NewsBite

Bunnings mum’s bedside makeover goes viral

A woman has managed to bring two old, dark bedside tables back to life using three Bunnings items, leaving thousands in awe of the fresh new look.

Secret Bunnings hack that will save you money

An Aussie mum who has turned her passion of upcycling into a full-time job has impressed thousands of people with her skills – particularly after transforming old bedside tables into a brand new looking piece.

Kylie Baldwin, 46, from the Central Coast, shared before and after snaps of the two drawers from Freedom, revealing how she gave the pieces a completely new look and feel using $78 worth of Bunnings products.

“The client actually wanted me to paint it in a beige/neutral colour but after looking at them, I realised they had the potential to look great in timber,” Ms Baldwin told news.com.au.

“I just felt I couldn’t paint over that timber and was able to persuade them to strip it back.”

To give the two bedsides a modern, yet rustic feel, Ms Baldwin spent two hours sanding them back before applying a mixture of the Cabot’s Water Based Satin Varnish ($19.10) and tint base stain and varnish ($26).

RELATED: Woman’s $49 Bunnings coffee table makeover

What the two bedside drawers looked like before Kylie Baldwin transformed them. Picture: Facebook
What the two bedside drawers looked like before Kylie Baldwin transformed them. Picture: Facebook

For the smooth finish, she sanded in between coats using a 360-grit fine sandpaper.

“I got Bunnings to tint (the base stain and varnish) to a Brazilian roast colour which is a dark warm stain and then I diluted it down using a bit of the Cabot’s non-drip water-based satin.”

She then shared the “stunning” transformation in a Bunnings Facebook group, raking in more than 4000 ‘likes’ and 480 comments from members surprised by the makeover.

“Wow that’s awesome,” one person wrote.

“Wow, you brought them back to life,” another person commented, while a third said: “Love the natural timber.”

Ms Baldwin said her client also loved the final product. The mum said it’s amazing what you can find under dark old stain.

RELATED: Secret behind mum’s immaculate home

And what they look like now. Picture: Facebook
And what they look like now. Picture: Facebook
She sanded the bedsides back and used just a bit of three different Bunnings products to complete the look. Picture: Facebook
She sanded the bedsides back and used just a bit of three different Bunnings products to complete the look. Picture: Facebook

The mother-of-three said she was overwhelming by all the positive feedback.

“I was so shocked. I couldn’t believe it. A lot of people were saying they too were shocked by what was hidden underneath the dark stain and how they loved texture and the curves, which are now more noticeable.”

Ms Baldwin first experimented with the idea of upcycling when she transformed the look of her bed, tallboy and bedsides, sharing the snaps with friends and family.

RELATED: Bunnings $10 item transforms bathroom

She got Bunnings to add a dark stain to this $26 product. Picture: Supplied
She got Bunnings to add a dark stain to this $26 product. Picture: Supplied
And then diluted the colour with this $33 product. Picture: Supplied
And then diluted the colour with this $33 product. Picture: Supplied

After the response she got, she thought to do it on the side while she was working part-time as a community support worker.

However, her passion then turned into a full-time job when she was made redundant in February last year due to company changes.

RELATED: Woman’s dream Kmart pantry goes viral

She shared the before and after snaps in a Bunnings Facebook group which attracted more than 4000 ‘likes’. Picture: Facebook
She shared the before and after snaps in a Bunnings Facebook group which attracted more than 4000 ‘likes’. Picture: Facebook
Many were left surprised by the transformation. Picture: Facebook
Many were left surprised by the transformation. Picture: Facebook

“I loved that job. I was with the company for 11 years but after I got made redundant, I thought to myself, ‘What am I going to do,’ and decided to create a business in restoring and upcycling pieces of furniture.”

Ms Baldwin said once COVID hit, her small business – Inspired by Coastal – skyrocketed with back-to-back orders. She’s now booked out for the next 16 months.

“I guess it’s because people are at home more and looking for something to do like renos and because they can’t travel, they’re spending that money on their house.”

Read related topics:Bunnings

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/diy/bunnings-mums-bedside-makeover-goes-viral/news-story/5c0e9e77c4c6b8f5a9cd3a84f3edd0e4