The Tranquil Vintessa

I just completed a DIY that I love.

A few months ago, I thrifted this $10 “wooden” coffee table off Facebook Marketplace and honestly didn’t know what to do with it. There was nothing technically wrong with it, but it didn’t brighten the room or make it as moody as I wanted. It was just…there.

Somehow, with all my new purchases, my entire living room was all a dark brown, from the leather couch to my coffee table. Individually, they work, but together the room fell flat and dull. I went to Pinterest looking for inspiration. I wanted something bold, something that was conversational and looked fancy. It was there I saw a girl applying tile contact paper to her coffee table, and a light bulb went off: I can do that with marble.

Marble has that perfect mix of unique and classic. It’s classic in the sense that it’s timeless; it fits in almost any space, but it’s unique in the sense that no two patterns are the same and the look of it immediately catches your eye.

But I didn’t want to just wrap my table like a Christmas gift. I wanted it to look like one solid piece and to appear heavy, like I spent hundreds of dollars.

So I worked a little DIY magic. I found a way to transform this thrifted $10 table into a unique piece of art, and the whole project cost me less than $40.

What You’ll Need

• A coffee table
• Marble contact paper at least 24 x 118 (I used this kind)
• 4 foam boards (craft ones like these)
• Wide tape (something like packing tape)
• A screwdriver or whatever tools you need to remove and reattach your table legs (if needed)
• Scissors or a utility knife
• Ruler or measuring tape

Step 1: Move the Legs to the Center

The first thing I did was completely change the shape of the table by moving the existing legs.

Instead of having four traditional legs near the corners, I wanted them grouped together in the center to create the look of one substantial pedestal base.

To figure out the placement, I marked four points in the middle of the underside of the table. I drew two horizontal and two vertical lines across the bottom. Where those lines crossed gave me the center point I needed to position the legs evenly.

Once I was happy with the placement, I screwed the table legs back into the underside of the table and made sure everything felt secure.

This step alone completely changed the silhouette of the table.

Step 2: Create the Pedestal Base

Now we need to make those four separate legs look like one solid base.

I cut my foam board down to size to fill the empty spaces between each leg post. Besides creating the shape I wanted, the foam board gives the contact paper something to rest against so it doesn’t sag into the empty spaces.

I placed one piece of foam board between two legs and secured it to the legs with tape. Then I repeated the process on each side until all four legs were connected and the base looked like one large rectangular pedestal.

Don’t worry too much about making this part beautiful. Once everything is wrapped, you won’t see the foam board or tape.

You just want the structure to be secure, relatively smooth, and sturdy enough to support the contact paper.

Step 3: Add the Marble Contact Paper

Now for the fun part.

I started with the top of the coffee table and worked my way down.

Measure out enough contact paper to completely cover the tabletop, with enough extra material to fully wrap around the edges. Slowly peel away the backing while pressing the contact paper onto the surface.

Do not rip the entire backing off at once.

Work slowly, peeling a little at a time and smoothing the paper as you go.

Once the tabletop is covered, smooth the paper over the edges and trim away any excess.

Then move on to the pedestal.

I wrapped the newly created base with the same marble contact paper, covering the foam board, tape, and original legs underneath. Take your time around the corners and overlap the contact paper slightly where necessary. The goal is to make the separate pieces underneath disappear so the base reads visually as one solid structure.

The Finished Coffee Table

And voilà! There you have a “brand new” table that creates a unique atmosphere in your space and gives off a certain renaissance feel. I was so happy with the outcome. My entire living room looks more put together and stylized, and I’m so happy I was able to get this whole look for under $40.

She looks classy, elegant, and expensive.