I was pretty excited when Mr. Frugalista brought home this oval solid golden oak sofa table. I was instantly smitten with its gorgeous empire-style columnar base. I also love how long the table is making it a perfect sofa table or entryway console table.

While the style of the table is lovely, in my opinion, the golden oak made the table look tired and dated. So I gave it a makeover with Parisian flair and now the lovely detail shines on this French Country Console Table Makeover.

French Country Sofa Table Makeover

Today is Furniture Fixer Upper Day where six talented furniture painting friends come together once a month to breathe new life into a piece of furniture. I've included links to all the makeovers further down in the post. 

Last month I transformed a rather plain pine children's dresser into a Whitewashed Farmhouse Sideboard Buffet. Let's take a look at the oak console table I'm working on this month before the makeover.

And here it is after the makeover. Big difference, right?

So pretty painted green. The color is called Upper Canada and couldn't be more appropriate considering this coming weekend we celebrate Canada Day.

But my favorite part of the console table makeover is the pretty Chatellerault furniture transfer on the top.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to make the console table makeover, almost all of the DIY projects shared here at Interior Frugalista have step-by-step tutorials so why not get your budget DIY on and subscribe. You can also follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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The pretty french transfer may look familiar because I used part of it on the Duncan Phyfe Coffee Table Makeover.  I've been itching to use the rest of the transfer on another piece and this long oval sofa table was the perfect candidate.

I also love how the empire-style base looks painted and aged with dark wax. So pretty!

I couldn't resist photographing the oval console table with fresh dogwood branches and pretty pink knock-out roses from my garden. The scent of the roses filled the room and was heavenly while taking these photos.

Here's How I Did It

We'll begin the makeover with the most important step, albeit the most boring one, that determines whether the piece will have a lasting finish.

Prepping Furniture For Paint

Prepping the table for paint wasn't fairly quick and easy as the table didn't need repairs. Such a welcomed treat because that doesn't happen too often.

First, the table got a good scrub with my go-to homemade cleaning solution. A bucket of warm water with a drop of Dawn dish soap and 1/2 cup of white vinegar.

After it dried I scuffed the wood with 150-grit sandpaper to give the paint some bite. Then I wiped it down with a damp rag, followed by a tack cloth to remove any fine dust particles. Now we're ready for the fun part.

Painting The Golden Oak Table Green

I painted the table with two coats of Fusion Mineral Paint in a pretty Upper Canada green. I also lightly sanded between coats with 220-grit sandpaper for a smooth as a baby's bottom finish.

Distressing The Paint

To give the table a shabby chic timeworn finish I wrapped a 150-grit sheet of sandpaper around an old sanding pad and distressed the fresh paint along the edges. I didn't apply a lot of pressure on the sanding pad and let the paint dictate where it naturally wanted to distress.

Add Instant Wow Factor With A French Furniture Transfer

If you want to add an instant wow factor to a painted piece of furniture, Prima Redesign furniture transfers are gorgeous and so easy to apply. I had two pieces left from the Chatellerault furniture transfer that I used on the coffee table. This particular transfer comes in three sheets.

The hardest part with furniture transfers is waiting at least 48 hours before adding them onto a freshly painted surface. I used one complete transfer and just the rose from the other.

First, I taped the two pieces together so I could line them up easier before transferring them onto the top of the table.

But before laying the transfer, I measured the length and width of the transfer to find the center and marked it with a sharpie on the clear transfer sheet. Next, I measured the center of the tabletop and marked it with chalk. This made lining up the transfer so much easier.

I've included some helpful tips below for how to use the furniture transfers.

How To Add Furniture Transfers

1. Lay the transfer with the backing paper underneath and the clear transfer sheet on the top where you want it on your furniture.
2. Hold it in place with painter's tape.
3. Carefully slide the backing paper underneath down about 1-2 inches and rub the transfer onto the furniture with the rubbing stick provided.
4. You can check by carefully lifting the transfer sheet to see where it may need to be rubbed more. A good gauge for determining if it's transferred is the image will be less visible.
5. Move the backing paper down another 1-2 inches and repeat the steps above until the entire transfer is lifted from the transfer sheet.
6. Use a lint-free cloth or your fingers to rub any areas that may be lifting.

Prima ReDesigns have small decor transfers as well that can be used on smaller decor. I used vintage-style floral transfers on my French Terracotta Flower Pot Coasters.

Protecting The Paint Finish

The paint on this table is protected with two different products. We'll start with the tabletop and sealing the furniture transfer.

I applied two thin coats of water-repellant clear coat to the TOP ONLY. Not only will it seal the furniture transfer but it will protect the painted top from potential water rings and such once it's fully cured.

Aging The Sofa Table With Dark Wax

The bottom half of the pretty green paint color is both protected and aged with dark wax. In the photo below you can see the difference between the unwaxed and dark waxed columns. See how it deepened the color?

Most dark waxes recommend you apply clear wax first to avoid staining the paint. This allows the dark wax to be more workable for blending and removing any excess. But on this table, I cheated and skipped that step by blending clear wax and dark wax together.

To do this I put some clear wax onto a paper plate and added a few dollops of dark wax (a little goes a long way) and blended them together with a painter's palette knife.

I applied the wax in sections with a wax brush, letting it nestle into the grain of the oak, and wiped the excess with a lint-free rag. I also waxed the tabletop after the clear protective coat dried. It aged the furniture transfer and the painted top without staining.

I went back in with more dark wax along the edges of the table, blending the wax towards the center. For this step, you don't buff the wax and just let it cure for 30 days. But the table can be gently used within 48 hours.

So what do you think? Have you ever tried Prima furniture transfers? If not, I hope my table makeover inspired you to give them a try.

If a large furniture transfer seems a little daunting, try a smaller decor transfer on a flower pot or serving tray. I promise once you do you'll be hooked!

Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today! I hope you were inspired by this furniture makeover. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this oak sofa table transformation, I'd be so thankful if you shared it with a friend and pinned it to your Sofa And Console Table Makeovers or Painted Furniture Inspiration board on Pinterest.

Please join me to take a look at how my talented friend's transformed these furniture pieces. Press the links below to see the after photos and tutorials.

Girl In The Garage

Confessions Of A Serial DIYer

Petticoat Junktion

Just The Woods

Salvaged Inspirations

The Interior Frugalista

I share my projects at these inspiring link parties.