My DIY Home Project: Repurposing a Hope Chest [PHOTOS]

Don't ever be afraid to get creative - if I can do it, trust me...so can you!

I have an Amish hope chest that I got from my grandparents for my high school graduation. It's big, and it's heavy - it's traveled across three states, three time zones, and five homes with us.

Unfortunately, we're at a point where it no longer matches any of the other furniture in our home, but now that my grandparents have all passed, it means even more to me to have it on display. So, I decided to repurpose it.

I wouldn't consider myself a "craftsman" - I like to draw and make crafts, but taking on a big project like this terrified me. I read a LOT about how to paint furniture - from chemically stripping off the finish, to sanding the wood - to say that I was freaked out is an understatement.

That is, until a couple of friends told me about chalk paint. No stripping, no sanding. Just a good wipe down and a wax afterwards.

So, I went to Home Depot and talked to the paint guy - he directed me to the right paint, the right brushes, the right gloss, without overselling me. I bought a tarp, so I wouldn't have to move the chest down to the garage and back upstairs again (we were moving it from the spare bedroom to our bedroom).

After a good wipe down, two coats of chalk paint and coat of gloss, I'm super happy with the finished product...and I think my grandparents would be happy that I'm still using it and not just storing it.

Got something you want to repurpose? Paint? Decorate? Go for it! Trust me, if I can do it, you can, too.