After completing a bedroom makeover Leanne Parkes was looking for an old cabinet she could refinish for the updated room.
When she came across an outdated, orange cabinet in her neighbours’ hard rubbish she knew she could work her magic on it.
Better Homes and Gardens Online chatted with Leanne to find out more about the simple DIY!
What did the cabinet look like before the makeover?
I found this cabinet in my neighbour’s hard rubbish collection, it was extremely orange and the drawers had this funny moulding pattern that made it look sad!
What inspired your makeover?
I had been looking for a cupboard like this with the aim of giving it a makeover so that it would fit into a recently renovated bedroom. It had to go with the royal blue colour theme and when I found it, I knew it definitely needed a makeover!
Have you done any makeovers before?
I have completed lots of makeovers around the home, some big and some small.
Some of the bigger ones were an ensuite makeover where I replaced the tiles and created a vanity. Other big projects were renovating my kitchen, office, bedroom and I also installed a fireplace. My husband helped on some of these, but I’m very hands on and the design guru.
Some smaller renovations include painting old bedside tables, giving my son’s room a makeover and re-covering an old leatherette bed with fabric using an electric staple gun.
What kind of look were you after?
For this project I wanted something that was elegant, but it had to have character. It was also important that it matched the bedroom it was going into which had also been made over.
What was the biggest challenge?
Sanding the unit back was challenging as the varnish ran very deep. It was also hard to get into the small grooves to make sure they were sanded sufficiently.
The renovation process
1. Make colour and design choice.
2. Head to Bunnings to buy supplies.
3. Sand back the surfaces using an orbital sander and also the grooves by hand.
4. Cut the ply to cover the drawer panels to size with a circular saw.
5. Use liquid nails and some bar clamps to hold it in place.
6. Give two coats of Porter’s Paints Yacht Race.
7. Give a clear coat on top to finish off the raw timber.
How much did spend?
I only had to buy new handles, ply and liquid nails. Everything else I had left over from other projects, so it cost just $87!
Budget Breakdown
Everything I used for the makeover was either bought from Bunnings or something I already owned.
Sand paper – $14.90 from Bunnings
Paint – $83.90 from Bunnings (previously owned)
Handles – $6.80 each from Bunnings
Polished brass knobs – $9.78 from Bunnings
Ply – $20 from Bunnings
SikaBond – $5.64 from Bunnings
Clear varnish – $48.80 from Bunnings
Favourite part of your makeover?
My favourite part of every makeover is finishing it as so much goes into it that you have a real sense of achievement once you’ve finished! It’s so rewarding and I’m now looking for the next project.
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