weekend projects :: upclying an old chest of drawers...

We lived with this old chest of drawers in the kitchen for a  while before deciding what to do with it. It was a bit of an impulse buy. We panicked a little when the builders were ripping out the old kitchen cupboards and they wanted to know what would replace them. The units were 90's plasticky ones, not at all pretty and in really bad condition. We couldn't do anything to restore them. I wished they'd been old wooden ones that I could paint. It wouldn't have mattered what style. 

We spotted this one when rooting around a barn at the back of a vintage shop. It was the right shape, solid, would make a good work surface, looked as though we could store a myriad things in it and was very cheap. We checked the top drawers and they opened smoothly, so we bought it. Perfect...we thought...

Then when it arrived I noticed that there were big pieces broken from the bottom two drawers. Filled with heavy pots and pans it was a struggle to open them. They got more and more decrepit each time I used them. 

Eventually I decided that I'd have to forgo the bottom drawer. The empty space makes a useful shelf and the drawer will probably end up being used for a raised fruit or vegetable bed in the garden. 

Then the debate...stain or paint? We lived with it for a while before deciding. It may be because I keep drooling over this kitchen here that I finally decided on paint. 

Here's how:

• First a spot of hole filling with wood filler, followed by a gentle sanding with fine sandpaper.
• A good wash down with soapy water.
• Two coats of white undercoat of both the interior and exterior and all the drawers...I have finally succumbed to using sponge forms for this. Despite years of insisting that they waste too much paint. They give the smoothest finish and don't use as much paint as I suspected. I apologise Ahmad...you were right. 
• A further two coats of eggshell paint. I used Dulux Diamond eggshell in shade chalky downs 4. This gives an amazing matt finish and is very easy to use. 
• Finally I lined the drawers using a bargain charity shop £1 roll of wallpaper. I find that wallpaper is much stronger than wrapping or brown paper and easier to use. 

The resulting chest is perfect again. Much more useful now and brightens up my spring kitchen...and vaguely echoes a current favourite one...well maybe the colour's a bit similar...