I’ve been reflecting on my master bedroom, and its décor and I’ve concluded it’s pretty nice so far, but in need of some modern upgrades.  I’m really seeking to take the bedroom to the next level.  You know, add some elegant wainscoting, change up the art display, add some dramatic sconces, some upholstered seating, and perhaps a glitzy mirror above the bed.  Really glam it up a with a hint of that Old Hollywood style.

Our master gets morning light, but becomes really dark in the afternoon and evening.  For the longest time, I was looking for a mirrored buffet like this one from Z Gallerie to put under the front window to pull light into the space.  Plus, I have a storage issue in my bedroom.  I have several dozen half finished books that I’m committed to reading, so they simply cannot leave the room.  And a ton of magazines piling up again.  Yet all of those books and magazines were collecting dust and I really needed a storage solution for my bedtime reading material.

Enter this downtrodden substitute from the local thrift store.

A beautiful piece of cabinetry in my eyes, but sad too.  I can tell that someone wanted to fix her up, but gave up.  Perhaps because the top and side panels are veneer and not real wood.  Or perhaps because this piece had taken a lot of abuse.

I saw so much potential here, and also a storage solution!  So I paid $25 dollars at the local St. Vincent de Paul thrift and brought it home.  As you know from last week’s ode to Opulence Pearl paint, I got to thinking that I could refinish the piece in a cream color, then glaze it with my new found best friend.

With my newest fixation on metallic finishes, I must tell you that I came so very close to giving it an antique silver finish. I even considered silver leafing it.  But then I realized I had a bronze thing going on in the master bedroom space.

See?

As tempted as I was, I decided this cabinet refinished in silver in this space might be too Vegasy (is that a word?).  So I live to silver leaf another day.

I have absolutely no use for another wood tone in this room and the existing linens are cream.  Besides, I like to mix painted pieces with wood furniture.  So I opted to paint it in a cream color, and give it a  pearlescent glaze.  Here are the three tools I used to transform:  Zinsser primer, Rustoleum’s ‘Heirloom White’ latex in a can (can you believe it?) and Pratt & Lambert’s Opulence Pearl, all purchased from Orchard Supply & Hardware (OSH).

Plus some new knobs from Anthropologie.

Love !

I sanded, then primed with Zinsser.

Then I gave it two coats of Heirloom White in latex.  The final third coat was a blend of one part Heirloom White to three parts Opulence Pearl, both latex paints.

Here she is After:

The existing linens in the room are a cream damask pattern.  Hmmm.  Then I really got to thinking.  Why not play off this pattern ?

So I had a crazy clever idea.  I really like this etched look on these panels, like on these pieces that I featured yesterday.

I really love this carved detail.  It separates these pieces from the crowd and really makes them one of a kind.

On my piece, the inner panels of this cabinet separate from the door.  So I had this paintable patterned wallpaper that I plan on using in another top secret project to be revealed whenever I get around to it.

Available at Lowes:

Excuse me, but whomever invented paintable textured wallpaper, let me kiss your ring.

I clipped off four sections, painted and glazed the wallpaper, then attached it to the removable inner panels to give it that etched panel look.

Cool, huh.  Reversible panels.  Two looks in one.

Seriously, they reverse with just a few tiny screws.  Takes five minutes.

I had the finished edge mirror custom made to fit the top of thsi cabinet for $60 dollars.  Pricey, but worth it since it pulls so much light into the room, and gives off a really beautiful reflection.

Whether it’s crystal and costume jewelry.

. . .or blooms and colored glass.

Here’s a peek at the pearlescent sheen up close.  Keep in mind this is three parts Opulence Pearl to one part Heirloom White paint.  I know it’s called ‘Heirloom White’ but it’s really a cream color in my eyes.

I thought two coats of the Opulence Pearl on top of the Heirloom White was too shiny for this piece, so I mixed the paint with the glaze to arrive at the perfect subtle pearl sheen.

Plain panels:

‘Etched’ wallpaper panels:

So which look did I settle on?  I remain undecided.  In truth, I like them both.  One little voice says “Oh, the plain panels, they’re so elegant!” and the other voice hollers back “You wallpapered the inside panels ?  You go girl !”

So as you can see, I am torn.

What say you?

Linking:

Tags: heirloom white, opulence pearl paint, thrift store find

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at and is filed under Before & After, DIY, Drab to Fab, Rescued & Revamped, Thrift Store Transformations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.