I got lucky on an online auction – two solid wooden bedside tables for just 5 francs each. Proper find. They were well-made pieces that just needed a bit of sanding to bring them back to life, and they’d be perfect for my daughters’ bedrooms. At least, that was the plan but I opened my big mouth and asked my kids if they had any wishes.

One sweetly asked for a woodland scene, which seemed reasonable enough. The 3 year old though? She hit me with a very specific design brief only a kid could dream up: ‘I want a dragon AND a dinosaur AND a teddy bear AND a crocodile. Oh, and the bear and the crocodile need to be holding balloons.’

Right.

The surfaces were scratched with a lot of wear and tear, but the sander sorted that out pretty well. Both tables were given a decent layer of primer before the first coat of paint. I gave them several coats in the end to give them a better chance of surviving in the kids’ bedroom.

I actually really enjoyed painting the little scenes on the front of the doors. Looking at them now, they’re far from perfect. The fox’s proportions are a way off, and the teddy bear ended up being a weird shade of brown. BUT both girls absolutely love them. Mine might have ended up as tastefully restored vintage pieces, but theirs are definitely more memorable. Though I do occasionally catch myself staring at the dragon-teddy-crocodile gathering and wondering what exactly they’re discussing.