This month I was asked to participate in an online auction/fundraiser for the Nov. 23rd issue of About magazine! It was a fun project, and I thought I would share with you how the project was completed.
The magazine editor invited a few local upcycle/refurbish furniture shops to participate, and since I don’t technically have a store – I consign out of one – I was especially excited. Each consigner was given a set amount of money along with a timeline.
I chose to donate and refurbish an entertainment center because there are always so many available and most are not big enough to use for flat screen TVs. To me, they are the “underdogs” of the thrift stores. So of course, I wanted to demonstrate how they can become something useful.
I loved the wood work on this entertainment center, along with all of the extra storage space underneath.
The first step—sanding. I’m not going to lie, this was a long process, with a lot of sandpaper. It was coated in lacquer that was not easy to get off, but I had a goal in mind so it was totally worth the time. I used a hand sander with Gator brand sand paper. For this project, I used 60 grit first, then 120 grit to smooth it out.
Now, the fun part begins. After washing the unit down, I painted the sections I selected to paint. I did not use primer on these areas beforehand because I wanted the wood to show through a little bit and I planned to distress it as well.
Next was cutting off the top porting of the back (because of the big TV hole). After cutting, I primed and then painted the inside of the cabinet.
Originally I thought plain black inside would be good, although after it was on, it looked boring to me so I added some metallic gold and just lightly brushed it on. In the first picture the paint is still wet, and you can see as it dries it blends in more.
Before – Wet Paint
After – Dry
Now it’s time to add the holes for the lights. I purchased a drill bit that has a round saw attached to it (hole cutter). Love this drill bit. Make sure you purchase the one with the center drill bit. This guides it for you and makes it so much easier to use. Wear goggles!
Next, adding the back. I purchased a piece of plywood (the thinnest I could find). I decided to go with a faux tin back. I always seem to have a supply of paintable wall paper available so I used that and pasted it onto the plywood, painted it, then brushed it with metallic gold to make it look more like tin and also to match the inside. Once it was dry I attached it to the back using small screws. Then I top coated everything inside with clear coat.
Then I added the wine rack (after painting it gold) along with the glass holder.
For the lighting I used clamp lights (minus the clamp).
I spray painted them gold, brushed them with black and added a wine bottle beading skirt to make it look fancier. To cover the hole I used a floor flange (found in the pluming section of any hardware store).
Once the inside was done, I distressed then stained the outside of the cabinet and added a top coat. This completed the project!
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!
Amy
Facebook: Sirpilla’s Shabby to Chic
Hi, I’m Amy. I love to repurpose, refinish and decorate with thrift store finds. Making something new out of something old is what inspires me! I’m a thrift shop addict who would like to share my DIY projects with you.