This is hands down one of the coolest pieces I have ever had the pleasure to refinish. It is the “everything” cabinet. It offers tons of storage in the way of drawers and doors, it showcases collectibles in 9 individual cubbies, and just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the top drawer opens into a desk. Where has this been all my life??? Unfortunately (for me) it belongs to someone else and I have to give it back.
The client asked that I refinish it in dark stain and navy blue paint. I happen to LOVE that combination! We talked about which parts would be painted and which would be stained, in an effort to create visual balance. We decided the scrollwork on the glass, the drawer fronts, the desk and a portion of the crown molding would all be stained. Since the drawer fronts were completely unadorned, I started by sanding the old finish off of the drawers. The desktop was a bit trickier since there are lots of corner and edges that are difficult to sand. I removed as much of the old finish as I could without causing damage. The scrollwork and the crown molding would have been far more difficult to remove the old finish. Since the client chose a dark stain, I was able to utilize one of my favorite stain products–General Finishes Java Gel. The piece was already stained and sealed, but this particular product allows you to go over the existing stain with a bit of prep work. I started by cleaning the areas with denatured alcohol and a scrub pad. Then I lightly sanded over the surface. Finally, I wiped it all down with water. By taking these steps, you can create enough “tooth” for the stain to adhere. I then applied several coats of Java Gel, allowing dry time in between. I sealed all the stained surfaces with Minwax Polycrylic in Semi-Gloss.
The rest of the piece got two coats of Sherwin Williams “In the Navy”. I decided to create contrast with the dark glossy stain by using a completely flat finish on the navy blue paint. I used General Finishes Flat out Flat. It creates a depth in navy blue that almost appears velvety.
Finally, it was time to address the hardware. The client loves the way brass pops against navy blue. This is such a beautiful and intricate piece that I had hesitation in painting the hardware for fear that the brass color would look plastic-y (yep- I made that word up) and unnatural–a risk when old hardware looks too perfect. I figured I would try to just clean the hardware up and see what happened. With the help of Brasso Brass cleaner and a lot of elbow grease, I was able to bring back the brassy shine in a perfectly imperfect way.
Now it’s time to say goodbye to this beautiful piece. I cant wait to see pictures of it in its new home!
Hold my wine, I’ve got this…
Amy
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