How to...update a console table

We (meaning Fr. J and I) bought a new TV for the parish hall at St. R last week.  Several groups use the parish hall for movie watching, but it's hard to get a group involved in a movie that's playing on a 24" screen.  We found a great deal and moved in the new larger flat screen on Thursday.  Of course, the old 24" TV is on a moving cart which the new TV just won't fit on.  In addition, none of the tables currently in the parish hall really work for a TV that size.  So we went "shopping" in the Sunday School classrooms and found a console table that was just the right size and shape.  Fr. J moved it into the parish hall and we got the new TV all set up.  And then I noticed that it totally didn't go with the rest of the furniture.  The furniture in the parish hall is brown stained wood with brushed stainless accents. The console table?  Black enamel with shiny gold accents.  Not even close to a match!

Gold trim looks great with that brushed stainless lamp and table accent, right?

Now, changing out the black is nearly impossible, and quite frankly at least it matches the TV.  Finding a way to change out the brassy gold accent seemed a much easier proposition.  I grabbed a Michael's coupon and headed off to find a solution.  That solution seemed to be silver leaf.  The package I picked up came with a glue-pen and several sheets of silver leaf. If you've never silver leafed something, here is a quick rundown of how to do it:

• Use the glue-pen to cover the area you want to turn silver (and only this area--trust me, you do not want to get the glue anywhere else)

The left part of the trim has been 'glued'; the right part has not

• Wait until it dries to tacky (The package suggests waiting 5-10 minutes.  I agree.  Don't try to rush it.  If the glue is still in liquid form, the silver won't stick and you'll have a mess.  Again, trust me.)
• Press a sheet of silver leaf against the sticky area, rubbing it to adhere.

The silver leaf is on the bottom of the tissue-like paper.  You can see how  it would be important to keep the glue only on the trim and not on the table!

• Peel back the paper that the leaf was stuck to.
• Using a craft brush, dust away any bits of silver that didn't adhere.

Trim area on the left has been 'leafed'; the area on the right has not.

• Lather, rinse, repeat until you're finished.

Here is the finished product!  While subtle, the silver leaf really ties in with the lamps and tables on each side of the table.  Altogether, I spent maybe fifteen minutes on this project and only used half the silver leaf.