SK's Round Top Love/Hate Relationship

by SK on Elderberry

A shattered and abused cabinet came my way this week. I call him a he, because he looks very masculine. Well maybe not, I will come up with a better name soon. I love to name these old pieces. I think they deserve the attention.

round top love with sk, chalk paint, painted furniture, repurposing upcycling

He is about five feet tall. So not as big as a common armoire. The legs, top and bottom are in very bad shape. The veneer is peeling on every surface.

And the SMELL. Oh my goodness. The smell is just tragic. I can't imagine what could have been stored for so long that this kind of smell would put up such a fight to stay on.

Sunlight, Febreze, soda, ammonia, Dawn. The lot of them had to be used. Then the Kilz came out with a poly coat before I could even begin to fix the broken bits.

He came tied up with string to keep him from falling apart.

Glue, clamped, repositioning and tied off tight, helps to keep him together as the glue dries.

As I started to sand the surface, the old water based shellac was a challenge to get off.

There seemed to be a past attempt at saving him. 1"x4" pine boards were nailed to the interior for support.

As I work on him, I try to imagine his history. The stories of past adventures and secrets. With the glue and nails making him sturdy again, I will begin to envision what he shall look like in the end.

With my custom chalk paint and decoupaging a damask paper inside he is beginning to grow on me.

With the original chest being just five feet tall, the curved top looked awkward and top heavy. I build a second shelf box to bring height to the cabinet. The curved top will look more balanced with a larger cabinet.

As I completed the dark chalk paint exterior, I was not a happy camper. So I re-painted him in a deep red. Ugh. Still not happy.

I loved the hardware way more than I did the actual cabinet.

The original hardware was missing. I have painted knobs and back plates from Hobby Lobby a copper which has turned a green patina. Modern Masters Metal Effects Paint is a favorite of mine.

By now I'm just past perplexed. Maddening is what it is. He just wouldn't tell me what he wanted.

So back to the drawing board. The home for this cabinet is destined to be at the end of a hallway. The wall behind him is painted with a Modern Masters Rust. So I decided to drop back to my best selling color: Antique Cream cracked.

I added another crown molding on top of the new top shelf. This helped balance the rather awkward sizing of the very top round top.

This cabinet was built between the Victorian era and someone experimenting with the new rage: Art Deco. A good example of someone trying too hard.

I hand cut the front doors along the art deco scroll and added an antique bubble glass. This shows the pretty paper inside, which will be lit with an interior light showing through glass shelves.

This cabinet has taken me months and several lifetime coats of paint. Six coats of paint in total and I am so done. But......He still makes me smile and stop to ponder every time I walk by.

And who knows that next coat of paint might be the winner....

But at last he makes me smile. You know that love of an ugly puppy. He's so ugly he's cute? Well there ya go.

I am done. Again. And happy at last.

Some pieces are apt to kick your arse. He will be a conversation piece which holds antique linens.

Thanks for visiting.

SK on Elderberry

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4 of 10 comments

Anne Sweeney on Oct 04, 2015
You did a wonderful job - the way it is now makes me think of Paris - it is a little like the old signs that still can be found on some stations on the Metro.

1 Reply
- SK on Elderberry on Oct 04, 2015
  @Anne Sweeney Thank you Anne. I would like to see those old signs someday. sk on elderberry
  
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Chris aka monkey on Oct 04, 2015
@SK on Elderberry he will jump out at you and say boo one of these days lol xx

1 Reply
- SK on Elderberry on Oct 04, 2015
  @Chris aka monkey You scare me sometimes Missy. Luv having you here. sk
  
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