This was one of a pair, given to us by my buddy. It was actually in hubby Dave and I's bedroom, but I decided one will go in Brodie's room, and the other in Lucas's.
It's not massively fun and kid friendly at the moment, but we'll sort that out right now! First thing to go was the floral pattern over the middle bar. Bring on the polyfilla!
Next, the handles. Sorry, but they're just not "kid" enough for me. You can see from the next picture, once I took the handles off there were actually two holes in the front of the drawer, but only one going all the way through. I filled in the "fake" hole, leaving the real hole for the new handle.
Let me just point out - this is not a "themed" bedroom. There is nothing tying all the pieces and colours together, apart from my intention to make it bright, fun and cosy. However, saying that, the ONE thing Brodie really wants is a Super Mario mural on his wall. More on that later, but I wanted to tie in this little cabinet with a Mario theme - I thought the shape was great for doing something like this:
However...
After FOUR coats of yellow paint, it was not looking good (in my own defense, I did sand it like nobodys business before the first coat) - should have primed it, but didn't. DOH!. That lovely chocolately brown was NOT loving the yellow.
To add insult to injury, I stupidly assumed that both drawers were the same size (we all know what assuming does, it makes an ass out of YOU and ME, however YOU had no part in this dear reader, it was all ME), so it actually turns out that I painted the bottom drawer yellow instead of the top. ARGH! Epic fail, as my son would say.
So, I have decided it is time for plan B. Paint samples!
I re-sanded all that glossy, yellow paint, and went at it again. I am on a paint sample roll just now, did you see the bookmarks that the kids made for valentines? Again, collected over a period of time from different stores.
I started with the drawers. The one in front is still wet with mod podge in this pic.
Then on to the main part. I did the sides and top. In the shot below, you can see the bottom edge plus the edge on the left still need to be sanded off.
I tried very hard at all times to keep the white lines between the colours straight, to give it a bit of continuity, and managed pretty well. I also made sure that all of the samples were the right way up so that you could read all of the paint names without turning upside down. If you are going to try this yourself, I recommend doing what I did - I did one section at a time (top, side etc) and laid the unit so the side i was working on was facing up - once I had mod podged the surface of the unit and laid the paint samples on, I covered it all with cling film them put lots of heavy books on top for a few hours to keep it flat.
The fiddliest parts were those small sections - the rim around the top, then the three sections above, in the middle and below the drawers. I thought it was quite apt that the very last piece I put on was called "Scottish Waltz" - it was the first time I had noticed ANY of the names on the whole piece!
I finished it off with wooden handles painted in that same yellow as my first attempt, and painted the legs in the same colour. You'll notice from the picture above that one of the drawers is still yellow on the edge, while the other is brown. Adds to the colour, don't you know! I suppose I could have done the edges too, but I was running out of samples. Also, I did the "sanding off the edges" technique as seen in my Manga Dresser, but the paint samples are way thicker than comic book pages, and some of the edges were not as neat as I would have liked, so I was just happy to get it looking like this.
I painted the handles seperately, and before I attached them, I gave the whole thing 2 coats of mod podge and 3 coats of spray varnish.
So in the end, no Super Mario tie-in, but Brodie loves it anyway!
Bedside cabinet - free
paint samples - free
yellow paint - from my stash
wooden handles - from my stash
mod podge and varnish - already counted in my total
Total cost of Paint Sample Bedside Cabinet - $0.00
Total cost of room to date - $20.98
A score for Brodie's bedroom makeover, look at this colourful bedside cabinet for ZERO addition to the bedroom total. Yes please, I'll have some of that!
Nikki x
P.S. Don't forget you can follow me of Facebook!
You can see more about Brodie's bedroom makeover below:
The Bedroom of Doom! - Before the transformation began
The Manga Dresser
Linked with:
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Blue Cricket Design - Show and Tell
Someday Crafts - Whatever Goes Wednesday #105
The Trendy Treehouse - Create and Share
Free Pretty Things For You - Whatever You Want Wednesday #65
DIY by Design - Winter Blues Wednesday, It's a Party #53
My Girlish Whims - Your Whims Wednesday #47
Handy Man, Crafty Woman - Wicked Awesome Wednesday #51
The DIY Dreamer - From Dream to Reality Linky Party #4
Oopsey Daisy - Wednesday's Wowzers {8}
Tales of a Trophy Wife - Will Craft For Laughter and Grace
Seven Thirty Three - Sugar and Spice #99
House of Hepworths - Hookin Up With HoH #88
Somewhat Simple - link party
Tales From Bloggeritaville - Thrifty Thursday #149
Katie's Nesting Spot - A Crafty Soiree #78
The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday
Beyond The Picket Fence - Under $100 Thursday
Suzy's Artysy-Craftsy Sitcom - Commercial Break Thursday
Christina's Adventures - 20 Below Thursday #61
Between U & Me - Crazy Cute Link Party #39
Thrifty 101 - DIY Thrifty Thursday #55
The Brambleberry Cottage - Time Travel Thursday #85
What Allie's Making Now - Making it With Allie
A Glimpse Inside - Catch a Glimpse Party #68
Rhinestone Beagle - Doggone Dirty Craftin Link Party #22
Fabulously Flawed - Super Sweet Thursday #22
Crafty Scrappy Happy - Crafty Scrappy Happy Me Thursday {23}
The 36th Avenue - Party Time!
Stuff & Nonsense - Fridays Unfolded #55
Momnivore's Dilemma - Creative Juice #60
Sassy Sites! - Party in the FFA!
WhipperBerry - Friday Flair
Thirty Handmade Days - Pity Party #76
Freckled Laundry - Air Your Laundry Friday #55
The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday
Redoux - Friday Link Up Party #44
Simply Designing - Link Party
Funky Junk Interiors - Saturday Night Special Link Party #122
Craft Envy - Saturday Spotlight #78
Be Different, Act Normal - Show And Tell Saturday
Lolly Jane Boutique - Watch Got Weekend #52
Little Becky Homecky - Fantabulous Friday #1
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It's So Very Cheri - It's Party Time
Craft-O-Maniac - Craft-O-Maniac Monday Link Party #26
I Should Be Mopping The Floor - Mop It Up Mondays #5
Get Outta My Head Please - Show It Off Party #13
Sew Can Do - Craftastic Link Party
Blue Cricket Design - Show and Tell
Someday Crafts - Whatever Goes Wednesday #105
The Trendy Treehouse - Create and Share
Free Pretty Things For You - Whatever You Want Wednesday #65
DIY by Design - Winter Blues Wednesday, It's a Party #53
My Girlish Whims - Your Whims Wednesday #47
Handy Man, Crafty Woman - Wicked Awesome Wednesday #51
The DIY Dreamer - From Dream to Reality Linky Party #4
Oopsey Daisy - Wednesday's Wowzers {8}
Tales of a Trophy Wife - Will Craft For Laughter and Grace
Seven Thirty Three - Sugar and Spice #99
House of Hepworths - Hookin Up With HoH #88
Somewhat Simple - link party
Tales From Bloggeritaville - Thrifty Thursday #149
Katie's Nesting Spot - A Crafty Soiree #78
The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday
Beyond The Picket Fence - Under $100 Thursday
Suzy's Artysy-Craftsy Sitcom - Commercial Break Thursday
Christina's Adventures - 20 Below Thursday #61
Between U & Me - Crazy Cute Link Party #39
Thrifty 101 - DIY Thrifty Thursday #55
The Brambleberry Cottage - Time Travel Thursday #85
What Allie's Making Now - Making it With Allie
A Glimpse Inside - Catch a Glimpse Party #68
Rhinestone Beagle - Doggone Dirty Craftin Link Party #22
Fabulously Flawed - Super Sweet Thursday #22
Crafty Scrappy Happy - Crafty Scrappy Happy Me Thursday {23}
The 36th Avenue - Party Time!
Stuff & Nonsense - Fridays Unfolded #55
Momnivore's Dilemma - Creative Juice #60
Sassy Sites! - Party in the FFA!
WhipperBerry - Friday Flair
Thirty Handmade Days - Pity Party #76
Freckled Laundry - Air Your Laundry Friday #55
The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday
Redoux - Friday Link Up Party #44
Simply Designing - Link Party
Funky Junk Interiors - Saturday Night Special Link Party #122
Craft Envy - Saturday Spotlight #78
Be Different, Act Normal - Show And Tell Saturday
Lolly Jane Boutique - Watch Got Weekend #52
Little Becky Homecky - Fantabulous Friday #1
Flamingo Toes - Think Pink Sundays No.50
I Heart Nap Time - Sundae Scoop Link Party
Brassy Apple - Make it Monday #20
DIY Home Sweet Home - More The Merrier Monday #51
It's So Very Cheri - It's Party Time
Craft-O-Maniac - Craft-O-Maniac Monday Link Party #26
I Should Be Mopping The Floor - Mop It Up Mondays #5
Get Outta My Head Please - Show It Off Party #13
Sew Can Do - Craftastic Link Party
Wow! THat's quite an undertaking and it sure turned out great! Thanks for the tip on the heavy books. I may try this on a smaller scale like a table top. Nice Job! Following you now.
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing! I'd love for you to link it up to my party. You can win a chance of free home decor just for linking up: http://trophyw.blogspot.com/2012/02/will-craft-for-laughter-and-grace.html
ReplyDeleteHope to see you there.
That is awesome!!! I love doing things with paint chips but this takes the cake. Way to go.
ReplyDeletewww.itsybitsypaperblog.com
That's really cool! Well done!
ReplyDeleteThat is very clever. It looks super cool. Thanks for sharing at DIYbyDesign.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your nice comments! It was definitely a labour of love, lol!
ReplyDeletewow! how fun is that! great idea and great way to use those paint strips.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job with the cabinet. I do think the yellow would have worked if you had primed it. But glad your son loves it. Blessings, Debbie
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness~~~~~ look at you! Too cute for words:))
ReplyDeletePaint chips in a whole new light:))
If this catches on.... Lowe's and Home Depot will be in big trouble stocking paint chips ! ha-ha
stopping by Pretty little things whatever Wednesday
Smiles,
Kay Ellen
I think this turned out great. Got to love a happy accident. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I love the variety of colors!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone! I also love the rainbow of colours in this project, but it could be equally nice with various shades of just one colour - I may do something with pink paint chips when it's time to do my daughters room! I guess I better start collecting them now...
ReplyDeletethis is really neat! How fun and creative. I came over from Someday Crafts.
ReplyDeletevery clever! so cute for a kid's room!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteLove it!! how creative you are!!
ReplyDeleteThis is really, really cool and very thrifty, well done!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's really cool, love what you did with those paint palette cards. You know, I would take those home with me and try to brain storm a way to reuse them myself, but I never came up with any idea nearly as cool and creative as this. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI'd follow you, but the GFC is going away soon, so I'll just recommend you get a Linky Followers or Networked Blogs widget on here, you can see them on my blog here: http://jessica-healthymommyhealthybaby.blogspot.com/. Keep up the good work!
Thank you guys! Jessica, I am quite new to the world of blog, I will have a look at these things you have mentioned - thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome! I love how vibrant it is...and the fact that it cost you nothing is amazing! It looks sooo cute!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to invite you to come link up at my first Link Party going on now!! I hope to see you there.
http://littlebeckyhomecky.blogspot.com/2012/02/fantabulous-friday-1-random-happenings.html
This is sooooo creative and cute! Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeletethank you! Katie, am on my way to link up to your party right now!
ReplyDeletewow! That's SO fun and creative...love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for linking to "20 Below Thursday"! :)
Thanks Christina! Thanks for having me at your party! ;O)
ReplyDeleteCute! How fun! Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteMelody
ChattyChics.com
PS Link it up at my place Wednesday if you can!?
WOW! how fun!
Deletethanks for linking up to Make it Monday! just shared your link on the brassy apple FB page :)
Wow, this is so colorful and fun! Thanks for sharing at oopsey daisy!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for linking up at last week's party. Congrats you were featured:http://trophyw.blogspot.com/2012/02/winner-and-features.html
ReplyDeleteI also follow you via linky followers.
Now this is a brilliant idea! And it comes out really nice, well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your great comments - and thanks for the feature Tales!
ReplyDeleteYou are too clever!! I love it. Thank you so much for sharing. Funny thin about the nightstand. My husband and I had those exact same nightstands our first years of marriage. I had spray painted ours white. I had to have my husband look at what you did, it was so fun. -K
ReplyDeleteHi Charlie - that's too funny that you had the same furniture! I have no idea where ours came from originally, as they were given to us by a friend, and may have gone to them from elsewhere too. If you still have them, maybe you could try the paint chip project ;O)
ReplyDeleteWow, that is so fun! Great job!
ReplyDeleteWould love it if you would share it with my readers and post it on my web site - www.ohmy-creative.com. Join the Community and post as many projects as you like!
Susan