Upcycled Sewing Table: From Gutted to Glam

The adorable bowtie drawer pulls on this sewing table caught my eye right away.

This vintage sewing cabinet no longer held its machine. Instead, it held a lot of potential. These cabinets are gems — built well to withstand the weight of old sewing machines and chock full of upcycling options for today’s homes.

I decided this compact cabinet was ideal for an entry accent table.

Step One: Gutting

Sewing Table Anatomy 101: vintage sewing tables have a hole below which the sewing machine is stored and then raised through hinged top panels for use. Most of the innards of this cabinet were already gone but there were still a few pieces left to remove. Wow, was that foot pedal heavy!

One feature of these vintage cabinets is a swing-arm top that opens to double the work space. In this case, I decided to use that intact piece of wood to replace the one with the hole in it. Or so I planned.

I tried every method I knew to get that open piece off but it wasn’t budging. Remember what I said about these tables being well-built? Finally, I gave up and decided there was no reason why I couldn’t just glue the solid piece atop the open one. The table would look just like it did when closed. Some wood filler where the hinges were removed, a little E6000® adhesive, and I was in business.

Step Two: The Front Panel

Hardware soup anyone? I used my handy new water and vinegar polishing system (Vintage Dresser Makeover Pt 2: From Grime to Glimmer) to remove the grime and brighten up the retro pulls.

These were used to open the front of the cabinet, revealing a shallow tray for scissors, bobbins, and the like. But the door stuck and the hinges didn’t look great. So I decided this small entry table didn’t need the minimal storage. I detached the tray, removed the hinges, and screwed the front panel into place permanently.

Step Three: Paint

There was no need for primer since I was going with a darker paint. But as insurance to prevent the original stain from bleeding through, I gave the table a coat of Zinsser® shellac. Once that was dry, it was time to try out a new brand of paint.

This is “Copperhead Orange” by Melange Paints, a small company out of Sugar Land, Texas. It’s a very hot hue in home decor right now and is especially fun at this time of year. (Don’t worry, it darkens as it cures!) This color makes me want to jump in a pile of leaves and drink hot apple cider!