Revamp an bedside cabinet

Update an old bedside cabinet while keeping its character.

Resene upcycling for good with Sarah Herring - Project 21

finished cabinet
Finished project

You will need: Sandpaper, Testpot brushes, Painter’s masking tape, Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat, Resene testpots in Resene Vanilla Ice and Resene Turkish Delight, Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen tinted to Resene Pearl Lusta.

Tips and tricks: Sometimes when upcycling an old item, it’s important to recognise the value in retaining some of the original detail and in some cases taking inspiration from them. In this case, this bedside cabinet has had a fresh update while still retaining its charm, and the chosen new colours work well with the original features.

Finished project

Step one
Always give second hand items a thorough clean before you start work. After cleaning, sand to prepare it for painting. If your furniture has handles, now would be the time to remove or protect them so they don’t get damaged. If are able to easily paint around the handles, you could leave them on.

Step two
Once sanded, apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat to the entire cabinet exterior. Sarah used a testpot brush but you could also use a Resene testpot roller for a large flat surface like this if you prefer.

Step three
Once all the undercoat has completely dried, apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen tinted to Resene Pearl Lusta to the main exterior of the cabinet.

Step four
A geometric style design was chosen for the cabinet doors to help modernise this piece of furniture. The two shades of pink complement the old vintage floral handles, which add charm to the item and were worth keeping. Sarah used two coats of Resene Vanilla Ice all over the front exterior drawer and cupboard door.

Step five
Once the paint has dried, mask out a design for your contrasting colour. Sarah applied two coats of Resene Turkish Delight for this design.

Step 6
All Done! The finished cabinet

Upcycling for Good

You can find a huge range of treasures, from ornaments and picture frames, to furniture and toys at your local Salvation Army store that you can easily upcycle with a little Resene paint and some imagination.

"Our Family Stores are full of treasures generously donated by members of the public. We value these donations and try our hardest to re-purpose and sell as much as possible. We’re all about re-using and recycling, so teaming up with Resene on Upcycling for Good was a perfect match. Resene’s products and tips are a natural fit with our pre-loved furniture and accessories, which are usually great quality but could sometimes do with a lick of paint to ensure they fly off the shelves.

Each year, nationally, our stores save 16,000 tonnes from landfill. This initiative increases the value of the donated product, improves the range of goods for our customers, and furthers The Salvation Army’s mission and Resene’s community activity.” Gareth Marshall, The Salvation Army's National Family Store Manager.

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Resene Paints (Australia) Limited – www.resene.com