think I need to do a little bit more scuffing.The wallpaper is from Laura Ashley. I bought it over 2 years ago. I had no idea it was so pretty.
My favourite detail is my little cup mark on a shelf.
I thought it would add to the 'been bashed around for years' look. I made myself a cup of tea, and squeezed the teabag well afterwards. Then I just rubbed it around the base of another tea cup and placed it on the shelf. I left it until I'd finished my cup of tea and *ta da* there was a nice mark left behind. It made me smile. Some people are so careful not to get this kind of mark on furniture, and here was I, deliberately marking it. So there you have it. One bookshelf completely revamped in an afternoon.
This is quite a simple project to do. It does take a bit of time and patience, especially when sticking the wallpaper in (I've got a bit of a rip at the bottom, but I was beyond caring when it happened), but it is easy to do. The main thing needed is confidence, because it does look like a big streaky mess at the start and you can think that you've ruined it. Whenever I start a big project I always think 'oh no, what have I done, why did I think I could do this?'. I just have to grit my teeth, find a bit of courage and get on with it. So far nothing has been a total disaster.I love the end result, it looks so much better and really suits the kitchen. I plan to paint and distress the pedestal leg of the kitchen table too, but I need to buy more paint now.
My husband isn't home from work yet, I just hope he likes it as much as I do!