I’ve been in the DIY mood lately and dig anything that has to do with paint. If feels good to do a project yourself, but I want to see speedy results. I lose patience if a project takes more than 2 days. I live in an Eichler that we’ve furnished with both old and new pieces, so this cabinet was sure to fit in. I got this 1940s cabinet from my Grandma’s house last year and immediately knew what I wanted to do to it. You guessed it — paint. You can find spray paint in so many fun colors that the possibilities are endless! I picked a bright lime green, called my dad for last minute spray painting tips and off I went.
Here's the cabinet before paint.
Cabinet guts before paint.
The inside was a bit rusty, but the body of the cabinet was in great shape and didn’t need much attention. I did minor sanding to smooth out a few rough patches and then got to work. I removed the handles so they’d stay their pretty chrome finish, but left the interior hooks in place. The truth is the screws were rusted over on the hooks and it would have taken more strength that I had to remove them. I did a coat of primer on the exterior to ensure a smooth surface. Dry time on spray paint is great, as you only need to wait an hour to do your next coat. It took 2 coats of spray paint (3.5 cans) and she was as good as new! I found cute polka dot shelf liner at Target and she was ready to roll.
Glossy green
Cabinet guts after.
Back in the kitchen.
Here’s the cabinet back in the kitchen the day after her paint job. The outer hooks are handy for hanging my aprons and the inside is now used for baking equipment storage.
Fun and functional!
And here she is months later, covered in fun things that make me happy. It feels good to take something old and make it new again. You’re recycling, reusing, green, blah, blah, blah. The best part for me is that every time I see the cabinet, it reminds me of the sassy little lady that taught me so many things.