Furniture Flipper Turns 'Dreadful' $12 Orange Wood Coffee Table Into 'Upscale Coastal' Masterpiece
I always stop to watch videos by furniture flipper extraordinaire Connor Sweeney, better known online as @thefliphut. His furniture transformations are always incredible, and I love watching him bring back old furniture from the dead.
His recent TikTok video was no exception. In it, Sweeney showed followers how he refurbished a $12 secondhand orange wood coffee table into a beautiful new piece - which fits right into an interior design aesthetic he refers to as "upscale coastal."
Keep reading to learn more about the upscale coastal home decor style and to see Sweeney's transformation of his thrifted coffee table!
How Thrift Flipper Connor Sweeney Restored an Orange Wood Coffee Table
The coffee table in question was just "$12 at Goodwill and it had that classic orange stain that makes most people walk right past it," Sweeney captioned his video. "Those are always the ones I stop for."
For this furniture makeover, Sweeney had to work hard to strip away the orange stain. First, he sprayed down the coffee table with acetone, and then he used an agitating brush on the end of his drill to scrub the table. Next, he went in with an electric sander until the table was completely bare.
"It was so satisfying seeing all that old orange stain strip away and have this perfect base to work with," he said.
After cleaning away all the sawdust, Sweeney applied a light tan wash and polycrylic top coat to neutralize the wood's color. Once the coffee table dried, it was fully restored to beautiful and natural light wood tone.
@thefliphut $12 at Goodwill and it had that classic orange stain that makes most people walk right past it Those are always the ones I stop for. But before we get into the flip - can we talk about coastal decor for a second? Because I'm so over the stark blue and white "Florida fishing dock" look that everyone defaults to when they hear coastal. That's not the only way. To me real coastal is lighter washed woods, warm natural tones, soft accents with just enough depth to keep it from feeling flat. Timeless. Upscale. No anchors required. Here's what I did to get there - acetone and a drill brush to melt away the old topcoat and that orange stain, sanded all the way down to 220 grit for a perfectly smooth base, applied a light paint wash with tan paint and water to neutralize any leftover orange undertones, then sealed everything in a polycrylic topcoat for a clean durable finish. The result is what I think modern coastal actually looks like in 2025. Light wood, warm wash, no blue in sight - and it looks more expensive than anything you'd find in a beach house catalog. Now I need to know - are you team classic blue coastal or are you with me on this more refined light wood approach? Drop it below #furnitureflip#coastaldecor#coffeetablemakeover#diyhomedecor thriftedfinds
Low Battery - Carrot Lofi
How to Decorate Your Home With the Upscale Coastal Aesthetic
At the end of his video, Sweeney staged the restored coffee table in a living room, alongside a white couch, dark patterned rug and dark table decor.
"Now this is what I call upscale coastal," he declared.
As Sweeney explains, coastal-themed interior design often leans toward a myriad of light and bright blue decor throughout the home - and he's not a fan of that. Instead, he prefers his coastal decor to be a bit more subtle, rich and elegant.
To achieve the upscale coastal aesthetic, "the key is to have some type of anchor point that's a lighter wash, like this coffee table, but pair it with darker and deeper accents to really contrast each other," according to Sweeney.
Check out a few examples of upscale coastal homes below.
@havenanddwelldesign Come along with us as we tour this upscale coastal inspired basement. Every detail was meticulously selected. The design is a direct result of a close client/designer relationship. We are so grateful that we were trusted to create the vision and bring it to life. Design: @havenanddwell Build: @kbfbyaudicontractors @nvblu Video: @aarikaandersonphoto #basement#coastaldesign#interiordesign#pooldesign#patio
Everywhere, Everything - Noah Kahan & Gracie Abrams
@ellisconforti a peek at install day #interiordesign#coastaldesign#classicdesign
If You Don't Want My Love - Jalen Ngonda
@shorelinestylesdesign fullll tour of our lil cozy coastal apartment & where most things are from! #coastaldecor#homeinspo#apartmenttour
evening breeze calm (Acoustic) - Husein
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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 10:31 AM.