A Walk Down Memory Lane.....My Childhood Cabinet Redo
WOW it seems like forever since I've posted a blog! It's been a couple of weeks and during that time I've been busy. First we went to Jamaica for 9 days during spring break and we had an incredible time. Second I started getting things ready to start my own, VERY, VERY small business and third I started and finished a special project.
This is how my project looked before I started......
Now before you see anymore before pictures I need to tell you a little story. If you read my blog you'll understand how I love to tell a story! Anyhooooo.....This cabinet is special to me. Reason being it was purchased by my parents at an auction about 34 years ago. For the first 8 years my Dad used it in the garage for storing stuff. Then one summer after I came back from sleep away camp for a week I returned to a brand new bedroom. While I was away my parents had painted my room, given me a new bed, dresser and this cabinet. Everything they put in my room was antique and my Dad refinished it all. It meant so much to me that they went to all this work so I could have a new 'grown-up' room. For the last 27 years I haven't changed a thing about this cabinet. I had thought many times about painting it or refinishing it, but I never did.
As you can see it's old and was needing a bit of TLC
And as much as I love to wear pink I'm not a fan of it in my decor
Yes at one time this beauty's shelves were lined in tacky yellow contact paper and pieces of it were still stuck to the shelves.
The inside always bothered me because it was so rough and looked unfinished.
More pink!!
I guess in it's previous life this cabinet was part of a kitchen. When my Dad brought it home it was a dark, nasty stain with the 'lovely' yellow contact paper over all the shelves and in the drawers.
While I was away on vacation I decided I was going to tackle the project when I got home. Instead of unpacking I painted! I realized it was time to do something to this cabinet to help it live an even longer life and also to make it a bit prettier.
I decided on Annie Sloan Chalk Paint of course because it's my favorite paint ever. I had some colors I hadn't really used a lot so I decided to use those. I went with Coco for the outside and Louis Blue for the inside and drawers.
This is how it looked after and ENTIRE can of Louis Blue went on. I learned a very valuable lesson. This paint is not inexpensive so I learned it's important to prime bare wood before you paint. The wood inside had never been stained or painted so it was thirsty! Next time I will prime any bare wood before I use the ASCP.
You can see the paint isn't quite dry yet. Another lesson learned....Don't paint when it's pouring rain and super damp out. Took a very long time for the paint to dry and usually this paint dries in about 15 minutes. Could also be the fact it had an entire can of paint on it too!
This job turned out to be a lot more work than I had thought. I started on Sunday and didn't finish until Tuesday. I got so engrossed in what I was doing that I didn't take anymore progress pictures. I put two coats of paint on the entire cabinet, inside and out. Then waxed the outside with clear and dark wax. I only lightly clear waxed the inside because I wanted it to be bright. Then I sanded it down to make it look it's age.
Here she is all spruced up and ready for the next 20 or so years :-)
I say this every time, but I love, love, love how it turned out. I feel like the character and imperfections show up better now.
This made me laugh....look at the drawer pulls. Notice anything?! Well in the entire time I've had this cabinet I have NEVER noticed the fact that the pulls are off. One is higher than the other! I thought I was observant!
I kept the same hardware, except the drawer pulls. I love these old closures. I thought they were brass, but when I took them off to clean them I realized they might have been brass plated. I liked the imperfections and patina so I didn't paint them.
Finally the inside of the cabinet and it's rough wood show up now! I love how all the texture of the wood shows through.
SWOON.....I'm in love!
I really distressed this thing! I wanted the old wood to show through and look it's age.
I haven't painted the inside of drawers before so I gave it a shot. I like how it turned out and I might have to do it again on my next project.
NO MORE PINK!!! The whole things is fresh, clean and like new.
Even though this turned out to be a bit more time consuming than I had originally thought I really enjoyed doing this. As I was working I was reminded of the cabinet's history. It make me wonder who had this in their home and what it looked like in their kitchen. I thought of all the love and time my Dad put into refinishing it. I'm hoping he likes it when he sees it! I'm hoping that one day my Son will want this cabinet in his home....by then who knows what it will look like or what color it might be. I think it would be great in a nursery....OH that's a long way off considering he's six and I'm not going to let him get married until he's about 40!
I hope you like this as much as I do. Let me know what you think!
****Linking this post to
www.missmustardseed.com for her Furniture Feature Friday, http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com Funky Junks Saturday Night Special and http://primitiveandproper.blogspot.com/ Piece of Work Wednesday
http://creatingahouseofgrace.blogspot.com Twice Owned Tuesday
thriftydecorchick.com Before and After Party