Turn the tables
The Upcycler from Your Home and Garden
Give an op-shop find a new lease of life with some paint and wallpaper magic.
This wire-legged and wood-topped coffee table caught my eye in an op-shop. I liked its mid-century look, but not the ancient condition, so I bought it knowing it was an easy upcycling project. I wanted to make the beautiful floral Resene wallpaper the focal point of the furniture, but I could just as easily have cut out some of the flower shapes and glued them to the Resene Rapture-coloured top for a decoupage effect. It’s entirely up to you how you use the wallpaper.
You will need
- Resene GP Metal Primer
- Resene Quick Dry Waterborne Primer UnderCoat
- Paint for the legs, I used a Resene Rapture testpot
- Wallpaper, I used Resene Wallpaper Collection 47475
- Roller tray
- Paintbrush
- ShurStik Wallpaper Stick Down glue
- Resene SpaceCote Clear as sealer
Instructions
Step one
Choose your Resene wallpaper and Resene paint. I wanted a vibrant look for this coffee table, so I decided to take inspiration from the pink flowers in the Resene wallpaper and highlight them with Resene Rapture paint.
Step two
Wash and lightly sand the coffee table, then apply one coat of Resene GP Primer to the metal parts of the table. To prep the wood, apply Resene Quick Dry Primer UnderCoat and allow to dry.
Step three
Using a roller or a paint brush, apply two coats of Resene Rapture to the table. Allow the paint to dry between each coat.
Step four
Measure the Resene wallpaper and cut to fit the top and sides of the table top. Apply the glue to the table top and stick on the wallpaper. Allow to dry. Finish by applying a coat of Resene SpaceCote Clear to seal.
Let's roll with it
You’ll be able to do many more projects with a roll of Resene wallpaper than recovering a coffee table.
You can also:
- Line the back of a bookshelf for a quick update
- Use it to line drawers
- Cut to fit an old picture frame and hang on the wall as art.
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Styling: Lauren Olive. Photography: Helen Bankers. September 2025.