Trash to treasure…
Once in a while I like to thrift store shop. Ok, I take that back. I like to thrift store shop. A lot. Period. Not just once in a while. All the time. Every chance I get. I have a regular circuit I like to travel. I have the sickness. But I also know that I’m not alone in this…there should be a 12 step program or something for people like me.
So anyway, when I spotted this little gem at a 2nd Time Around store I had to nab it. I think it was originally a dot matrix type printer cabinet. This was perfect since I was looking for a printer cabinet for my office. SCORE!
I loved the expanse of surface on it. It shouted the need for a fabulous faux finish with a dramatic silhouette of some sort.
Once in a while I like to thrift store shop. Ok, I take that back. I like to thrift store shop. A lot. Period. Not just once in a while. All the time. Every chance I get. I have a regular circuit I like to travel. I have the sickness. But I also know that I’m not alone in this…there should be a 12 step program or something for people like me.
So anyway, when I spotted this little gem at a 2nd Time Around store I had to nab it. I think it was originally a dot matrix type printer cabinet. This was perfect since I was looking for a printer cabinet for my office. SCORE!
I loved the expanse of surface on it. It shouted the need for a fabulous faux finish with a dramatic silhouette of some sort.
Not only that? It was like 15 bucks! SOLD! I couldn’t get that thing out of the store fast enough. Nevermind that I didn’t think about whether it would fit in my car or not. I would MAKE it fit. I would and I did. After a little wrestling and some slightly strained muscles, in she went.
Once I got her home, it was whisked away to the basement workshop for a little TLC.
First I had to do a little sanding to rough up the surface to prepare it for some primer.
Once I got her home, it was whisked away to the basement workshop for a little TLC.
First I had to do a little sanding to rough up the surface to prepare it for some primer.
Check out the sexy legs on this baby. Mid century modern with some Danish influence. (I really have no idea what the design influence is…that just sounded good, didn’t it? *smiles*)
Covered with a good coat of primer and ready for some lovely paint.
I scavenged our old cans of paint and came up with a lovely turquoise color that I used on my kitchen when I did a 1950’s theme. Still love that color and it was still usable so...I did. Use it. Not only that, it would coordinate well with the sunny yellow walls at my office. I think it was meant to be.
Now for the silhouette: I wanted something that pretty and girly. Some thing would be good for a corner and that would easily be reversible. A little "JFGI" (Just Frikken Google It) search on the term "silhouette graphic" I came across this sweet looking design. I ended up creating a PDF out of it so I could size it the way I wanted it. I used some good old fashioned carbon paper to trace the basic design out line. Easy peasy.
Same design on the side but MUCH larger.
Now for a little glaze to tone it down just a bit and give it some textured character. An acrylic glaze with a titch of brown sienna mixed it. Ah…perfect.
It’s a bit of a messy job so I made sure to wear gloves and covered the floor well. I rubbed the finish on with a little bundle of cheesecloth. That really helped create the striated texture that I was after.
And ta-da! Installed in its place at the office! Never mind the messy cables. I tamed those down but I was so pleased with how it looked, I had to get a shot right away.
So next time you see a little cabinet that has great bones, nab it in a New York Minute. Find a little dab of left over paint and let JFGI be your guide. Soon you'll end up with your own Trash to Treasure!
So next time you see a little cabinet that has great bones, nab it in a New York Minute. Find a little dab of left over paint and let JFGI be your guide. Soon you'll end up with your own Trash to Treasure!
RSS Feed
