Arts & Crafts: Media Cabinet Re-Do

Hey, all...I took some time away from the garden (it's frustrating me, anyway, right now) for a different sort of project.  Our media cabinet needed an upgrade and I finally pulled the trigger and bought a new one.  The new piece wasn't quite right the way it came, however, so the project also included faux finishing.

This is what we had, originally.  These photos were taken back in 2012 before we started using this dresser as a media cabinet / TV stand.

Memphis and the original dressser.

More Memphis

I liked the old piece.  I've always thought that it is OK to mix modern furniture with Shaker-style because both share a similar no-nonsense simplicity.  Anyway.  You probably wouldn't have guessed that the old piece is IKEA.  Yup.  It was a "Hemnes" dresser in medium fruitwood finish before I went to town on it with all my "antiquing" skills.  I sanded it, distressed it, replaced the original metal knobs with wooden knobs, painted it, sanded it some more, and (when I was all done) finished it with furniture wax.  

Here's how the "Hemnes" dresser originally looked in the IKEA catalog photo:

IKEA "Hemnes" dresser.  (Picture from the IKEA website )

As I said, I liked this dresser.  But a recent visitor made me feel bad about my decorating style by saying that it is "kinda all over the place." I don't agree--I think I have a pretty cohesive vision!  But that comment got me to thinking about the most efficient way to reduce the number of style influences in my home,  and I decided that the Shaker-style dresser had to be replaced by something more unequivocally modern.

Fast forward to more recent times...

After ages and ages spent looking for the right piece, I finally spied something I loved on the Anthropologie website but it cost much, much more than I was willing to pay.  I kept cycling back to the website, though, reassured that it was still available.  Until, one day, it wasn't.  It was discontinued and I was bereft--only realizing how much I'd wanted it once it became unavailable. So I kept looking and eventually found the same cabinet BACK IN STOCK at Anthropologie, AND on sale for 20% off, AND in a cheaper color as well ($500 cheaper!).  I decided I HAD to have it this time and congratulated myself on receiving both the sales discount and the cheaper price.  I purchased the cabinet, but never received a confirmation, only later discovering that the cheaper color that I'd ordered was no longer available and the order was in no-man's land.  So, with minutes left (literally, minutes) until the expiration of the 20% discount, I felt compelled purchase the more expensive cabinet at the previously unacceptable price.  Dumb, huh?  At least I got to take advantage of the 20% off sale.  At LEAST!  What can I say except that I was driven nearly mad by the need to own this thing.

SO, this is the Anthropologie "Boro Star" cabinet as it is in their catalog:

Anthropologie "Boro Star" media cabinet.  (Picture from the Anthropologie website )

 It's cute.  I like it as it is.  I especially like the raw-looking metal legs, which wrap around the top of the cabinet, and the rustic wood cabinet box.  But the front doors look very boho-chic and I wanted something more modern.  So, I painted the doors.  (And that's why I was so bummed to have to pay more for the specific paint selection.)  Here's how that went down:

First, I taped-out the cabinet box and the metal legs with painter's tape.  I removed the cabinet knobs.  Then I sanded the doors, primed them with a flat, gray primer, and gave them a coat of aluminum/silver colored paint.  I wanted the final finish to give the effect of a slightly-weathered, painted metal finish. 

 Then I boldly began to put on the first layers of color...

I kind of like the very bold effect of the initial layers, but I realized that it would overwhelm our small room, so I toned it down significantly as I worked.  

More color layers with sanding in-between...(Gotta love power-sanding in the middle of the main living area ;-)  but I tried my hardest to keep the dust wrangled.)

After many layers of paint and sanding in-between.

 Eventually, I decided to call it "done" and applied a waxed finish.

And here is the finished chest, in place in the living room.  

(If you look around, you can see that there is plenty of IKEA remaining:  The candle holders, the black and white pillow cover, and the sheep skin throw...)  I source items from everywhere!

I still need to tweak it a little bit, but I think this project was a success.  I feel like I achieved my goal, which was to make a unique furniture piece of indefinable age/origin.