Serendipity Refined Blog: Rust Remover

Meet "Grace". Back in February, (Yes, you read that right, I said "February", four months ago, don't mock me. At least it was 2012) she looked like this:

"Grace" and I go way back. I bought her at an estate sale in 1985 from my friend, Grace. I've had her since I was single. She's been a china cabinet, a linen closet, and most recently, storage for my sons' WarHammer Army. Poor girl, banished to the basement where I'm sure that she thought I'd forgotten her. I thought, back in February when I hauled her upstairs from the ~~dungeon~~ basement, that I would refinish her using Tea and Rust. I also thought that I'd have her done by Easter. I also thought that I'd be win the lottery last weekend because I actually played. Clearly, sometimes, I have no clue. I abandoned the rust idea after two weeks of misery coupled with finding this post at one of my favorite blogs French Country Cottage. It had the most glorious grey armoire in it.

After seeing that cabinet, the decision to paint "Grace" grey was an easy one. Pretty much any decision would have been an easy one after the "rust debacle." Well, other than what color the hairdresser should highlight my hair this time and what to make for dinner, but other than that...

One of my favorite sayings.

Here are the deet's on Grace's makeover: Since I'm storing linens in this cabinet, I painted the interior using latex paint: Leftover Benjamin Moore,Tranquility on the walls and BM Bavarian Creme on the shelves. Then, I painted the entire exterior of the cabinet, using ASCP in Paris Grey as the base then white washing using thinned ASCP in Olde White. The carved details and trim were painted using homemade chalk paint made from Benjamin Moore Tranquility, a custom blue/purple color and ASCP, Olde White. I followed with a light sanding to gently distress just a few places.

Then, I applied striped scrapbook paper to the two pediments using Matte Mod Podge. The remaining design, and the words in the center of the top valance, I hand painted. I used the original hardware after I rubbed it with a little silver rub n buff and sprayed the plastic parts for the lower cabinet pulls with white spray paint made for plastic.

After it was dry, I waxed with clear wax. I'm still not sure, I may put some dark wax just in the carved areas but right now, I'm happy that, for the first time in FOUR MONTHS, it's out of the middle of the hallway and no one has to worry about stubbing their toes or poking their eye out when trying to get to their room tonight.

I added a few of my favorite things: old lace, lavender, some transfer ware, my sons' baby cups, and other stuff that was just hanging around on the top of the dresser and a chair in my bedroom and making it nearly impossible to dust without spending ten minutes moving everything and forcing me to sit on the bed when I wanted to read.

SO much better, don't you think so? I'm saving the rust for another project. Because I'm willful...and I'm not going to let a jar full of rust get the better of me!

xo,

Kimberly