Thursday, July 14, 2011

For the Budding Home Decor Gal!

I purchased an adorable antique child's cupboard when my daughter was four years old. She is nineteen now. How quickly time passes. This was one of those UFO's, (unfinished objects) that had been stored in the basement for 15 years. It was completely painted in a creamy yellowed and checked white paint. ASCP (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint) to the rescue! I thought it could be painted over if I thoroughly sanded the piece, but the old paint just gummed the sand paper. The entire piece needed to be stripped using that yucky chemical furniture stripper. I have stripped painted pieces in the past but I have never a piece like this. The paint dissolved into a liquid cream that needed to be scooped up not scrapped. My mom spent many hours stripping and getting the awful sticky mess out of the corners. After a gentle sanding and a thorough washing it was time for ASCP.



The majority of the cupboard was painted with Old White and the inside of the cupboard was painted with Louis Blue.



The drawer pulls were carved wood but I sprayed them with oil rubbed bronze by Krylon to give it that look so popular in repurposed home decor today.



I think about the joy a little girl had long ago when she received this cupboard lovingly made by a father or grandfather. The construction and attention to detail shows that a skilled craftsman wanted his little girl to have one just like her mother's cupboard. Look at the adorable pull out cutting board.



I haven't found exactly the right thing to style it with but it is now restored to its original glory and will hopefully be cherished again by another little girl.



Do you remember playing pretend when you were a child? I used my mom's doll cupboard with decals on when I was little.

I have been working on a vanity for my daughter's bedroom this week. The wax is drying and it will need buffing. It will be ready for the photo session soon.

3 comments:

  1. This cupboard is so cute. So much better than the mass produced plastic ones!

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  2. So adorable I could just see it with a cute wooden kitchen to complete the set.

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  3. How fun! Love the UFO, have a few of those myself!

    Great color with the Louis Blue on the inside.

    www.ShadesofAmberInc.blogspot.com

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