You've seen a hundred types of furniture makeovers or maybe even more.
But there is nothing like keeping it simple, elegant and no maintenance.
Am I right?
How about using simple flat black paint, water based polyurethane and a brush? It won't get much simpler then that! First let me give you a little background on these 2 pieces. I scored these babies at a resale shop for $15 bucks each. Yep. Dirt cheap. The glass was in the doors, some of the hardware was missing and the shelves were gone.
But they still came home with me. The upper handles spoke to me for some reason, and I am normally a brass hater. So they got placed in my woman cave and filled up with dishes.
And they stayed like this for 3 to 4 years.
Until I needed to start working on this room and giving it an update. So I decided it was time for a big purge and a paint job.
I also added some new hardware for the bottom and scored some new lighting from Restore.
When I say scored I mean I paid $13 for BOTH hanging lights. And that's including tax!
They were having a 60% sale. Now full disclosure.
Greg mounted these pendants inside the hutch and we used LED chandelier bulbs. We also turned them on for one hour (before I filled them up with knick knacks) and tested the temperature. Greg said its only a couple degrees above a his body temperature with the LED bulbs. I would NEVER recommend using regular chandy bulbs inside furniture like this, those babies got hot so fast we knew we'd be asking for trouble. Nor would I suggest placing fabric, pillows or anything else considered flammable close to it. Just to be safe!
I removed the old tube lights they had installed inside and painted the whole thing with a exterior flat black paint before he installed the brass fixtures.
To wire these up so they could be plugged into the wall, I bought two "2 wire" extension cords. Which basically has the same type of wire that these fixtures have. (2 wire extension cords are basically indoor extension cords. not outdoor) If you are squeamish around electrical work, please contact a Licensed electrician. Greg cut off the connector, stripped the wires and wired it. Then wrapping the connections so that they were safe.
Two coats of flat black later and I was ecstatic. I also would recommend at least 1 coat of water based polyurethane to protect it.
Once I saw them painted I knew they would look pretty good in the living room. I was just unsure of how to style them so they didn't look like they belonged in my Dining Room.
That was not a goal of mine, not that there is anything wrong putting dishes in these. I just tend to lean toward more modern then farmhouse these days when it comes to furniture.
Said the contrary woman who has a huge old tobacco basket sitting right next to the cabinet on the right.
Now for the fun part. Styling the shelves. When I bought glass shelves (1-1/2" thick glass) for these babies years ago I purposely did not pay the extra 20 bucks per glass for sanding the outside edges. I still have every intention of trimming out the glass with metal banding.
One day.
Hopefully soon.
(It's not sharp enough to cut anyone and all my kids have moved out and are grown. So no worries there!)
I have been wanting to share this furniture makeover with you for weeks but like every late winter, the sunlight disappears every time I get my camera out.
I added minor touches of Spring and I also added extra pillows that I usually switch out whenever I get bored with the look of my couch.
Now they can sit here instead of a dark gloomy closet.
I am betting the pillow fairies love me now.
We turn the lights on every night when it gets dark and have thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance having the varied levels of lighting through out the Living Room.
It really brings a sweet glow to this room.
Let me breakdown the cost:
2 quarts of exterior flat black paint $22.00
2 brass light fixtures $13.00
4 glass shelves $80.00
2 Cabinets $30.00
2 - two wire indoor extension cords $7.00
4 Lower Cabinet Pulls $24.00
Not bad if I say so myself. I'm wondering what people would pay for these babies!
