Shabby Chic; Volume III

emma_kate

steve_2012 wrote: »

i started this on thursday and finished it off yesterday.
this (i hadnt realised) was shiny veneered furniture made by jentiques in the 50/60s.
at the bottom there should be doors i assume but it had 2 glass sliding which frankly dont look right.
i had for too forgot take a pic before taking off the bureau hinged door.
i probably should have sanded this but didnt and went on with POP satin wilko paint.
all went well until it came to putting the bureau door back on, it now doesent fit as it was very tightly made.
so for now we have it with no door, the boss is happy with it but i do need too touch up a bit where i damaged the edge trying to get the door on.
i had tried to electric plain the door to fit but made a pigs ear of it really, the lock needs moving, i took slightly too much off one side and the veneer got slightly damaged while trying too plain.
it only cost £5 and it has learnt me a few lessons along the way, it also is yet too be waxed.
i dont think i will use satin any more (it was 2 litres i had left) as when you clean your brushes etc etc using hot water it turns into a gluey mastic type substance.
im sure its not the POP causing this as when i painted our sons room with the paint the same happened, i had never used silk ever before, only matt emulsion so im wondering if it has an effect on the adhesion to furniture.
overall im happy ish but a bit peeved about the door.
i might try too redo the bureau door but as ive took off 2 or 3mm too much off one side i need too move the hinges over too balance the gap either side.
the problem here is only moving the hinges 2mm.
i might fill the existing 6 holes with cocktail sticks and try to put new holes in but its a bit off chore and i think i am just doing it too have a door which the wife did particularly want on anyway.

I have also had this problem when doing a custom job. If it's a tight fitting door or drawer, just paint the face of it so you're not jamming the movement. Also if you sand off your paint work rather than plane, it's less brutal.
It's all a huge improvement on what you started with!

K9sandFelines

emma_kate wrote: »

There's a nationwide company called Furniture Clinic and they can fix it like new. If you got it free, perhaps it's woth spending some money on it?

Thanks, will have a look into that, though very short on cash so hoping there was some sort of DIY job i could do for now. I have a staple gun so can repair the bottom; but i have removed the legs, so you can't see the rip as it's sat flush to the floor. I was going to put a throw over it for now, until i figure something out.

Lois_and_CK

Has anyone ever upscaled melamine/laminated flat pack furniture? I've got an excellent filing cabinet, but it's in that laminate 'beech effect' finish, which I'm not keen on anymore. would painting it work?? If so, how would I go about it?

parkgirl

Lois_and_CK wrote: »

Has anyone ever upscaled melamine/laminated flat pack furniture? I've got an excellent filing cabinet, but it's in that laminate 'beech effect' finish, which I'm not keen on anymore. would painting it work?? If so, how would I go about it?

I'm going to give a laminate bookcase in my son's bedroom the chalk paint treatment. The bookcase is a bit carpy but it's so useful and he's only 9 so I don't want to spend much on a "decent" one. I am thinking if I give it the treatment it might tart it up a bit until he's a bit older and it will look more than it is iykwim.

chalkysoil

I've done cd racks in chalk paint, melamine cupboard paint and 70's chests in satin gloss. Chalk paint is the quickest but it will probably look a bit rustic shabby. But even the boiler man liked my painted Ikea cd/ dvd rack.

Lois_and_CK

Thanks chalkysoil and parkgirl. I'll give it a go then. My husband isn't keen on me 'ruining a decent bit of furniture' :-) so I'll have to talk him round first!

Your CD tower looks really good. Did you sand it or anything first? Or just paint it with chalk paint straight onto it?

chalkysoil

no I didn't sand it. I am the laziest ever at preparation. I gave it a good wash and let it dry for a day or two, then two or more coats of chalk paint. Then varnished it with wilkos matt quick dry.

in progress pic!

Taranaman

I've been lurking on here a while and just had to post about how amazing your transformations are.

I've nothing to show yet but have earmarked a few bits and bobs to have a go on but am being super disciplined as I have a scrappy quilt I need to finish first BEFORE TAKING ON ANYTHING NEW. I've been very strict with myself and even managed to stop myself from buying POP when I was in Hobbycraft last week.

So in the meantime I'll be watching and learning and telling myself "one project at a time and no more" otherwise my house will be full of half finished projects...

Thistle-down

No pics yet but I am in the process of turning my kitchen into a shabby heaven. I wanted blue gingham curtains to go with my cornishware but need to be very frugal.

While looking through boxes (we have barely unpacked, 6 months after moving into a 1-bed flat) I found some pink gingham curtains that used to be in dd's bedroom. Spent 30 mins shortening and hemming them and they are up in the kitchen window. They look pretty cute, and didn't cost a penny! They don't really go with anything but that's okay.

I will post before and after pics once it's all done. It's really just a matter now of painting and putting up shelves and moving stuff around. I have everything I need aside from more material to make a counter curtain. I'm going to buy something floral and use an off cut to add some trim to the pink window curtains so they kind of match.

I also found a pair of red curtains and a pair of tan and cream checked curtains that I am going to make into a rag rug for the front room! Happy days :T

chalkysoil

sounds really nice, my kind of kitchen