Dresser or Cabinet?

I found this wonderful dresser/cabinet at the flea market a couple of weeks ago.  It was already painted black, but the paint job was awful.  I have never seen a dresser quite like this before although I have seen vintage dressers that have been encased in cabinets with shelves as well.  This sweet little cabinet is very compact and would even be a great entertainment cabinet in a bedroom with the flat screen TV on top.

The inside needed painting because it was still oak inside.  All it took to transform this gem was a little paint on the inside and a lot of sanding on the outside to bring out its character.  I put some numbers on the drawers and I wish I would have used a color other than antique white for the numbers, but all in all I think it turned out all right.  My photos are showing a lot of glare because of the lighting.  I see a huge shadow on the inside of the door in the next photo.

I love the details of the cabinet itself and the wood showing through gives it a nice aged look with a lot of character.

Thanks for your visit.

I may be partying at...

Mondays           Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style   Ivy and Elephants
                         My Salvaged Treasures
                                           

Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Making New Galvanized Buckets Look Old

Old buckets are very popular in decorating these days and I sell a lot of old buckets.  Sometimes I'm lucky enough to pick them up at yard sales for a dollar or two, but usually at the flea markets even the smaller ones are $7.

So when someone told me they found some large buckets at The 99 Cent Store for $1.99, I bought a whole bunch of them.  The problem was they were shiny and new looking.  The size was great though at 12 inches high and 11 inches across the top.  Even better was that they had handles with the wooden grip on them.

I looked on Pinterest for how to make new galvanized metal look old and I found a tutorial for using Lysol toilet bowl cleaner.  I followed the directions which said to leave the Lysol on the metal for 30 minutes and rinse off, but at 30 minutes I found no change.

Here's how I aged my buckets.  I scuffed them up with 100 grit sandpaper just to scratch up the shiny surface.  Then I took a scrubby sponge and used the rough side to spread the Lysol all over the inside and out of the buckets.  Don't forget the lip and the handle.

After 30 minutes there was no change so I left them to sit.  I came back over an hour later and I could see something was definitely happening so I went on about my day and after about four hours, I was getting some nice patina.  The problem was there were still some shiny parts, probably where I missed a spot when wiping on the Lysol.  I did not clean the buckets at this point, but rather put the Lysol on my sponge and reapplied it to the buckets inside and out.  The following morning I went outside to check, and the buckets were nicely aged.  At this point I put them in the utility sink and rinsed them well and dried them.  If you're working outside near any landscaping, I would not recommend hosing the buckets because you could get run off that would damage the nearby plant life.

This was an easy project that required a little more patience than I had anticipated but it was worth it.

Thanks for stopping by.

I may be partying at...

Mondays           Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style   Ivy and Elephants
                         My Salvaged Treasures
                                           

Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors