Thursday, March 24, 2011

THE BIG REVEAL

Here is a reminder of what this piece looked like when we picked it up at the Church sale for $5 dollars, but after Craig had installed the caster wheels to the underside.  Cori and I wanted to try the technique we used on a dress form, to try and transform this well used tool chest into a coffee table.   After tearing up pieces of brown painter's paper, the Mod Podge was opened up and the applying of the paper and glue commenced.
After allowing for dry time, a glaze of espresso bean brown was applied, lighter and darker in areas in an attempt to make it look like leather.  Then we went about pounding in the nail head trim, and when we stepped back and surveyed our handiwork we had this:
We're pretty happy with the outcome, but we are even happier with how this next piece turned out.  If you can imagine it, it started out as a home made stereo cabinet from back in the day.  It was basically just a plain wood box, and like an old house, no true straight edges or corners to be had. Cori envisioned the record holding area as a great plate rack, so we took out every other divider to make room for a plate.  That in itself was a lesson in patience. 
When I mentioned in the earlier post that Craig will think twice about volunteering to help us, all he has to do is think about the frustration in putting this piece back together again after Cori and I had taken it apart.  He kept mumbling out loud about numbering the pieces as we took them out to know where they went when they go back in, but sometimes Cori and I can't be bothered with such details when inspiration hits.
We went to our local Home Depot, which we seem to go to at least a couple of times a week, and picked up some bead board and molding to give it a more sophisticated look.  Again Craig was doing a lot of mumbling about those crooked corners and funky way it was put together, but he persevered, and the end result was what we like to call an island storage cabinet.
Because, really, we can see it being used in a kitchen, it does have room to house a microwave, or a dining room as a great additional buffet for added serving room, or even in a living room as a wonderful display piece.  I bet someone could even make it into a fabulous bar with all that storage, and with the backside finished off so nicely it could be the center attraction at any get together.
So that's what we have been up to this past week, and now it's onto our next projects we have sitting in the garage awaiting our attention.  I'll tease you with this...........one of the next pieces we start on, will get a great makeover using old yard sticks

4 comments:

all things bradbury said...

both of these projects are awesome!!... i really like that torn paper technique....it really does look like leather.... and i love the cabinet.... a towel bar on one end and spice rack on the other and it would be an fantastic kitchen island!......i am so impressed with the work you guys are doing!..i would love to be able to visit your retail space someday!

Linda said...

Love the transformation on both pieces.

Anonymous said...

I love this game :)

Anonymous said...

That chest is a work of art, and so is the ‘island’.

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