The Cabinet is D-O-N-E

Okay. So it’s not completely done. I lied. But I figure I have held you off on this project for long enough. It just needs to be jewelry-fied, so I guess you can see it by now. Let’s take a look at the before, shall we?

I loved everything about it—the glass details, the shape, the storage, etc.  The wood was beautiful, but it was badly beat up. That certainly helped with my decision to paint. Of course, my favorite part of it was the price. $60.00 off Craigslist. Ya-to-the-hoo!

After taking it apart, this is what it turned into. For months. Michigan weather hit, and there was just no finishing it in that cold.

And here it is today…

I seriously looked into crystal knobs for it, but the idea of filling holes, drilling new ones, and spending more money on this than I already had was not appealing to me.

I’m pretty much in love with it, and I’m taking my time filling the top with accessories. It’s quite the balance making sure I like the way it looks, and it’s still functional for my daughter’s things.

Of course, her favorite part needs to be gussied up as well. We’ll be working on that one very soon.

Well, there you go! I’m in love, my daughter’s in love, and my husband’s in love with the price. That’s a win/win, don’t ya think?

I almost forgot…Dutch Boy sent me the paint for this project (free!!). It’s painted Timeless Ivory, and it’s just that. What a classically beautiful shade. It’s perfect.

A Dresser Finds a New Life

In an effort to transform my office into my craft room, I knew it was vital to find some good storage. Unfortunately, my budget didn’t allow me to build this.

From my Feathered Nest 

However, this little beauty was definitely in my budget.

Okay, so maybe she’s not quite a beauty (yet), but at $23.00, I couldn’t resist buying it. Like the “handle” on the right side?  

As soon as I got it home, I went to town taking all that extra stuff off.  Big frilly medallion, be gone! I wiped it all down with my handy, dandy TSP cleaner and gave it a layer of primer.

Once the primer was dry, I rolled on some paint with a foam roller. I used a cheap craft brush for all the crevices. 

Wanna see my favorite part? Behind that big ol’ chunky door are three drawers. I love that feature!

Unfortunately, I can’t remember what color paint I used, and I stupidly threw away the can!  What was I thinking???  You’ll see why that’s a major problem for me in a minute.

And finally…the reveal!

Having a craft room, I find that there’s quite a balance between making it pretty and making it functional. I’m trying to include decorative pieces, but I don’t want to hide too many of my “go to” devices. Then, what’s the point in having a craft room?  

If you haven’t noticed it yet, you’ll see that I forgot to paint an entire strip at the base of the dresser. WHA????  I know. I painted it in the dead of winter, and I must not have paid attention to it. Of course, the major problem with that is the whole you threw away the paint can, you idiot! missing paint issue.  I’ll get to it. Someday.

I know you’ve been waiting (well, 2 of you have) for the reveal of this room, and I promise it’s almost there. I was on the hunt for cheap window treatments, and I just found them. Now it’s just a matter of getting my man of the house (that would be my 11-year old for three more weeks) to help me hang them!

Painting Furniture

The #1 e-mail inquiry I get is from people wanting to know the specifics about how I paint furniture.  I tend to giggle at this because I certainly don’t consider myself an expert.  I’ve been lucky that (knock on wood) I haven’t had any disasters yet.  If that makes me “in the know”, then so be it.

#1.  Clean it!

I make sure that I use a cleaner to get all the grit and grime off any piece of furniture that I paint.  TSP works best for me, and it can be found at Lowes, Home Depot, etc.  You’ll be amazed at how much sickness you’ll get off the furniture by using this.

#2.  Prime it!

A lot of people ask me about primer, but I don’t have a set kind that I use.  AND I don’t necessarily use a primer on everything (see below).  The primer below is what I use if I don’t want to do a lot of sanding.  Speak with your paint guy.  What?  You don’t have a paint guy?  Get one!

#3.  Choose great paint!

My love.  My passion.  My life’s desire.  Benjamin Moore Metal and Wood paint.  BM doesn’t pay me for this promotion, but they should.  You hearin’ me, Ben?  It’s that good.  Beautiful coverage, smooth finish, and gorgeous look.  I’m sure everyone has “their paint choice”, and this is most definitely mine.

#4.  TOOLS!

A lot of people wonder about the paint brush.  I ONLY use a roller on furniture.  I use little foam brushes to get into crevices and trim work, but I NEVER use a brush on the flat pieces.  I truly believe this is the difference between a piece looking nice or spectacular.  Ideally, I would have a paint gun, but I don’t.  Instead, I have a $2.o0 foam roller from Wal Mart.

I might continue to get some questions about when to sand, how much to sand, or words that rhyme with sand.  However, I don’t have a definitive answer for you.  I generally sand enough to rough up the surface.

I sanded the heck out of these barstools, and it was completely unnecessary.  Lesson learned.

And finally, I don’t seal my pieces with anything.  I pay a little more for my paint than other brands, and that’s one of the many reasons why.  It doesn’t need to be sealed after painting it.  Perhaps that’s wrong, but keep in mind I’m not the expert here.  I just play one on this blog.

Don’t forget to enter for the Timeless Treasures giveaway.  The winner will be announced tomorrow!