the perfect green and surprise legs: behind the scenes of my latest flip

Every furniture flip has a story, but this one took me on a rollercoaster ride of surprises, happy accidents, and one confusing “LEGS!!!” text to a friend.

This piece was a gift from a pal — a sweet gesture made even sweeter by the fact that it had great mid-century modern (MCM) bones. It had a beautiful, clean shape, but the veneer was missing in several places, which made it a perfect candidate for paint. 

I just wished the piece had cute little MCM-style feet. Feet just make everything better from dressers to toddler pyjamas.

The “Legs!!!” Moment

Here’s where fate stepped in. As I pulled out the drawers to sand, I found… legs. Actual mid-century legs, sitting in the bottom drawer. I yelped out loud, texted my friend “LEGS!!!”, and she understandably responded with confusion. Turns out, she did tell me about the legs when she gave me the piece—I had just completely forgotten. I thought adding legs was my own brilliant idea…not so much. 

Oh, and as if the furniture gods weren’t finished smiling on me, I also found a missing bolt for one of the drawer pulls hiding in the back of a drawer. No emergency hardware store trip needed—score!

Repairs & Prep Work

• Sanded everything smooth using a random orbital sander and good old-fashioned elbow grease for the detailed bits.

• Filled and repaired the veneer damage.

• Glued and clamped the dovetail drawer joints (oh, dovetail joints—you classy little things).

• Installed the adorable feet to their rightful home 

The Paint: Manor Green 

For paint, I chose Manor Green by Fusion Mineral Paint. I wanted something dark and historical but still lively—and this color nailed it. Bonus: it was my 10th pint from my local supplier, which means it was free. Free paint, free legs, free hardware bolt… this day was really going my way.

The first coat of paint confirmed it was the right choice. Three coats later, it was rich, smooth, and gorgeous.

The Hardware Glow-Up

The original hardware had some nickel showing through the worn brass finish. I tried putting them back on as-is, but the silver glints clashed badly with the green. So, I hit them with a quick coat of gold spray paint, and wow—they popped perfectly against the deep green.

The Finishing Touch

I lined the drawers with a luxurious peel-and-stick wallpaper called “Havana” in “Navy Nights” by Tempaper & Co. It’s subtle, elegant, and makes opening the drawers feel like a little treat every time.

And Now… For Sale!

All finished, this mid-century modern stunner has transformed from a chipped, sad little piece into something bold, elegant, and full of character. And yes, those original forgotten legs completely make it. I named her Harriet.

You can find this cutie under “furniture” while it lasts. And until it sells I will be quite pleased to look after her and enjoy her beauty!

Until next time,

Lisa