Any ideas for revamping a veneer bookcase?

westcoastscot

Hi,
I was thinking along these lines the other day - I have one of those bureaus made in black ash veneer - very 70's! it has a glass cupboard above, a drop-down writing-type desk in the middle and a cupboard below - was wondering about painting/lightening the colour and making it suitable for a kitchen cupboard? any thoughts?
thanks,
Pauline :-)

NualaBuala

westcoastscot wrote: »

Hi,
I was thinking along these lines the other day - I have one of those bureaus made in black ash veneer - very 70's! it has a glass cupboard above, a drop-down writing-type desk in the middle and a cupboard below - was wondering about painting/lightening the colour and making it suitable for a kitchen cupboard? any thoughts?
thanks,
Pauline :-)

Of course all that 70's stuff seems to be in now. I was in Habitat a while ago and it was like my parents' house in the 70's!

I wonder could you paint it white, leave the desk dropped down, maybe add a small shelf and turn it into a sort of dresser? Mind you, I'm very new to all this so I don't know if it would work at all.

westcoastscot

Good idea - i like the thing as a piece of furniture but the black really dates it - do you know if you can just paint straight onto the black or would it need priming someway first?

NualaBuala

westcoastscot wrote: »

Good idea - i like the thing as a piece of furniture but the black really dates it - do you know if you can just paint straight onto the black or would it need priming someway first?

It does sound lovely. I'm no expert but I'd use a primer first. Is it real wood with veneer or a sort of MDF/melamine type? I'm sure the clever people here will tell you what you'd need to do.

westcoastscot

I'm not sure - I think it's that kind of chip board with veneer over it? It's designed for a sitting room - has a light in the top cupboard with glass doors on. I'm desperate for more storage in the kitchen, and it's wasted where it is!

NualaBuala

westcoastscot wrote: »

I'm not sure - I think it's that kind of chip board with veneer over it? It's designed for a sitting room - has a light in the top cupboard with glass doors on. I'm desperate for more storage in the kitchen, and it's wasted where it is!

Sounds the same type of material to my shelves. Well apparently there's a special melamine primer you can get for this stuff and then you can paint normally over it. I've been told Homebase do it.

westcoastscot

Thanks! I'll have a look for it while i'm away this weekend. good luck with your shelves
Pauline :-)