I am going to continue looking back at some of my 1970’s repurpose projects. I hope that when you find 1970’s furniture at resale and thrift shops, you take a chance on it, or better yet, bring it to me. I will gladly accept your gift and make it fun.
A while back I bought a china cabinet for $40.00. The owner even threw in an awesome barley twist standing mirror that will be redone for my new house soon. Frankly I would have paid that amount just for the china cabinet, but the couple was ready to clear out their grandmother’s home so that they could move in. I cannot imagine that they didn’t want the things but… my gain. When we arrived at the house the owner said that if we had not shown up he was going to cut the top part off the cabinet and move it to the storage shed to use as a work cabinet. When the china cabinet gave me problems, and it did, I reminded it that it was just lucky it didn’t end up whacked in half and holding tools. Am I the only one who talks to my furniture when working on it? To my surprise the cabinet ended up being solid wood. I really expected questionable products based on the price.
This is the barley twist mirror that came with my $40.00 china cabinet. It is so going in my bedroom… as soon as I figure out what color to paint it! (Update, it went to a bride to be for her wedding.)
The first try at spray painting ended with a mess. We tried using the sprayer on the cabinet with thinned, cheap paint. It ran, it dripped, it made me cry. I tried to make it work by glazing the ugly paint but I could not get the paint to accept the glaze. It looked awful. Hubby sanded it all down and we repainted it all with a brush. I chose Behr powdered snow to paint it because Mandie at Altard recommends this color in her ebook. It is her best selling color. It was not fun to brush over the sanded down nasty paint because the first coat of paint seemed to soak in the second coat immediately. Eventually we did get it painted.
Here it is painted and distressed before the glazing
The close up of the cabinet door.
I then heavily distress the piece before glazing it with my favorite Behr faux glaze mixed with a little Behr revival mahogany. Hubby removed the back board on the top for me then I put natural burlap on the back to cover a small hole and to add a little pizazz to the piece. I am happy with how it turned out. This was the piece I distressed the most of all my projects. I am more thrilled with what Sweet Amanda said. She said that this was probably her favorite piece that I have done. She loves rustic work and I am thrilled she thinks it turned out well. It will be going into my office to hold my Dick and Jane books. The 1950’s books will look great in this redone 1970’s fabulous cabinet.
Enjoy the finished project.
Here it is resting comfortably in my office with my books inside!
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