Thursday, March 26, 2009

Corner Cabinet How-To’s

Corner Cabinet2

For those of you who like to see the process, this one’s for you. You all saw the corner cabinet as it was found in the dusty corner of an antique mall. Old and tired, but all it needed was some love and PAINT. Paint is the key.

Primed

I knew already that I would paint it white. Now, Jill in NC asked me why I chose white instead of black, since most of my paint projects have involved black or dark brown paint. And I still love those black projects. My table and chairs here in this breakfast area are black. I have a very old French antique cupboard in this same space that is a very pretty wood, probably walnut with a gorgeous patina. My kitchen cabinets are very white laminate. So, with all this mix, how do you decide what color to paint a new piece coming in like this? I have no idea how to tell you how I figure these things out, I just do. I thought the creamy white paint on this would play well against the black and walnut woods here already. I don’t ever go for matchy-matchy, I love the mix of textures and colors and this just seems to work for me. So Jill, if you’re reading, you could easily mix in some creamy white things with your love of black too. I don’t think you want to go all black in a room, a mix is much better.

So, step one was priming everything. Someone asked me if I sand. I never sand. Never. If anything, I’ll use Liquid Sandpaper, that stuff in a bottle that you just wipe on a piece to degloss. I’ve never had a problem with things coming off, but if I was doing kitchen cabinets again, I would certainly go through the right steps to make sure that paint stays put. So, if you feel like sanding is a good idea on what you’re doing, then go for it and that is recommended for really shiny surfaces. I just never do. I didn’t even use Liquid Sandpaper on this piece. I felt like the surface would be fine with just priming and painting. I used Kilz water-based primer and painted it on. It doesn’t have to be really smooth, just get it on there and cover all the bare wood.

Paint

Let that dry overnight and you’re ready to start painting. I always use plain water-based latex on my furniture projects and have never had a problem with them. Well, that is unless I use spray paint and spray paints are oil-based and are very tough. I used satin spray paint on my kitchen chairs and they have held up like iron for 8 years now. But anyway, I used left over wall paint (in Eggshell finish) from the dining room to do this project. I love it when that works out and I can use paint I already have. This is basically Antique White and was perfect for this piece. So, I used my trusty little foam roller (from Lowes) that I always use on projects like this. You’ll need a small paintbrush (about 1-2”) to get into the crevices and the foam roller works great on the flat surfaces. Paint it all over with one coat, let dry overnight and then do the next coat. Someone asked about a clear poly on top. I never do that either. I probably should, but I just never get around to that step, but if you really think you need more protection on a piece, then by all means put on a couple coats of clear poly to seal it from dings. This piece won’t have a lot of wear and tear, so I’m really not too worried about dings. When you're painting and rolling a piece, the main thing is to watch for drips as it is drying and get those brushed out.

Cabinet with molding

After the first coat is when I decided to add the molding to the doors, so I went to Lowes and picked up 2 pieces of small picture frame molding, cut it with the miter box saw and glued them on with wood glue. Tape them down to dry overnight. You would normally do this first before you even prime, but I decided after the fact to do it.

Crown

I added the leftover piece of molding from my dining room molding project to the top. Glued it on with wood glue too & added some finish nails to hold it in place until it dried. Then painted it all with a 2nd coat of paint. You can see I didn’t tape off the glass when I painted either. You can tape it off, but I’m usually too lazy to do that and simply go back with a razor blade after the paint is dry and scrape off the paint. Doesn’t take long at all to do that.

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Now, for the herb names, I went online with Powerpoint and chose the largest font and kept enlarging it (you can type in a larger # until it keeps going up in size.) This is French Script font. Kept enlarging the font until it filled the whole page and that was as big as I could make it. Printed out 6 of them. I found that anything larger than 6 letters would be too large to fit and keep them all the same size, so I made sure I picked names with 6 or less letters. I measured the back of each cabinet space to see how large it was & cut the burlap pieces to size, cutting 6 of them.

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Now, I learned this little trick from Joy, who does all sorts of projects on her blog, how to trace something by holding it up to the light. You tape the paper behind your burlap piece, then hold it up to a window to trace. I used a Sharpie to trace.

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And this is what it looks like when the tracing is done.

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Keep tracing all of them.

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Here is what it looks like taped on a window. I actually did this in my garage window and just taped it up and then held down one side with my hand, while tracing with the other. This isn’t a good pic, but you can see it really well once you hold down the fabric on top of the word. Just trace away and it will turn out fine.

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Then, I didn’t get a pic of this while I was doing it, but take a small stiff bristled paintbrush (a sturdy one, not flimsy) and fill in with black paint. That’s all there is to it! Very easy. I painted all of these in probably an hour and 1/2.

Then, I used my electric staple gun to staple the burlap on the backing. It was very hard wood, but the staples worked fine. Went back and hammered in the black tacks at intervals until I had them all in place. The hammering took the longest, that wood was SO hard.

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For the light installation, I used 3 puck Xenon lights from Utilitech ($19.99 from Lowes for the 3 pack). Sorry I threw away the packaging and didn’t get a pic of them, but they come in a 3 pack and other quantities also. They were easy to install after I got the directions out and studied them. There are tiny screws to attach them under each shelf. I did use my electric cordless screwdriver/drill to drill a hole for the wire to go through (and broke the drill bit in the process). You feed the raw end through the hole first and then put them together on the other side.

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They have raw ends on the wires, you slide them into a little plastic cage (read directions first!) and then close up the ends with another plastic piece that slides into place. The directions say to look for a ribbed side and smooth side of the wire & place them just so. Took me a minute to figure that out & then it was, AHA! You can see in the above pic the 3 plastic cages I’m talking about and then they are all 3 plugged into an extension cord that comes with the set and it has a little on/off switch on the cord, so you plug it into an outlet & then hide the cord to the side of the cabinet. Couldn’t be easier! You can see the white wire runs through the back and behind the burlap. I am SO glad I decided to add lights. It was $20 well spent and really adds so much to it.

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So, that’s how I did the corner cabinet in a nutshell. Click here to see my other post with all the closeups of the finished cabinet. I really hope you’ll all try something like this too. The sky is the limit with whatever your imagination can dream up. Colors, textures, fabrics, knobs, whatever your heart desires, let the creativity flow.

Please let me know what projects you’re up to and let me come and see! I’ll show you this again when I have it all filled up with pretties.

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51 friends stopped by:

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

I just can't stop looking at this piece!!! You've done real good this time, Ms. Rhoda! :-)

And...is there anything that can't be done with a sharpie?! I used one this past weekend to "repair" a tattered frame I got on clearance. I just colored in the chips, and voila! It's not one-tenth as impressive as your sharpie use here, but I'll pull myself together and post (when I find my camera cable...)

Anonymous said...

Absolutely stunning! And right down my alley. I'm going flea-marketing!

The Stylish House said...

Rhonda,
Thank you for your visiting my space, it is nice to meet you! I have been blogging a short time, and what great fun it has been. You are definitely one smart, talented cookie, and I can see loved by many. I have lived many places, but have always been drawn to the south due to its gracious and kind nature. I look forward to getting to know you, and again thank you for stopping by and saying hello…Cathy

The blog of MBW said...

You are so creative and have a good eye on what to do with your finds. Can't wait to see when all the accesories are in. :-)

Missy in Texas said...

The cabinet turned out so cute! You mentioned that you spray painted chairs. How many cans of paint does that take? I have 6 kitchen chairs. I would like to paint the backs and legs, but leave the seat natural. What do you think?

Bonita said...

Thank you, Rhoda. I like knowing I can come back to your blog and refer to this when I get ready to do a similar project. I need all the help I can get!

Unknown said...

Awsome and such great finishing touches. I'm SUPER impressed that you know how to use a miter box...I Don't! :(

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

The cabinet is fabulous and you do make it look so simple. I love your finished product. Hugs, Marty

rustycupboard said...

I really enjoyed how you did this. great job.

Sandra said...

Hello, I love it! It looks great! I always visit your blog because I truly love everything you've done. I've learned alot from you. :) I need to find a corner cabinet like that. Thanks for sharing your project with us....especially us newbies. :)

Heathahlee said...

That is so pretty, Rhoda! Even my 9 year old son (who was waiting impatiently for me to finish reading so he could get on the computer!) thinks so! : )

preppy little dress AKA "PLD" said...

Wow...nice job! Love your blog, this is my 1st visit!

Darlene said...

You really turned that into a FABULOUS piece. Love it!!!

Blondie's Journal said...

Beautiful job Rhoda! Glad to learn I don't have to sand everything though I don't mind too much since I bought The Mouse by Black & Decker (perfect for amall, dainty hands ;-)

Can you take a pic at night with the lights on, I'd like to see the burlap & letters a little better. What do you plan to put in it?

xoxo
Janie

Unknown said...

Rhoda,
You are so amazing and such an inspiration to all! I have 2 cabinets that could use some work, and I really need to get busy and get them painted!

Yours turned out great...love the burlap look too!

Joanna said...

Love it! You made it look so easy. I now have the how to on painting Kelsie's dresser. Oh, my last two posts have been about Kelsie's room. I am working on making butterflies for her room at the moment.

Anonymous said...

Good directions, appreciate the photos of the steps.

Anonymous said...

This looks fabulous.I love it.I love it so much I want it.You will never---believe this.But as I looked into the corner in my dining room just a few hours ago I said to myself.I sure wish I had a corner cabinet to put some dishes on.And look what you did.Only problem,it's not mine.ha...ann

Angie said...

I am totally loving this piece! Love the details - cute knobs, burlap, words. You did such an awesome job!

Sa-Sea said...

love it! such an amazing refinish...and i thought tht I was the only one who didn't sand. :)

Anonymous said...

hey Rhoda

great tutorial, love painting things white so I guess I would love it anyway

I have a lot of goodies stored in my garage to work on, but next week I am starting on working over an very old and very musty trunk that I found out on my treasure hunting adventures, it's lovely and I've half a mind to leave it as it is, but it's brown and ya know that doens't work in my beach cotttage!! hee hee

Sarah

Debra from Bungalow said...

Hi Rhoda, Thanks for telling how you did the words, I thought they were stenciled. Can't wait to see it loaded!

Anonymous said...

You have positively INSPIRED me. I am going to try this. My husband will roll his eyes but I bet he'll like it. I have a horrid bench in my mud room and it is going to be transformed... THANKS SO MUCH!!

Kitty Scraps said...

Another inspiring job Miz Rhoda! I can't imagine how long it takes when you stop to take photos of each step for us but I know we all sure do appreciate you thinking of us! You are by far the most clever and talented lady. I love everything you share with us and always visit every day to see what you're up to.

Lynda said...

Your corner cabinet looks beautiful!! You did such a great job refinishing it...now I want to paint something! lol!! I can't wait to see it accessorized. I'm sure it will be absolutely gorgeous.

Kimba said...

Fantastic tutorial! It looks amazing! This project combined some of my favorite things! Painted furniture and painting on burlap.

It really is beautiful. Great job!
Kimba

Rebekah said...

I'm thinking I may need some of those puck lights for my great-grandmother's old dough cupboard. Thanks for the great explanation of how to install those!

NCJill said...

Aww, thanks for answering my Q. about the black vs. white debate, Rhoda. When we moved into our new house 10 years ago with a newborn, 2 and 4 yr olds, I loved my white kitchen....until they started to be able to reach the counters and cabinets and then I thought, "AM I CRAZY!? WHAT WAS I THINKING!?" Ever so slowly I am changing my white kitchen (cabinets done)and look forward to experimenting some more. Thanks for doing the legwork!

Southern Charm said...

You really did a fantastic job. You must be one patient lady. It is just fantastic with the burlap and writing, that was just genius tracing the words. I will definitely keep that in the memory banks. Can't wait to see it all filled up.

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing! I can't wait until I find the perfect piece and can make one over as well.

imjacobsmom said...

Lookin' Good! I like the final touches - what a cute idea! ~ Robyn

Suzann said...

Wonderful project! I adore words, letters, numbers, etc. so I am quite in love with your idea. I'm working on "my" room right now as well as finishing up some unfinished projects here. I hope to have lots of photos to share after this weekend.

Funky Junk Interiors said...

Stunning! Love the burlap tips, painting, how to install the lighting.. the works!

I especially am grateful you shared how you did that trim on the doors. I have two doors on a vanity that will get the same upcoming treatment, thanks to you!

Donna with
Funky Junk Interiors &
Extreme Home Renos

Katie said...

Rhonda,
I love this great job. I have a question about the framed in mirror project. My husband and I were going to do this and we bought the stuff to do it. The only problem is we have nice cherry colored wood. It isn't really red but darker wood with a red tint. They are nice. We don't want to paint them. We bought the lighter weight molding like you said that would stick better but could not come to a solution for the color of the molding. Would black look bad, should we keep them the same color as the cabinet or just buy paint in a simiar color to match or even a cream white. I know?? I though it would look good matching just not sure if we can get the wood look from paint. We got really pretty molding and edges so not sure? If you can reply soon that would be great. If not that is okay. Love your blog.

Trixi said...

Oh, Rhoda, it looks great. I would love to find one of those. I am working on landscaping but don't have any pics. up yet. My next big project is going to be my kitchen. Oh, I am almost dreading it.LOL

savvycityfarmer said...

this is sooooooooo pleasing to the eye!!!!!

Did you happen to see my lampshades with the French word "lumiere" stenciled onto them?

It does something to ya, doesn't it!!!!!!

now what can I put more letters on....I love monogram, too

Dream Mom said...

Oh, I just love this piece. The herb names on it were perfect. Thanks for sharing your how-to's!

cindy said...

Great idea! You made it look so easy! Thanks for sharing. ~Cindy~

savvycityfarmer said...

sorry dear...the lampshades are over at
http://stuffintheburbs.blogspot.com

Katie said...

Thanks Rhonda, I really appreciate your help. I really love your blog and your inspiration and help with these fun projects.
Katie<><

philben5 said...

I am always so inspired by your blog but this really takes the cake! wow..is all I can say
Blessings
Roxanne

Linda said...

Beautiful work Rhoda. So creative!
Blessings,
Linda

Amy said...

Oh my gosh, I can''t believe the transformation of that wonderful corner cabinet. You really had a vision for it, and it turned out just gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your process with us all. What an inspiration! Amy

Janet said...

Beautiful! You are a genius.

Unknown said...

Rhoda,

The cabinet came out great. You are so talented.

Deb

morethanthestarsinthesky said...

Love the cabinet! Looks great. Where did you get the burlap?.....I need to get some for a B'day party.

Thanks Rhoda!


Amanda

Cottage Rose said...

Hi Rhoda; What a great cupboard. And the step by step ins. were just great. It really turned out beautiful.

Hugs;
Alaura

Jen@Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

It's amazing Rhoda. Your hard work paid off. LOVE it and can't wait to see what you put in it.

Tara said...

White paint can make anything look fantastic. It makes things look so fresh. Your cabinet turned out great! I've just recently discovered your blog and think it's Loveleigh! The southern part of the States has always been the part I would want to live if I could pick anywhere. I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest so it's great to see how the other half lives. I look forward to seeing much much more!

jessiev said...

First of all, I love almost anything painted white! Secondly, I think I love just about every dec project you do. This corner cabinet came out far better than I even thought it would. Love the burlap...it sounded interesting, because I'm becoming quite fond of burlap, but I wasn't quite sure it was going to work in your cabinet...I was kind of stuck on the greenpainted interior idea.
Once again, you were spot on! You've got the eye, for sure! Gorgeous!!!

3 Sweet Teas and Me said...

I posted a pic of your kitchen on my blog with a link to your blog. I'm using your kitchen curtains as inspiration for mine! :)