First, you need a solid wood piece of furniture, the one shown is solid pine which I saved from a recycle yard for £25. Pay close attention to checking all of the joints and drawers as it may become a bigger job if other repairs are required. Luckily this unit just had surface damage which made it a bargain.

Step 1: Sand, Sand and Yes, More Sanding!

1. Begin to strip off all the varnish with 60 grit sandpaper, ideally using a belt sander or an orbital sander. If not by hand is fine it will just take longer.

2. Then we move up the grades repeating the process again using 100 grit.

3. Because this unit just had surface damage I was able to move on to the 150 grit without the need for any filler.

4. Ensure the entire surface is completely smooth as when paint is applied any little mark will show up, this step is a pain but the more time that you put in the better result is achieved.

Step 2: The Fun Bit...

Now we get to the fun bit,

1. I simply started by applying three coats of matt emulsion. I used a mix of equal parts magnolia and white, these were really inexpensive paint. We're talking £10 per 10L tin, it's really not anything fancy that you need.

2. I sanded again between each coat using the 150 grit sandpaper, remember to wash the sandpaper with warm water once you have finished with it. As it could still be good to use once the clogged up dust has been removed.

Step 3: Nearly There...

After you have done three coats and sanded all the pieces using the150 grit.

The next step is to apply one more coat and sand this using a P400 and P600 grit which will make it simply as smooth as...[ insert your own caption here]. Let's just say its pretty smooth.

Step 4: Final Coat

Ensure on the final coat to try and not leave any brush marks as we want to keep that smooth finish.

Step 5: Shabby Chic Time

Now that all of the coats are done, and you have it all smooth and perfect its time to add some age and mark it with the 60 grit that we used at the beginning. Which I know is a tough job considering all the work you have done but trust me it's worth it.

1. Start rubbing down all edges and corners, basically any area that would get a lot of use.

2. Rub over the areas using the 150 grit and the P600 to bring it back to a smooth finish.

3. simply rub down using a furniture wax to protect, I personally used,

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=255290558

4. admire your creation.