Saturday, June 27, 2009

Shabby chic furniture

Yay for garage sales. The same garage sale that bequeathed me the fan and mirror also produced this splendid little wire cabinet and this other one with a glass panel. The one with the glass panel is kind of cheap like made of cardboard or something. The top is all grungy I’ll show you pictures. So how can I fix that!? Ahhh. Ok but the other little shelfy cabinet was fine and really cute.

a million 078 a million 079

a million 077

a million 080

a million 081

2 bucks. Kind of cute how it’s signed on the back huh? lol The dried hydrangeas came with it :) I really like this chippy little thing, I almost left it behind! So glad I went back for it LOL. The next thing doesn’t have great pictures because I left it in my car and took it to my dads house to store it.

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Now I’ll show you the top of it that is all messed up. How can I fix this?!

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It was 2 bucks too so I couldn’t pass it up and I thought I could somehow fix the top. It’s bubbled up like paper does when it gets wet so I don’t really know what to do! Like I said it’s like made of some composite material and kind of cardboard-esque. I was thinking worse comes to worse I will try to scrape the top off and put shabby wall paper on it or something. Unless you guys have a way better idea and I’m sure you all do! All the best everyone! :)

34 comments:

xinex said...

Hello!~ Can you sand and repaint it? It's a beautiful cabinet!...Christine

Barbara Jean said...

Hi Allison.

Always appreciate seeing you have visited.

Great finds!!
Even the one that needs some work, what a deal!!!

There are several ways you can try to fix that.
I would first try to scrape off the rough stuff. You will probably want it as smooth as possible however your finish it. right??

You'll then need to seal it with something before trying another finish.

After that, you could decoupage: wallpaper, music, fabric, gift wrap. Depending on style you want. (probably pink shabby flowers if i know you.) =0)

Now, if scarping does not work, I would just smooth it out enough to put another board over it. Paint it up a bit, and put a nice doily over the top.

I guess it boils down to how much work you want to put into it.

if that;'s all too much work, just throw a doily over and put something heavy on it so it won't show the bumps. =0)

Be sure to show us on Get R Done Friday when you finish it.
Blessings,
Barbara Jean

PS,
Your little cupboard with the wire would sure be cute with a bird nest in it!! =)

Pink Princess said...

I was thinking about another board on top too. After scraping all the loose stuff just attach another wooden (plywood would do the trick) and then refinish it. They both are awesome, and even just for the pulls on the second one . LOVE them both, and at the price nothing is lost ♥♥

vintage girl at heart said...

Oh I love both finds!!!! The little chippy cabinet with the wire... oh my goodness what a curie!!! How wonderful that the flowers came with it!! The lil bath cabinet was a steal too!! Love that glass door!!!!! Can't wait to see what you do with both!!!

The Tattered Cottage said...

I would replace the top with a new one from Lowes or Home Depot. You can take the old one in to use as a template,or just take measurements, select the wood and have them cut it. I have had to do that with a couple of newer pieces. The newer ones are usually made of press board and will warp when they get moisture on them. Love your wire cabinet :)
Toni

Brenda Pruitt said...

The way I covered my coffee table was to have about 1/4 inch plywood cut, which I nailed on top. I didn't have a scarred up top to my coffee table, but I wanted to decoupage it, and didn't want to damage the good existing wood. So I used tiny little nails to add it on. Then I decoupaged it. If I want I can always take it off by taking up those nails.
Brenda

Lisa @ Fern Creek Cottage said...

Love that chippy little cabinet. Great find!

Coralie Cederna Johnson said...

Great find!!! How about a little bit of sanding and a new coat of paint for the top! You're going to love having it!

Lisa said...

Great Cabnets!! With the one that the top is messed up you could try to resurface but I think the wallpaper idea or even some type of decoupage is going to be your best bet. Those type are great and cheep but a mess if they are ruined! I would at least try to paint it and may lay a runner over it?? Good luck ! They are great finds!!
Hugs, Lisa

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Tattered Cottage is right. Replace the top. tap off the old one and then glue and nail the new one..you can sink the nails and dab a bit of filler on...and then sand and paint it. someone sat plants on it and they ruined the, what looks like pressed wood. Lots of things are made of that. If the sides are made of the same thing..you have to be careful with the nails, of course. Not so sure you can get the bumps off by sanding that stuff. But...you may be able to get it low enough to fit a piece right over the top...and wood glue it down.
Short cut me would just wipe it down..sand it and paint over it. No one is going to see the top anyway... :) But that's lazy me.
The top of my beautiful hutch is like that...and I am mad at myself...but no one knows but me! :) I did stupid things back then...too busy with children to worry about such things but I still love my hutch and will keep it always!
Hugs..
Mona

Crystal Rose Cottage said...

Hi Allison,

Cute cabinets! As for fixing the top, it looks like you got quite a few good ideas from the above comments...good luck and let us see what you come up with!
~Patti

Karen at Nittany Inspirations said...

Your little cabinet with the wire is cute. As for the other one, how tall is it? If it is so tall you can't see the top, just let it go. I agree with the other commenters to just nail another board on top. If it is short, you could put tile or slate on the top, or a mosaic of broken china or tile.

Tara said...

I'm really in to this kind of shabby chic stuff right now too, I love it!
My Mom just bought a shabby nightstand at a garage sale that's really fun. Wallpaper is a good idea for the top, or you could look for some pretty contact paper that would be easy to wipe off.

Its So Very Cheri said...

I think using old book pages or music on the top and add some in to other places on the front would be adorable and very shabby chic.
Cheri
www.itssoverycheri

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Very cute, Allison! I adore the wire cabinet, and the second one is cute, too. Listen to the other girls on how to "fix" it, but I would probably do something with wallpaper or scrapbook paper for the top. You could even make it look like something is sitting up there... bird eggs in a nest, a little dish with change in it, a strand of pearls. Mainly, have fun!

XO,

Sheila :-)

{oc cottage} said...

Particle board is so icky! I am so lazy I would throw a runner of ols lace over it...something like that. Wallpaper would be cute too thought!
It's really darling!!

m ^..^

Ele at abitofpinkheaven said...

Great finds. Oh How I love garage sales! I would try and sand down the bumps on the top. If it doesn't sand out flat, I would take a piece of picture mat board and cover it with wallpaper, wrapping paper or shabby scrapbook paper. I would glue only the edges to the cabinet. This way, none of the bumps will show through. Putting a new piece of wood on would be great, but just not my style. I want it done fast!

Erin said...

what great finds. Thanks for sharing your faux cup cakes information! Erin

Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...

Love the darling cabinet! Wonder if you could have a piece of marble cut to fit the top...or something to just fit right over it. :-) Great pieces! Susan

Rosy Inspiration said...

Wow! Great finds, love the chippy surface too. Sounds like the board has been exposed to moisture, you might like to have it dry in the sun to make sure all moisture is out before sanding and scraping and covering. I would probably use another piece of wood on top, even a thin one.

Lorna ~ Lace and Ivy Cottage said...

Hey Allison, Great cabinets! I love the chippy one. That would look really cute in a powder room. I can't tell how tall the other cabinet is, but if the top wouldn't show, I would just put a doily or a pretty cottage fabric on top. Yeah, I'm lazy!

Rosemary said...

Hi Alli,
Thank you!
I love the little cabinet, so cute.
As for the top of the other piece, I might trying sanding and painting, or just put a pretty table runner or lace piece on top.
Have a great day!
Rosemary

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

GM Allison...girl thats a great cabinet...and what I am seeing is why not get some of china pieces and do a mosiac on the top on it...very easy to do and would look great and be waterproof also...just me thinking out loud again..May you have a great day my young friend...Hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

Laurie said...

I'm lazy, too. Rather than sand or repaint, I would find some wooden add on pieces, like the trim pieces you would use to build/decorate a fireplace mantle, and arrange them on top of the cabinet to form a design, then paint white to match. Or a nice old shabby tray you could screw on. Be sure to show us what you end up doing!

Elaine said...

Great finds and some nice storage for all your treasures. I'm lazy too. How about a big lace doily on the top and an accent lamp on top of the doily?

Tracey said...

Hi Allison,
I just wanted to let you know I did a post on your tag tonight :)
Tracey

Sandi said...

Love your finds!! Especially the little white cupboard with the wire in front and the dried hydrangeas!! What a great find!!
BLessings~

Dawn said...

Those bowls are great. So are the cabinets. I love storage pieces.
Dawn

Monica said...

Loooove chippy furniture!!
Monica.

Karen said...

Alison how tall is it? Does it matter if no one is going to see the top, or is it small - like 4 ' - where everyone is going to see it? If so, get a piece of plywood that is just slightly larger than the top, liquid nails some molding around it, and you could just tap a few nails in to hold it in place. I'd do something easy - But if the top is visible, I'd want it as smooth as I could get it. Sometimes new is easiest.
What great finds!

Rachel~Wildflower Photography Studio and Wildflower Creative said...

This is my first visit to your blog and I love it! :) Fabulous finds! I'm never that lucky! LOL! Come by and visit me: http://littlebitvintage.blogspot.com/
I'll be back! :)

Rachel

Theresa @ Take A Sentimental Journey said...

Hi Allison,I would try sanding the top and painting.If that doesn't work then I agree witht the others about just adding another piece of wood to the top.You won't see it anyway if it's as tall as it looks.

What a bargain !!!!!!

Sonia said...

You can try decoupage or simply put some fabric on the top and cut a piece of glass to hold fabric in place. Well, come to think of it, you can cut a piece of glass and put anything underneat, pretty paper, fabric, doiley...what suits your fancy =)
Sonia

homespun1 said...

I would either sand the top...prime it and then repaint it or just put a new section right over the top...maybe a thin sheet of something lite yet not as marred. Or you could resand the top and cover it with a type of thick shabby style material that is glued right on and polyurethaned or sprayed with some type of dirt/dust resisitant spray or brush on. You did great on your buys!!! wow!!!!