Tell me I’m not the only one that has multiple projects on the go that are only half-completed…I finally tackled a project that I have been meaning to do for months but just hadn’t found the time for.

I recently compiled a list of “projects” that I would like to start/finish before the end of the year. It’s not a “to-do” list (if you missed my post on why I don’t make “to-do” lists you can read it here) but rather something to look at on a day where I have some extra time (wait, do those exist?) to tackle a fun project.

I have had a bench sitting in my front foyer for months that I have been wanting to redo.

There is a lot sentiment behind this piece which I will share more about in another post, but I had to be careful with how I tackled this project. The entire top portion of the bench is made out of burned matchsticks. It’s quite amazing actually.

Thousands and thousands of burned matchsticks, glued together to make a beautiful piece of furniture. For this reason, I had to be so careful with how I sanded the top of the bench. I only wanted to strip a thin layer of the Varathane off, without damaging the matches. I sanded the legs (a little more abrasively), followed by the top and sides.

As you can see, I had some extra little hands help me with the sanding.

For the legs, I used Rust-Oleum Chalked Ulta Matte Paint in the shade Country Grey. I love how this paint goes on and how quickly it dries. I have shared it before on my Instagram Stories, and all the different colour options.

I used two coats on the legs, and allowed 30 minutes of drying time between coats.

Then I flipped the table over so I could stain the top.

I chose a grey Varathane Wood Stain for the top. I couldn’t use the chalk paint on the seat because it would have covered/filled all of the details of the matches, so I chose a wood stain.

A little goes a long way, so I applied a thin layer across the bench – using long even strokes with the paint brush.

Then, I took a rag and wiped off any excess stain, which also helps it seep into all of the grooves in the wood.

If you choose to not wipe off the excess stain, you may find it will remain sticky for a long period of time and it won’t have a smooth finish (speaking from past experience).

I decided I wanted to distress the legs of the bench to pull out some of the original wood. I think it really tied the whole piece together.

This is what I ended up with!

You can see the stain on the top is a very subtle hue of grey but it made such a difference in the overall look.

I am so pleased with how it turned out and I love this piece even more now!