Vintage Brass Table: From Dull to Dramatic

This brass table was obtained from a relative’s estate.

Not my taste at all, but a sturdy piece that had potential. I decided it was an opportunity to do something artistic (which the previous owners would have appreciated).

Getting the Canvas Ready

The whole table needed a good sanding and priming to give me a blank canvas on which to work.

I applied my usual Zinsser BIN® primer not only to the wood portions but also the center of the brass top so the acrylic art paints would adhere to the metal.

Then I polished the brass edge to bring back its shine.

Letting the Art Flow

In a previous post (Vintage Accent Table: From Seasick to Seaside), I described the acrylic flow process where paints are diluted and then allowed to mix with each other naturally.

After I mixed the recipe of paint, Flood® Floetrol and a bit of water for each color, I poured overlapping puddles of paint on the tabletop. Then I tilted the table back and forth to let the colors swirl across the surface.

The Final Flourish

Lastly, I painted the wood with Farmhouse® “Black Noir” to serve as a neutral backdrop for the artistic top. I protected that with Minwax® Polycrylic.