Chalk Mineral Paint Nightstand Table Makeover With Mediterranean Flair
The inspiration for this design came from a decoupage paper I found and loved. It is the Whimsical Mediterranean Rice Decoupage Paper by Belles & Whistles by Dixie Belle. This paper is just so pretty.
I paired it with some Mediterranean colors of yellow and red with gold accents, along with the Morocco Stencil also by Dixie Belle.
So, let’s get to the details on this fun chalk mineral paint nightstand table makeover.
If you are new to furniture painting and would like some helpful tips check out my post:

This post contains affiliate links Read my full disclosure policy here.
First The Table Before the Chalk Mineral Paint Table Makeover
Okay, so this sweet table was a fun find from Facebook Marketplace. It was very cute and overall in good condition. It did have a broken piece off of one foot on the backside of the table so I used Minwax High Performance Wood Filler to repair that.
After removing the hardware, I scuff sanded the rest of the table and then cleaned with Dixie Belle White Lightening mixed with hot water. After a good rinse with plain hot water, this little table was ready for the next step.
Oh, and also this table is mahogany. With mahogany expect “bleed through”. Bleed through is when the tannins in the wood or wood stain will bleed through the paint color. This can be super frustrating and leaves you with brown, tan or pink stains on your project.
When you clean a piece with water and you get pink or tan stains on a white cloth then you know you have a bleeder. Mahogany wood is notorious for bleed through. So, next up was priming this piece!
Next I’ll talk about priming. For more information on how and when to prime and other chalk painting basics go to Chalk Mineral Paint Basics: Tips For Success!
Prime The Nightstand For Chalk Mineral Paint
So, next up was priming. And, I chose to use my favorite white primer for tough projects. Let me introduce Zinsser BIN Shellac-Based Primer.
- This is an oil based product so you must take some precautions when using it.
- I recommend using brushes you can dispose of as oil-based primers do not clean up with water.
- You must work in ventilated area and wear eye protection.
- If you aren’t sure about your ventilation or can’t work outside of have sensitive respiratory system use an N95 industrial mask made to protect against chemical solvents and particles.

I talk more about this primer in my chalk mineral paint primer post.
- I like to apply this primer with a small 4 inch roller and synthetic brushes to get in details.
- The primer is thin and will splatter so protect work surfaces and wear old clothing.
- It dries super duper fast so you can apply a second coat in 15-20 minutes. Usually 2-3 coats is best.
- This is the best primer for blocking stains, bleed through, and odors.
Apply Chalk Mineral Paint To The Nightstand
Now that the table is sanded and cleaned, next up is applying the chalk mineral paint. This is the good stuff! The chosen color is so fun – The Bee’s Knees by Country Chic Paints. This is a nice light golden yellow and worked perfectly as a good base for the decoupage paper and gold accents. The color for the drawer facing and inside the drawer is Rusty Nail by Dixie Belle Paint Company. Rusty Nail is a rustic red color. I did two coats of each paint.

For some fun creative ways to add a bit of flair to your painted furniture makeovers read more at:
Furniture Transfers And Stencils.
Adding Decoupage Paper
I am amazed by all the decoupage papers available. Typically, I find a decoupage paper I love, buy it, and then once I find a piece of furniture it suits then I base the rest of the design from that.
For this project I used two packs (three sheets in each pack) of the Whimsical Mediterranean Decoupage Rice Papers. The colors in this paper are beautiful!
Here are a few tips for adding decoupage papers. I talk about this in a prior post, Twin Headboard Makeover With Decoupage.
- Use a either Redesign With Prima Decoupage Gel Matte or Dixie Belle Clear Coat to adhere the paper.
- Apply a layer of the clear coat or gel.
- Lay down the decoupage paper, working from one corner or side and smoothing down as you move across.
- use a brush, like the Dixie Belle Scarlet Brush, or a decoupage brayer, or saran wrap over your finger to smooth out air bubbles and wrinkles in the paper without tearing it.
- Once in place and smooth apply a topcoat of the gel or clear coat to seal.
- Smooth wrinkles and bubbles again if they formed after applying the topcoat sealer.
One tip is don’t be afraid to cut the design to fit your project. As you can see in these pictures, I trimmed the paper to show just part of the design. This worked for both sides and the inside of the drawer.

Adding A Stencil To The Nightstand Table Makeover
If you’d rather just watch a video on this makeover you can find it below.
To add just a little more fun to this table I decided to add a stenciled design to the table top and the drawer front. This stencil is the Dixie Belle Morocco Stencil. I used this stencil on a Morocco inspired table makeover before.

For the stencil medium Dixie Belle Gemstone Mousse in Golden Gem was used. It is a creamy, highly pigmented mousse like product. To improve dry time and durability I mix a small amount of the mousse with Dixie Belle Clear Coat In Gloss.
My favorite way to stencil is with the Best Dang Brush, using a pouncing motion to get the paint on. You can also use a paint roller. But I’ve had the best success with the Best Dang Brush.

You can tape down the stencil, hold down as you go, or use a stencil adhesive spray. Whichever method you choose, just try to not move the stencil to prevent smudging you design.
Chalk Mineral Paint Nightstand Makeover – Apply Topcoat/Sealer
For a final step, I applied clear coat to seal the project. I already applied clear coat to the sides, bottom and inside the drawer where I had the decoupage paper. However, for a final touch I applied two coats of Dixie Belle Clear Coat Satin to the entire project.
I did not apply to the table top or drawer front though. I have had trouble with Gemstone Mousse smudging when a clear coat is brushed on. Even though the stenciled areas felt dry, it felt safer to spray a sealer on. For the spray sealer, you can use Minwax Clear Polyacrylic Satin Spray.
Lastly, Adding Hardware
For a final step I added a drawer pull that looked a bit more vintage than the one that was on it originally. But before applying the hardware I cleaned it and then applied a nice layer of Redesign With Prima Gilding Décor Wax in Gold.
This is applied with your finger or an artist brush. I find a brush works best for me. But with the addition of gilding wax the hardware goes from drab to fab!



Summary – A Fun Project With Mediterranean Style
So this project looks complicated, but truth it be told it really wasn’t! And if you are wanting to try chalk paint don’t be afraid to add some flair with stencils, decoupage papers, and some brighter colors.!
I’d love to connect on social media. You can find me hanging out on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. I also post some Tik Toks from time to time.
If you have any questions about this project, don’t hesitate to send me a DM or email and I’ll try to answer!
Thanks again for checking out my post and Happy Painting!
XOXO Abbey
Hi Abbey! Thanks for the inspiration. I’m working on a nightstand similar to this and I’m going to use the. Colorful tiles decopauge paper. I’m sitting here staring at it trying to decide what color to use. That is my biggest problem. Sometimes it takes me weeks for inspiration to hit me.
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you so much for reading my post! I’m excited to hear that you are going to use the Colorful Tiles Decoupage Paper. It is one of my favorites for sure! I used some of it on a round drum table I painted a short time back. I went with a light golden yellow color mix. If you’d like to check out that post. But truly that decoupage paper has so many gorgeous colors in it that you could go with. Sometimes when I am trying to decide on a color I Google the name of the decoupage paper and go to the images section on Google to see what other people have used. I wish you luck with the project and I’d love to see how it turns out if you want to add it to the comments or send it to me in an Instagram or Facebook message.
Thanks again for checking out my blog! I really appreciate it and hope you find it helpful!
Abbey
hi again Abbey! this just showed up in my email again and I love your blog. there is so much great 👍 information. we need to get your blog out there. what can I do to help?
Hi Cheryl,
I apologize that you got the same thing twice! I was trying to adjust some things in my email server and may have sent the same thing over! Again apologies. You are so very kind to provide so much support and kind words about my blog! I really do appreciate it so much! I am currently working on trying to get more posts created and more content to get my blog updated and moving in the right direction. Your kind words and support mean so much! Thank You!
Abbey