Milk Painted Kids Table Set

Modernized Solid Pine Hand Crafted Heart Wall Shelf

Bringing New Life to a Country Classic. We’ve all seen them: those solid, well-built pine shelves from the 80s and 90s that have a lot of heart (literally) but are stuck in that unmistakable "orange" stain era. While the craftsmanship is top-tier (this one was hand crafted by my father in law), the color can often feel a bit too retro for a contemporary home. In this tutorial, I’m showing you how to take a vintage 9-cubby wall shelf and transform it from a dated relic into a bolder, fresher, and more current statement piece. By applying a rich chestnut brown stain , we’ve traded that brassy orange hue for a deep, sophisticated tone that highlights the wood grain. Follow along as I walk you through the prep, the staining process, and how this simple color shift completely changes the vibe of the piece—making those iconic heart cutouts feel intentional and chic rather than just "country."

How adorable are little kids table and chairs sets? They are so much fun to relove for 1- you can do in fun colors, 2- they are the perfect size to try a new product on and 3 - they are so popular. This set came to me unfinished with just crayon marks needing removing.

A good sanding took the crayon off and gave the wood surface a fresh new start. I went with CeCe Caldwell paint stain and finish all in one in Beechnut Gray for the top. Four coats were applied with a fine grit sanding in between each coat.

The base was finished in two coats of milk paint for a soft water color look finish. The first coat was Miss Mustard Seed milk paint in Eulalie's sky and the second coat was Homestead House Paint Co. in Loyalist.

to get in the wee areas that show just from the top I love to use fine artist brushes

Once dry, a light sanding over all the painted areas with a sanding sponge then 2 coats of poly to seal the paint up was applied by brush. All done ready to be staged and here it is below