I have expensive taste on a thrifty budget. You too? Oh good, I'm not alone. To get around this, I try and find crafty ways to turn my existing furniture or inexpensive furniture that I find into masterpieces. However, I live in a Camden apartment and so I don’t like to make a huge mess with large tools… So, what did I do when I found myself wanting a coffee table upgrade? I turned these freebies who had seen better days into an expensive-looking faux tin tile table without breaking the bank or using a bunch of tools.

Photo courtesy of Katie Baumann

I got this coffee table set from the donations pile of my mother-in-law's staging business in Dallas, TX, Stage Secrets. Materials:

• Faux Tin Tile- I got mine from Home Depot in the Kitchen department. They have a variety to choose from and are about $20 a sheet. I bought two sheets for this project.

• Double Sided Adhesive Tape- this stuff is designed for tile and is super strong!

• Light sandpaper

• Utility knife/scissors

• Straight edge

What to do:

1. Lightly sand the surface you are transforming to remove imperfections and gloss.

2. Clean the surface of the table and let it dry.

3. Cut the tile sheet into the desired size. First, score the sheet using the straight edge and utility knife. It will easily snap along the line that you scored. Then, go in with the scissors to clean up any edges.

4. Apply the double sided adhesive face down, covering the area you wish to attach the tile. Press the tape firmly to remove bubbles.

Photo courtesy of Katie Baumann

5. Remove the top layer of the tape to reveal the second sticky side.

Photo courtesy of Katie Baumann

6. Carefully lay down the tile, starting with one side and pressing flat as you go.

Photo courtesy of Katie Baumann

Voila! Who would guess it’s the same set of tables? It's so cute that my Mother-in-law has joked that she wants them back! At least, I think she's joking... I’m a little obsessed with this process now and want to see what it would look like if I created this look for other furniture in my apartment! Like a headboard, a hutch, a dining table…possibilities are endless… Check out some other thrifty home décor ideas. Follow the Simply Camden blog and get DIY inspiration delivered right to your inbox!