Accent Cabinet Makeover

I had more than a few doubts when I took on this Accent Cabinet Makeover.  But now that it’s been structurally reinforced, re-painted, and dolled up, I have to admit, it turned out better than I expected.  This poor cabinet was pretty much on its last leg when a friend brought it to me and asked me to -quote- “see what I could do with it.”  I thought it was cute, but it was in really, REALLY bad shape.  Just see for yourself what it looked like before:

It had more than just nicks and cracks everywhere.  Many of the panels had separated and there were actual holes on top.  Had I seen this at the thrift store (mind you, I am ALWAYS at the thrift store looking for my next fun project), I would have probably passed on it.  But because it was for a friend, I forged ahead.

The first order of business was to simply take it apart.  Did I say simply?  Turns out, It wasn’t.  The bolts inside the knobs were so rusted, it took me more than an hour to get them off!  Typically, I would have taken the hinges off the doors, but since they’d already been painted, I was afraid if I took them off, the cabinet would need brand new doors.

When you take on something like this, you have to approach it with the right attitude, knowing it’s not going to turn out perfect.  A fresh coat of paint can cover a multitude of sins, but there are some flaws you just have to live with.  And, so you just do your best.  In this case, I filled the holes and as many of the cracks as I could with wood putty.  I let it dry, and then sanded it as smooth as possible.

I used wood glue in between the panels that had loosened over time, and then I nailed them together again using a nail gun and 1″ brad nails. (When doing this, be sure to wipe off any excess glue. Sand again when necessary.)

Once everything was wiped clean, it was time for my favorite part of this Accent Cabinet Makeover…painting. I chose a paint & primer in one in a satin finish.  It’s called “Pale Bloom.”  (Valspar 7002-8) It’s sort of a vintage white, which I thought would work best with the piece.  And I decided to roll it on using a small sponge roller that is specifically made for painting cabinets.

Because I can’t leave well enough alone, I decided to add some embellishment to this cabinet by painting some flowers on the drawer front.  I searched free clipart online for inspiration then used my acrylic craft paints and fine art brushes.

I let the paint dry overnight, and then gave the whole cabinet a protective clear-coat finish.  My favorite is Polycrylic by Minwax, but I was all out.  So I used what I had on hand:  Project Perfect topcoat by Valspar that comes in an aerosol can.  I gave it a couple of coats, letting it dry in-between.

Finally, I was ready for the hardware.  My initial plan was to reuse the old knobs and just give them a good cleaning.  But upon further examination, they weren’t all alike, and one was already cracked.  So I went to Hobby Lobby in search of new ones.  If you don’t already know this, Hobby Lobby has thee most incredible selection of gorgeous knobs, and every other week they are 50% off.  So, wait a week whenever necessary.  It’s worth it. (BTW: Hobby Lobby does not compensate me in any way to endorse them.)

I spent $10 on four glass knobs and they were the finishing touch this Accent Cabinet Makeover needed.  It’s like putting on jewelry after you’ve done your hair and makeup!

And just like that, this Accent Cabinet Makeover is done!  Again, there are still flaws here and there, but overall, its darling.  And, let’s face it, it’s probably going to wind up in a bathroom storing toilet paper, anyway.

Thanks for checking out my blog.  If you enjoyed this project, be sure to check out another one of my video tutorials in which I show step-by-step how to paint roses on an old accent table.  Just click the photo below:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bAQSrA7ydQ[/youtube]