• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cottage at the Crossroads

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Gardening
  • Recipes
  • Canning
  • DIY
  • Holidays
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Gardening
    • Recipes
    • Canning
    • DIY
    • Holidays
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » DIY » Painted Furniture

    Country Cottage Cubby Makeover

    By: Jane · Updated: 14 Sep, '19 · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    In this post, I'm sharing my secret way to paint a piece of furniture quickly and inexpensively. My country cottage cubby makeover may inspire you to redo a piece soon! 

    Country cottage farmhouse cubby makeover

    Country Cottage Cubby Makeover

    Hey! Hey! Hey! Today is Thrifty Style Day and I'm going to spill the beans on how I redid this unusual piece of furniture to go in our new laundry/mudroom space. 

    First, I wasn't sure what to call this piece of furniture. It's a piece that I purchased at the auction that is located about 5 miles from where we live. I didn't pay much for it at all, and I was attracted to the cubbies or storage bins on the piece.

    Although I didn't have a space for it at the time, I put it in my storage building thinking that if we ever redid our kitchen that I would create a space for it. 

    I mean, wouldn't those cubbies be great for storing potatoes and onions?

    Perfect for a farmhouse or country cottage kitchen, huh? 

    But the piece stayed in storage for a number of years because I just didn't have a space for it, but I didn't want to sell it because I loved its uniqueness. 

    I've searched all over the internet to find a similar one to no avail. It's hard to even describe it. What would you call it? Vintage storage unit? Organizer? Hutch? Cupboard? Sorter? 

    The best word I could think of was cubby. (I think I became a teacher so that I could be surrounded by cubbies all day!)

    Before-piece of furniture with cubbies

    Here is how it looked with its original finish. 

    Original finish on the cubby

    I just didn't like the yellowish color, the stain bleed-through, and the distressing. 

    My New Favorite Spray Paint!

    Camouflage paint by krylon used on cubby makeover

    So out came my new favorite spray paint! A few months ago, I was looking for a spray paint to paint some stained curtain rings a taupe color when I discovered this. When I bought it, I really was taking a chance, but the color on the top was exactly what I wanted!

    Y'all! This is a true FIND!!! If you are looking for a flat finish (like chalk paint) in a taupe color, this is it! The color on the label says #4291 camouflage khaki, and I purchased it at Lowe's.

    The curtain rings turned out great so I immediately painted a storage cabinet and a plant stand with this paint. 

    And just recently, I painted the cubby with it. 

    Valspar sample paint-island salsa

    Once I got it spray painted, I thought the interior of the stained bins looked too dark so I proceeded to paint the inside with this sample size of Valspar in Island Spice. 

    It's almost the same shade of this planter that's on the back porch. 

    Painting the inside of the storage bins on a cubby

    Painting the inside of the storage bins proved to be much harder. It took 2 coats to cover the dark stain that was inside. 

    I probably need to give it one more coat, but for now, I'm too eager to get some fall decor inside the bins! 

    Yes, I'm turning it into a pumpkin holder! Hehe! 

    I can't wait to show it to you all decorated for fall and to show you our new laundry/mudroom. 

    Country cottage style cubby

    This is not where the cubby goes! I just pulled it out so I could photograph it better! 

    Because I already had this piece of furniture, I was able to do this country cottage cubby makeover for less than $10. Spray painting furniture is a very thrifty way of giving something a new look! 

    More DIY

    • Peat pot with pumpkin 1
      Thrifty Peat Pot Pumpkin Holder
    • Lattice panel above faux fireplace 2
      Upcycled Wood Lattice Wall Panel for Fall Decor
    • Ruffled tea towel cherry bowl and sign 2 square
      No Sew Ruffled Tea Towel
    • Bunko girls on steps 2
      Bunco Friends Lunch and Crafting Time

    Sharing is caring!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Beth Bryan

      September 15, 2019 at 4:46 pm

      This is an awesome makeover, Jane! Love that pop of spice inside the cubbies. Also, your pic looks like an ad for this furniture, for real. 😀 Great job!

      Reply
      • Jane Windham

        September 19, 2019 at 10:52 am

        Awww! That's a real compliment from you, Beth! Your Lightroom course has helped me edit photos tremendously!

        Reply
    2. Meegan

      September 15, 2019 at 1:10 am

      You have outdone yourself, Jane. The colors are so perfect for this style. I would definitely call it a cubby. It would also be pretty filled with Christmas decor or Spring blossoms.
      Whatever you come up, I know it will be beautiful
      Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    3. Kristi @ Chatfield Court

      September 14, 2019 at 1:21 am

      Great piece Jane, and I love the colors that you chose for it. Thanks, too for the paint tip. I'm always looking for a good spray paint to try and this one is definitely on the list. Can't wait to see your beautiful new cubbies filled will fall goodies!

      Reply
    4. Bliss

      September 13, 2019 at 4:30 pm

      That is so darn cute! Cubby, I'd call it a cubby too, and boy wouldn't that come in handy for little mittens and kids hats.

      Reply
    5. Cindy

      September 13, 2019 at 3:02 pm

      Jane this is a cutie piece. Paint is the best. I often say it's magical.

      Enjoy your weekend

      Cindy

      Reply
    6. Cindy

      September 13, 2019 at 2:21 pm

      I love cubbies too Jane, and this one is amazing! I especially like how you highlighted the interior with the bright color...it's going to look fabulous for fall!

      Reply
    7. Mary Stewart

      September 13, 2019 at 1:59 pm

      Wow, that color combination is stunning! Thanks for the heads up on that spray paint. I am redoing my craft space and have 3 different styles/color desks in there right now. I know I will have to paint those desk the same color in order to pull together the look, but couldn't bring my self to prep/strip any of them to get started on the painting. Your new favorite paint will work just fine! Thanks again and hHave a BLESSED weekend!

      Reply
    8. Kristi Dominguez

      September 13, 2019 at 1:43 pm

      Wow! What a great find! I love cubbies...the ways to use them for organizing is endless! I love the colors you chose! It looks fabulous! I can't wait to see what you put in it!

      Reply
    9. Frances Batson

      September 13, 2019 at 12:57 pm

      I love cubbies. They give you so many ideas just seeing them. Great new color. Can not wait for pumpkins.

      Reply
    10. Pamela

      September 13, 2019 at 12:31 pm

      Jane I love how it turned out! You always have the best projects.

      Reply
    11. Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage

      September 13, 2019 at 9:56 am

      Jane you will have lots of fun figuring different uses for this cubby. Love the paint color too.
      Happy Friday. Have a lovely weekend.
      Hugs,
      Kris

      Reply
    12. Sandy

      September 13, 2019 at 9:47 am

      Love that cubby table. That just brings to mind so many uses. You are correct in that it would be so cute in kitchen, but laundry room/ back door too. I love the colors. That color for the insides is just the perfect touch.

      Reply
    13. Vicki and Jenn 2 Bees in a Pod

      September 13, 2019 at 9:21 am

      Love, love, love your cubby table. Your vision with the new paint colors is perfect! And we are jealous of your "pumpkin holder". It will be amazing with your fall decor. Also, thanks for introducing us to a new paint!

      Reply
    14. Jo Johnston

      September 13, 2019 at 8:27 am

      The cubby table seems to have been modeled along the design that hardware stores used to fill with various sizes of nails for sale. There was a time when customers could buy just one nail if that was all they needed. I believe grocery stores used something similar to hold different types of produce before the advent of the modern mega store. I love the way your version turned out.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads

    We're Jane and Leo!

    Thanks for stopping by! We're renovating and preserving our family's 100 year old home place where we garden, complete a few DIY projects, and do some cooking. Please leave us a comment so that we'll know that you were here.

    about →

    Reader Favorites

    • Setting up a gardening journal
      How to Set Up a Garden Journal
    • Wooden garden obelisks
      DIY Wooden Garden Obelisk
    • Sweet cucumber relish featured
      Sweet Cucumber Relish
    • Cucumbers in raised beds
      Growing Cucumbers in Raised Beds

    Gardening How-tos

    • Best way to remove weeds from large area
      Best Ways To Remove Weeds From a Large Area
    • Potting mix vs. Potting soil
      Potting Mix vs. Potting Soil
    • How to dry and store fresh garden herbs
      How To Dry Herbs
    • 1
      Instant Pot Canning Basics

    Growing Vegetables

    • Fall decor 063
      Our Fall Vegetable Garden
    • Garden and yard may 2013 132
      Evolution of a Garden
    • Celebrity tomatoes in cages
      How to Grow Your Own Tomatoes
    • Growing lettuce in containers 030
      Growing Lettuce in Containers

    Footer

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    © 2021 Cottage at the Crossroads · All Rights Reserved

    Contact Us · Privacy

    44 shares