What color should I paint this?

Julie
by Julie
I was given this old, beat up, brown cabinet and some very colorful, old yardsticks.
I thought I would paint the cabinet black and add the yardsticks on top. Well... I don't like how it turned out. Should I change the color of the cabinet? or something else? I'm stumped! There is also a shelf that I painted black that goes in the cabinet.
  13 answers
  • LindaS LindaS on Jul 04, 2016
    I love the yardsticks! I just think the black overpowers them. How about an off-white or cream color for the rest of the cabinet?
  • Darlene Darlene on Jul 04, 2016
    cute yard sticks. I think you should continue monochromatic design. I have seen kitchen chairs painted much like this. Great conversation piece.
  • Betsy Bodrero Betsy Bodrero on Jul 04, 2016
    take the yard sticks off...and paint top black
  • Marrianne Rudy Marrianne Rudy on Jul 05, 2016
    Love the yardsticks! Looking at their colors , for me the teal and yellow pop. I also love the cream. You could overpaint the black with any of those colors and distress just a bit with sandpaper. I think it would be gorgeous!
  • Rhonda S Rhonda S on Jul 05, 2016
    It's hard to make a suggestion without knowing why you chose black in the first place. I like the colorful and playful nature of the top . You might want to pick one color to feature and paint the cabinet. Depending on where I was planning to put it, I would pick either the turquoise or a warmer peach color. Just look around the room and decide what colors in the top best fit.
  • Patty S Patty S on Jul 05, 2016
    Choose one of the colors of the yardsticks for the body of the chest and then use the other coordinating colors of the sticks for the drawers. All of the different colors.
  • Its6268865 Its6268865 on Jul 05, 2016
    I can't tell the dimensions of this piece from the picture. Is the top more rectangular than square ? Where do you plan to use this ? I would paint the whole thing white and paint the top to look like an American flag. If there are drawers or shelves leave them out, add casters behind the bottom wood skirt, and use it on the patio for additional roll-around storage/side table.
  • Debbie Debbie on Jul 05, 2016
    I like the yardstick, but I think what color you paint it depends on where you plan to use it and how each color you audition blends in with that decor.
  • Pauliegirl1 Pauliegirl1 on Jul 05, 2016
    I think if you paint the yardsticks in some "deep colors" with a "little" lighter color here and there. Almost like wood that has been painted several times over the years, just messy, but still nice?? I am doing an old gate, barnwood, for a headboard this way....not finished, because I have painted and sanded 2-3 times....when I get to the look I like, which is almost there, I will then wax with a dark wax....I will try to post a pic of what it is now....it is hard to explain?? I saw some furniture at an estate sale that was done like this and it was really unusual and pretty!!
  • Pauliegirl1 Pauliegirl1 on Jul 05, 2016
    Found the pics...
  • Nancy Nancy on Jul 05, 2016
    I would paint the cabinet body matching the lightest color of one of your yardsticks.
  • Gail Salminen Gail Salminen on Jul 05, 2016
    Julie, I think it really does depend on where you want to use it as well if you like the yardsticks or would perfer something else. If you like the yardsticks, then consider choosing a lighter colour of one of the colours in the yardsticks or maybe a cream colour. If you don't like the yardsticks then consider framing the the top so that you can apply tiles, of which there are many styles and colour to choose. Pick your tiles then paint in a coordinating colour before applying the tile. Please post a pic of what you do - love the after pics.
  • Julie Julie on Jul 05, 2016
    Hi everyone! and thanks for all the suggestions. I want to keep the yardsticks their original colors. I painted the cabinet black because I thought it would be a good contrast to the bright yardsticks. But like many of you said, black was too heavy. Im not sure where Im going to use it, so i think i will go with the idea of using either a cream color or lighter color of one of the yardsticks over the black and then distress it. Again...thanks much!