Re-Finishing for a Contemporary Look

My mother-in-law gave my husband and I a side table about three years ago, it's a rattan table with a glass top and some caning at the bottom. It's been a little beat up (we both own small dogs that like to chew out their frustrations), but hey, free table, I'm not complaining. It doesn't really go with the decor theme in the living room/entryway. (Not that you could tell there is a theme as it's in the beginning transformation stages.) But, as the first piece of my contemporary living room, I decided it needed an overhaul. After reading several articles on Pinterest, where else, and a little self confidence boost I went out and bought some spray-paint and sandpaper as I had the other supplies on hand.

Supply List:
Spray-Paint - Your choice (I used Krylon Color-Max Glossy Black) Hint buy one more can than you think you'll need. If it hasn't been sprayed the stores usually take it back.
Sandpaper - I used medium grit - 120
Rag(s)
Pliers
Cardboard Box or Dropcloth

The first step for me was to get rid of the caning at the bottom. I didn't really like it, and it was partially destroyed so I didn't think it would be easy to sand or paint. I started using my Dremel, but realized that would take a very long time and that the wood that made up the caning was pretty weak, so I stepped on it. That pretty much did the trick, it just took a little finagling to get the last side out.

Unfortunately that left me with a bunch of staples hanging out - not ideal. That's where the pliers come in, I only had cutting pliers but they do the job. Just a little twist and out they come.

aaand... POP!

 Now for the sanding, it's important to give the paint something to adhere to, so you just need to make sure the surface is scratched up a bit. It gets pretty boring, so I suggest listening to some music or a movie or something. This will also help you smooth out any dings or scratches that have come from regular use.

See that shine, get rid of it!

 After sanding, make sure to wipe off the dust so the surface stays clean, otherwise the paint won't stick to your piece. When you've finished sanding all the shiny surfaces and rubbed them down, it's time to paint! I still have tons of boxes from moving into my apartment, so I used one of them to catch the over-spray. Spraying the surface is pretty simple, just hold the can about 6-8 inches away from the project.

If you're going to do this barefoot,
look out for stinging nettles!

 Wait an hour or more before flipping the piece then, Ta-Da! You're done! I really like how it turned out! My husband said it looks like a completely different table! I think it looks very modern and I'm excited to see what else I can paint!