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Vintage Metal Table Makeover with Rust-Oleum Pearl Paint

Today I’m sharing the second instalment of this vintage metal table makeover with Rust-Oleum Pearl paint.

Do you remember that little metal table that used to reside in the townhouse guestroom? It was a wedding gift my Mummu received in the 1950s, and she gave it to me.  It was originally black but then, with her permission, I painted it mint green:

I didn’t fully love the colour – it was bordering on sage green – but it looked nice with the mint and aqua upholstered chair and so I left it as-is.

Once we moved to the lakehouse, and lost a guest bedroom, it migrated to our bedroom and it looked good until I added the teal back tab curtains.

The teal made the mint look super dull and drab – and its buddy, the Mingo chair, was displaced anyway.  The paint had also seen some wear in the move, so a fresh coat of paint was in order.  Because this little table will get the boot soon (our dresser dilemma has been solved!), I opted for a neutral colour so I can move it from room to room with ease.

I decided white would be perfect for such a transient little table but then, on impulse, I decided a pearlized white would be even better – Rustoleum Pearl Mist looked nice on the cap.  I hauled it over to the super awesome spray paint booth my in-laws have (winter spray painting!) and – ta da!

The pearlized paint is really pretty, but it seemed to take forever to achieve this coverage because it’s very sheer.


The green continued to peek through, coat after coat.  It still does, a little, but I don’t mind that slight green tint.  If I wanted a true pearl white, a white base coat would definitely be necessary because this paint is like a clear finish with some metallic sparkles in it.  I Googled around, curious if the “mist” in the name indicates its sheerness and I’m just a total goof, but it seems other people have had issues with coverage too.  On the plus side, this could add a really pretty shimmer to furniture without masking the colour – or it could help tone down a too-bright paint job.  If you’re tempted to try this paint, buy double what you would normally need for your project, or start with a white or cream base.

 This post is sponsored by Rustoleum, who have been kindly indulging many of my DIY project fantasies for awhile now.  Any comments, opinions and projects chosen are all my own!

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10 Comments

  1. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper
    March 10, 2015 / 12:28 pm

    i love that table! what a great shape and love its new look!

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      March 12, 2015 / 1:33 am

      Thanks Cassie! I have a feeling this little guy is going to get a makeover every few years as my mood and decor changes, but we're okay with that!

  2. Ann B.
    March 13, 2015 / 6:39 pm

    I too love the new finish. It will go anywhere and blend in quite nicely.

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      March 13, 2015 / 9:06 pm

      Thanks! I'm hoping it will be a versatile little piece. Makes me want to consider getting a plant and using it as a plant stand in the living room. But that's just cruel (for the plant).

  3. emily
    March 21, 2015 / 2:27 am

    what a darling unique table. i like all the colors it has been over its lifetime. such a classic shape…it would look great any color!

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      March 23, 2015 / 4:20 am

      Thanks! I wonder how long it will be before I'm sharing it's new colour – or that it's gone back to black, lol. Still loving the pearl white for now 🙂

  4. Michelle S
    April 24, 2019 / 9:08 am

    Thank you so VERY much for posting the results and tips for this color which by the way your table looks fantastic! I am planning to do a hard acrylic purse exterior and wanted to use a nice pearl glossy sheer paint. These are the results I was looking for before finding the best paint for the project which are too many decide on, it was exhausting. Looking forward to my project 🙂

  5. Roseanna
    May 20, 2020 / 10:17 pm

    Thanks for letting us know about the coverage issue. I have a sun bleached shell that has some odd discoloration from dirt. I was hoping the pearl spray would cover it. I might have to do a base coat of white.

    • May 21, 2020 / 11:15 am

      I would recommend it for sure – the coverage of this is kind of like a glitter nail polish, lol. It’s definitely more of a top coat to add lustre, but then you’ll really love it because it’s got a beautiful shimmer to it that is subtle and would be perfect for your shell.

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