How to Paint Pottery Barn Furniture: Buffet Makeover

Are you ready to learn how to paint Pottery Barn furniture {successfully}? I was skeptical at first, but not only did it turn out better than we expected, it’s easier than you think and saves a ton of money too.

I am sooo envious of all the DIYers that make painting furniture look so easy. After the success of our DIY built-in bookshelves, we were ready and (somewhat) confident to move on the next home project!

Owning for almost ten years, the black Pottery Barn Tucker Buffet was one of the few pieces that survived the move from the city. I was ready for an upgrade but we’d already invested in so many new pieces of furniture, including a dining room table and chairs from Restoration Hardware.

Building a new home and buying all new furniture was getting costly. And if you caught our foyer design reveal, you know I had to bring in a pro for decorating help.

The placement of the buffet in the dining room is against the far wall and blocked visually by the large dining room table when entering the room. After designing the wall specifically for the Tucker buffet, I wasn’t thrilled about possibly replacing.

The original plan was to refresh by changing the hardware and leave it at that. Once Jorie was involved, surprisingly she suggested painting White Dove to offset against the dark wood floors. How smart is that??

I was surprised AND relieved because this was obviously an inexpensive solution. The idea of spending money on a piece of furniture that would go unnoticed, didn’t seem like a smart investment.

Luckily Tim was up for the another DIY project….

How to Paint Pottery Barn Furniture

The biggest concern painting Pottery Barn furniture is that it’s not 100% wood. Constructed from hardwood and veneers over MDF, this type of material is usually not strong enough to be completely stripped and stained. Painting over the existing black was the best option.

I’m not sure how enthusiastic either of us would have been if sanding the entire buffet was required.

1. Prep

To prep the buffet, we transferred to the garage, placed on a tarp and two pieces of plywood. It’s better that the furniture be slightly elevated so the paint doesn’t stick to the tarp. After removing the existing hardware and drawers, painters tape was applied around the edges of the glass doors and newspaper taped to the glass (not shown).

An electric sander was used to buff out a few scratches and indentions from the top to be sure the surface was completely smooth. Removing the paint from the top was relatively easy.

For larger nicks we use wood filler. However, using a lighter paint color helps with hiding indentions. If I get really close I can see a few spots but honestly it’s not noticeable. I wouldn’t spend much time trying to repair unless the wood was chipped away.

2. Prime

Using a professional grade paint sprayer like this, Tim applied two coats of Sherwin Williams Premium Wall & Wood primer (covering every interior and exterior surface), allowing each to dry in between.

3. Paint

Once the last coat of primer was dry, three coats of Sherwin Williams ProClassic in Satin (color matched to OC-17 White Dove) was applied using the spray gun. Prime and paint was completed day one.

4. Seal

The next morning, we transferred the buffet (with the help of a friend – this thing is sooo heavy) back into the dining room and sealed with two coats of polyurethane satin finish using a smaller roller brush for cabinets.

5. New Hardware

It’s crazy how new hardware can totally refresh and update furniture. I was going for something a little more modern. Brass knobs pulled it all together!

We love the finished look and I was amazed that it turned out so pretty! I know my man has skills but this was his first time painting furniture. I see so many more DIY projects in his near future.

Chic Tip:

• Invest in a high quality paint sprayer. We borrowed from a friend but plan to purchase for future projects.
• Plan for at least two days to complete the project. Sand, prime and paint day one, seal day two.

Have you ever painted furniture? It can really be intimidating at first but once the first project is complete, it’s so rewarding! And you save a ton of moola repurposing.

Room Resources:

• Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Smoke Embers 1466
• Trim Paint Color: Sherwin Williams Color Match White Dove
• Buffet Paint Color: Sherwin Williams Color Matched to Benjamin Moore OC-17 White Dove
• 8 x 11’4 Rug 
• Interior Designer: Jorie Burns Design