When you buy something that needs restoration – from a piece of furniture to a house – you need vision: you must be able to see beyond what’s in front of you, and recognise the potential to transform a worn out piece in need of TLC into something beautiful and cherished.
A couple of months ago P and I bought a display cabinet at the Emmaus second-hand furniture store in Oxford.
It had a wobbly leg, the lock was broken and the back was rotting and covered with a mildewed ugly fabric.
The wood was scuffed and scratched throughout, and had a few minor cracks. However…this cabinet had potential.
Lovely shape, Art Deco curved doors, cabriole legs.
At £ 25, it was a steal.
So we took it home, our friend Phil fixed the leg and replaced the back with some plywood, then P painted it with Annie Sloane chalk paint, an amazing matte paint that doesn’t require any priming.
I chose a soft off-white for the back (Original White) and a pinkish light purple (Henrietta) for the main body.
P also installed a new lock and then fixed a spotlight (GRUNDTAL by IKEA) inside the cabinet, just beneath the top. He waxed the cabinet, and then I cleaned the glass shelves and doors.
And here’s our display cabinet, in all its beauty:
I’m soooo thrilled with the way it turned out!
With just a bit of work and a lick of paint, we gave new life to a tired piece of furniture, and turned it into a unique, gorgeous cabinet…and I finally have a place to display some of my favourite ornaments.
So what do you think? Do you like the transformation from scruffy to lovely?
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Brilliant improvement and inspires me to think similarly. In my humble opinion, it would look even better with a coat or two of gloss – the shine would continue the modern theme, make it easier to dust, and minimise marking from moisture etc…
Hey Pippa, thanks for your suggestion. You’re right about gloss giving a more contemporary feeling, however at the moment I like the cabinet as it is – I like contrasts
It looks fantastic!! Back in the 90s, when paint effects and stencilling were in fashion, I bought an old cupboard and painted, sponged and stencilled it. I now have it out in my studio, and I still love it.
Thank you! Pieces that we lovingly restore & decorate have a special place in our heart, so I can see how you still love your revamped cupboard