How to repurpose a 1960’s thrift store wooden salad bowl giving it a more modern look.
Wooden salad bowls are one of those odd items that were used a lot at the dinner table in the 1950’s and 60’s and then sort of disappeared.
Your parents may have had them.
Your grandparents probably had them.
Your local thrift stores surely have them.
But having a “formal” Sunday dinner complete with a salad course and all that jazz has sort of gone out of style and has been replaced by a casual barbecue or quick trip to Bob Evans. And the wooden salad bowl sets have paid the price.
As nostalgic as I am about wooden salad bowl sets, I’m equally as grossed out by them.
They’re somewhat porous, so there’s always the worry that “stuff” will seep into the wood and stay there and fester and grow until you’re ready to use your bowls again.
Ugh.
Add in the fact that they take up a fair amount of shelf room in the kitchen cupboards and that explains why so many of them have been relocated to the shelves of thrift stores instead.
BTW, notice the massive amount of sticky packing tape that has a death grip on these poor bowls? Did my local thrift store learn nothing from My Letter To All Thrift Store Workers?
If the bowls weren’t dinged up enough to begin with, by the time I pried the tape off of them they had a few more battle scars.
Just ripe for painting though.
How To Upcycle A 1960’s Wooden Salad Bowl
Supplies:
- Wooden Salad Bowl from local thrift store
- Dark Blue Metallic Craft Paint – Craft Smart’s Midnight Blue (bought at Michaels)
- Gold Metallic Craft Paint – Craft Smart’s Classic Gold (bought at Michaels)
- Sponge paintbrush
- Sandpaper
Instructions:
This is one of those tutorials that I feel a little silly typing out, but here goes . . .
-
- Lightly sand bowl surface that you will be painting, in this instance the outside of the bowl.
- Apply paint to outside of bowl.
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- Apply gold paint to rim of bowl.
- Step back and admire your craftiness.
I’m digging the navy blue and gold look!
And before anyone hates on me for painting a wooden bowl. The way I feel is that NO ONE in their right mind would use the bowl as an actual salad bowl anymore.
Family germs are one thing, but thrift store stranger germs are another.
And guess what? I’m doing the happy dance today, because it’s the 2nd Wednesday of the month and that makes it Thrift Store Decor Team day!
Now pop on over and see what the other gals are up to this month!
Thrift Store Decor Team
Domestically Speaking – Easy Patriotic Decorations
My Repurposed Life – Small Wooden DIY Pedestal Planter Made w/ Spindle
Petticoat Junktion – Vintage Tea Towel Calendar
Refresh Restyle – Thrift Store Tray Makeover
Our Southern Home – Basket Wreath Makeover
My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia – DIY Painted Flower Pots
Sadie Seasongoods – Jewelry Hanger From A Refreshed Memo Board
House Of Hawthornes (that’s me) – 1960’s Wooden Salad Bowl Repurpose
Other post you may enjoy:
Boho Succulent Garden From Repurposed Thrift Store Tray
DIY Reusable Bowl Covers And Food Wrap
Susan
Great simple and gorgeous makeover. The gold rim is the best!
Shirley
Interesting! I’ve never seen one of those bowls with a base on it. Do you think someone else added that?
Love your makeover! My favorite colors!
Debbie
I love these colors!! That doesn’t even look like a wood bowl! Gorgeous!
Bev
I would not use that as a salad bowl either!! The makeover is lovely, and functional!!
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
That looks so great painted! I love the colors you chose, and now it looks great again! To me, if it looks better painted and will make it decorative again…I say PAINT. It’s not like it’s a valuable antique or anything lol.
Mary Boger
Great result! Got a set for a wedding gift 38years ago. Never used it.
Maybe it’s time to repurpose it? Lol
Christy Little
I am loving all things blue these days! This is so pretty and looks amazing with the pop of yellow!
Kristin
Those colors are perfect together, great makeover!
Maryann
That navy blue is just dreamy with the gold and the lemons! So pretty!
Sheryl
love the colors you chose. and I would add, use a better brush. sponge brushes do not give you enough control.to get a smooth brushstroke free look.Purdy brushes are wonderful and come starting in 1″ width. sand lightly after first coat, will look much more professional.
Leslie
The bowl is so elegant looking now. We had a set of teak salad bowls, which we used often when we had company. I should say we have them, because they still are around here somewhere.
I also have a torn meniscus, which happened last September. I haven’t done anything about it, because I didn’t know who to see about it. It seems to have healed pretty much on its own. I had had my other knee operated on 14 years ago for the same problem. I don’t think I want to go through that again.
Amanda
Love this article!! This wooden bowl looking awesome. I can’t wait to try this. Thanks for sharing.
gail
Pam,
I think I have the small bowls to this set. But not sure if I have the large bowl. If I do, it doesn’t have a pedestal.
Super rescue and I love the colors too!
pinned, and sharing on Facebook.
Barbara
Love the blue & gold paint job. Now, I want to know what you’re going to do with the small bowls!!! Please share if you are making them into another project.
Kathleen
In November, my mom had me take all of her wooden salad bowls and refinish them. I sanded them then put several coats of a beeswax product that is specifically for bread boards, cutting boards and wooden bowls. I did four coats of the wax, leaving each coat to dry 24 hours. She loves them and it made a great Christmas present for he. But I might try YOUR idea for myself!
Pam
That sounds wonderful! I’ve done a cutting board with beeswax, but didn’t think to use it on bowls!!!
Sharon Byers
i noticed your glasses! i gave a set of identical glasses to mum&dad with the first earnings i got when i went to work. 50 years ago! Their set also included a glass ice bucket and gold metal glass holder.
your bowl looks great!