Summer time in the Northwest means long walks along Alki Beach, memorable camping trips and outdoor entertaining on your patio. But maybe you don’t have the budget to deck out your outside living space exactly how you’d like. A great way to apply your own signature touch and create a fun, unique space is by doing it yourself.

Seattle Goodwill is DIY (Do It Yourself) headquarters. There’s no creative limits to what can be made using Goodwill materials, and there’s nowhere else you can find such an eclectic assortment of goods all in one spot.

Our 24 store locations contain a wide away of dining room tables. I recently took a basic wood table we found and, with several quick and easy steps, transformed it into an elegant beachcomber table suited for an ocean view.

Here’s the supplies we used:

• Large wooden table
• Sander
• Chalked Rust-Oleum paint
• Chalked Rust-Oleum Ultra Matte protective top coat paint
• Several clothes (for paint spills and wiping down table after sanding and before and after painting)
• Open, well-ventilated area

Find an open space and lay down a protective cloth before you place your table down in an effort to avoid paint stains or sanding debris. Use your sander to smooth any ridges on your table. Create a smooth surface in order to apply paint. Make sure to get as much off the old topcoat/sealant of the table as possible to ensure the paint dose does not flake or peel off.

Paint the surface using a color of your choosing. The key is making sure you apply enough coats of paint. The Chalked Paint series is intended to give you a vintage or patina look. Once you finish painting, relax and wait until it’s dry.

Once the table has dried, use the edges of your sander to create that nice, worn and weathered look. Don't worry about going to deep. Wipe away any debris and go to your local Goodwill to furnish the table with some colorful kitchenware.

Adult Beverage Table

Perhaps a beachcomber table isn’t the right match for you. We got creative and made a fun, adult beverage table that was quick and easy to make.

Here’s the supplies we used:

• Small circular table
• Matching chairs
• Sander (if needed)
• Rust-Oleum Chalkboard paint
• Rust-Oleum Flat Protective Enamel
• Large cloth for paint spills
• Open, well-ventilated area
• Chalk

I recently found a circular glass table and two matching black chairs for the foundation of our DIY project. Lay down a cloth to protect from paint stains, and use your sander to sand down the table’s surface if needed. After that, use a can of Rust-Oleum Chalkboard paint and begin applying coats. We used five coats, but you can use less if you applied primer. The key is heavy paint coverage, so the table can be used for years.

Next I taped off the chairs in areas we didn’t want covered and applied Rust-Oleum Flat Protective Enamel to the surface to protect from corrosion and rust. Once your table and chairs are dry, grab a pail, fill it with chalk and now you have a fun, interactive adult beverage table.

Not only do we enjoy making DIY projects, we love seeing everyone else’s creations. Please tag us in your social posts (@SeattleGoodwill on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and share how you’ve used your Goodwill finds.