There always seems to be something that draws you to a piece of furniture, at least for me that is how it goes. It starts out in my head as " what could you be if I put a little life back into you? Could I make you something more?" This cabinet was bought as a set with the buffet that we just recently sold. I found her at an old farmhouse that was clearing out furniture from an estate sale. I was drawn to her immediately ❤.
We still had quite a few options for paint in our workshop so I decided to use a product that we already had, Dixie Belle sea glass. I had just finished doing a blended buffet and wanted to stick with a solid coverage for the cabinet. I thought maybe something a little more aged and rustic looking. The recent pieces I had been working on were much more bright and bold, this way I could try something new. Its always so much fun going a route you haven't gone before! It's really one of my favorite ways to create 😉.
I always start off cleaning the whole piece thoroughly. This one especially because it was definitely old. Lots and lots and lots of dirty grime and smell. Which is ok because I have cake boss primer for later to get rid of all that old stench lol.
Once I was done with the overall clean I removed the hardware, gave her a quick scuff sand, used painters tape to cover where I didn't want color and started priming with the cake boss by Dixie Belle. Honestly, amazing stuff, I absolutely love it! It also helps a lot with bleed throughs as this piece was very shiny and dark. I had to let it dry over night as our workshop can get a wee bit chilly sometimes 😂. I turned up the heat and left her for the night. I have primer all over me now ... its time to go home and wash up. Yes I am a messy painter lol
Started the next day with a 220 grit sand all over, just to make sure there was no paint drops or lines......need to have her nice and smooth for the first coat. I gave her a quick wipe down with a dry cloth and applied the first coat of sea glass using a mister bottle to help the paint stretch
( also why we are super smart and have left over supplies 😊). I can tell you right now painting inside cabinets that you cant get into is not for tall people lol. SUPER tight space and my poor was like jello after! I pushed through and got a second coat on after letting it dry for a bit. She's looking good I think 👌
Let the cabinet dry overnight and checked to see if I needed a third coat. NOPE! Two coats on and she is looking like pretty solid coverage... Bonus! I removed the tape from the outer door and used a razor blade to get any off the glass that had been left behind. Now its time for the wax! We use Fusion lavender wax quite frequently to seal our furniture. Not only is it very sturdy it smells soooo good 😁. I applied the wax to the whole cabinet inside and out with a wax brush and used a white microfiber cloth to remove any excess and to buff.
Now my favorite part! I had decided in the beginning that I wanted a more aged effect. This time I chose Fusion espresso wax to accomplish that look. I applied the wax using my wax brush and a microfiber cloth for buffing and excess removal. The trick I find is to stick to the edges and decals that can grab the wax. It adds so much more detail and depth to the piece. You don't want too much dark wax because then it can sometimes look dirty all over. You want it to pop as we would say! This picture here shows the dark wax brushed over the decal and then wiped off. What a difference such a small task can make!
After all the black and lavender wax was applied to seal the piece... it still seemed a little too dark. I wanted to brighten it up a bit. I added some warm lights to help the cabinet show the true colors and details. Plus how cool it is that it lights up! I think she is truly stunning! absolutely in love with how it turned out! It is definitely one of my favorite cabinets that I have refinished. What do you guys think?
Don't forget to stay safe and keep being crafty!
Ashli
Savvy Fabby Designs
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