Turning A Boring Buffet Into A Gorgeous Centerpiece

Deer Run Revamps
by Deer Run Revamps
10 Materials
$130
6 Hours
Easy

I've done this look before and I had a customer come to me with this piece requesting that same look. So, here we are!

I used all Frenchic Furniture Paint and Redesign with Prima product's ♥️♥️

Prep


Always always prep!

Regardless of what paint you're using, the prep is necessary. Don't fall for the "No Prep" gimmicks. I love to use Frenchic's Sugar Soap to clean my pieces before painting. It gets rid of all of the dirt, grime, and years of built up residue. Just spray it on, wipe it down. If it's a really dirty piece, use a scrubbing sponge and really get in there! You can also use "totally AWESOME" from the dollar store or krud kutter. They are both a good choice for furniture cleaning. Once the piece is clean and dry, make any necessary repairs (I filled the knob holes) and do a scuff sand over the entire piece using 220 grit sandpaper. This keys the surface and gives the paint something to adhere really well to. Then wipe down with plain water to remove any dust and residue.

Paint


I chose to use my favorite navy blue, Frenchic's Hornblower (royal blue) mixed with a bit of Loof (black) to deepen the color. Both colors are from the Lazy Range so it has the topcoat built in. That means it's a one step process, which I love!

To keep the paint gliding smoothly and to reduce brush marks, spritz the piece and your brush with water as you paint. A high quality brush will also help reduce brush marks

The drawer front got a little bit of Whitey White blended onto the front for a highlight.

Prepare the transfer


Redesign With Prima makes some amazing products! Their decor transfers are so easy to use and can completely transform a piece of furniture! The transfer I used here, French Ceramics II, has sadly been retired, so it's hard to get your hands on it. But there are dozens and dozens of other designs with new releases 4 times a year, sometimes more!


After the paint had dried, I prepared my transfer.


DO NOT REMOVE THE BACKING! Roll it out and set it so that the pieces are joined correctly and form one large transfer.


Now, measure and cut it to fit your space if necessary. If you're butting up the edges of the separate sheets to form one seamless design, I recommend cutting off the edge strip that will separate the sheets. This will ensure a perfect seamless connection between the sheets.


Prepare your surface for transfer application. Transfers are extremely sticky, so if you don't want it to stick to certain areas, tape them off. For this piece, I only wanted it on the center door panel, not in the grooves or beyond.

Apply the Transfer


Remove the white backing of the piece you'd like to apply first. Without it touching the surface, line it up correctly. Once you're comfortable with it's positioning, go ahead and place it on the surface. Once it touches the surface, there's no moving it! (Sometimes you can get lucky and it hasn't adhered yet, but that doesn't happen often) So be used you have it positioned where you want it before laying it onto the surface

Grab the stick that was enclosed or the Redesign With Prima transfer tool (I prefer the tool, sometimes the wooden sticks break under the pressure necessary to adhere the transfer to the surface) and press it down firmly all over the transfer. Be sure to get the edges very well. Spend the extra time and continue to firmly press the design onto the surface. It takes force and numerous passes over it to adhere it completely.

Once you think it's completely adhered, you can start lifting the clear protective film. Start with a corner and SLOWLY peel up, rocking back and forth on an angle.

If at any moment, part of the trasnfer is still stuck to the clear film, lay it back down and press over it again. You can also use your finger nails for the stubborn areas.

Repeat these steps for each transfer piece.

Once you have the entire transfer applied, grab a clean soft rag and "burnish" the transfer, meaning rub over it pressing down to adhere it completely. If you see a "halo", the clear film around the design, press your rag over it and rub into the surface. This usually blends it in, but if not, the topcoat usually takes care of it.

I do have a tutorial showing how to apply a different transfer, you can view that here

https://youtu.be/kuKEF1FDWZI

Seal


The paint doesn't need to be sealed but the transfer does.

I'm a total wax girl. If it's an area that won't be getting a ton of use, I'll use wax. Frenchic's wax is so creamy and leaves a beautiful sheen without the need to buff! Oh, and no brush marks or streaks! Just an easy to use, quick sealer that looks gorgeous..What more can you ask for??

I like to use car wax pads to apply furniture wax with. They're also washable and reusable! Put a bit on your pad (a little bit goes a long way) and rub it into the trasnfer in a circular motion. If you want more shine, you can certainly buff, but it's not necessary.

Hardware


I'm obsessed with hardware! I believe that the right hardware can really make a piece spectacular! My customer chose floral pulls for the drawer and floral knobs for the cabinet doors. The knobs are from Amazon and pulls are from an Estate sale!

I took out my favorite wax, Redesign With Prima Decor Wax in Eternal, a beautiful aged gold 😍

Grab a detail brush, put on just a bit of the wax and lightly brush over the tops of the hardware. This gives it a slight gold accent

I also applied this wax to the hinges and small knobs for the top supports

Add extras


I love to add little extras such as lining drawers and adding a deisgn on the drawer sides for a peek-a-boo effect.

For this piece, I added leftover pieces of the decor trasnfer that I had left to the drawer sides. The drawer itself has a covered silverware holder, so I didn't bother lining the drawer. But, the cabinet did get lined with a beautiful navy and gold paper.

Sit back and enjoy you're creative work


This is the moment that you get to sit back and enjoy all that blood, sweat and sometimes even tears that were shed while refinishing the piece

The price for materials listed below is for everything I used to create this piece. But, you probably already have some of these items tucked away in your workspace. And, when buying paints, waxes ect., you'll have plenty leftover for future projects 😉

You can see even more transformations by visiting our Facebook page

https://m.facebook.com/deerrunrevamps/?ref=bookmarks

All of our products and finished pieces are available in our Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DeerRunRevamps

Thank you so much for reading this tutorial! I hope you've been inspired to create something beautiful! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!

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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 4 questions
  • Diana Diana on Jul 31, 2020

    Did you stain the top? If so what stain did you use?


  • Bek Bek on Jul 31, 2020

    Transfers? That lovely design is transfers? HOLY OH MY GOODNESS, I CAN DO THIS! And will!

  • Stephan Stephan on Aug 01, 2020

    Beautiful piece! I have a question though. We have an antique china cabinet that was my wife's grandmother's. Various other family members have had it, and it was not very well cared for. While still beautiful and functional, it needs a good cleaning and possible a restoration later. For now, I want to clean it without damaging it or ruining any of the antique charm. Will these products you just showed do that, or should I use something else?


    Thanks!

    Stephan

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2 of 22 comments
  • TexasNana TexasNana on Aug 11, 2020

    Thank you Thank you for sharing! I love the decal & quality!

  • Angela Angela on Aug 20, 2022

    Have you done anything with kitchen cabinets? I live in a house built in 1890s and I'd like to update/redo the kitchen cabinets. Any advice on those?

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