Credenza: Practical meets Pretty
November 2, 2010
Last year I remodeled my home office, and it’s been a genuine pleasure working in this pretty and personalized space. For the longest time, I was loving the sofa that sat on one wall, but over time, paperwork started piling up, and I reasoned I needed a more practical solution if I really was going to run a business from home. So I made some changes!
I started with a credenza I found at (where else?) a thrift store. A few weeks ago, I stumbled across this piece for $40 dollars ~ it was the perfect size measuring six feet long and mostly solid wood, but the finish was all wrong wrong wrong. First, the top is laminate, and all scratched up. Ick. Second, the base was a different shade of honey tone wood that clashed in my eyes. Usually, I like mid century modern style furniture in a medium stain, but this two-tone finish just wasn’t working for me, so I gave it a makeover to suit my space.
Before:
After:
Slate blue/gray paint + sleek contemporary pulls + geometric pattern on top = perfect!
Some of you are probably wondering how the heck did I get such straight painted lines on this piece? Well, it was tricky, but I’ll tell ya how!
First, let’s start at the beginning. Scratched laminate top? No.Thank.You. Slick surfaces never deter me, no sirreee! My favey fave oil based primer to the rescue to cling baby cling!
Here you can see I’m painting the laminate shelf on the inside. Remember oh yes, oh yes oh yes you can paint laminate! All it takes is the right kind of primer. This is it! (You can also use the Zinsser oil based shellac in the red can too.) I roll mine on with a foam roller for speedy coverage, then follow it up with a brush to keep it all even.
Note the can says "No sanding" but people ask me all the time if that is for real. Peeps, it is fo real. BUT, that said, I always ‘scuff up’ my piece with a coarse sanding pad beforehand. Call me crazy but something inside my little brain tells me that scuffed up surface will hold the primer better, but I could just be living in a bubble. Anyway, I do scuff up my piece then I wipe it down. I don’t degloss or sand away the varnish, I simply scuff it up. Got it ? Repeat after me. Scuff scuff scuff. OK, that’s enough.
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Moving on. Knowing I was going to paint it dark, I gave the surface a quick coat of deep tint (water based) primer over the white oil based Zinsser. Why the dark primer? Because it ensures your dark paint will stay true to its color.
It’s not absolutely necessary when painting a piece dark, but I find you risk having to add an extra coat or two or three of paint, so I use a coat of dark primer cause it’s a guarantee I can get one coat coverage with my dark paint. And I can’t find a dark tint oil based primer that’s as good as Zinsser, I’m still searching.
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Next, I thought I was sooooo smart to paint the rough pattern in white, lay painter’s tape on top, then add the gray paint over the top of that. No. Bad idea. I ended up with horribly uneven lines and had to do the pattern all over again. And I know better! I had such an easy time painting stripes on this dresser so I should have followed that technique. Sadly, I didn’t and the lines were just awful.
First attempt:
This I have learned. The best way to get a straight stripe line on a flat surface is to peel up the painter’s tape while the latex paint is still somewhat wet! Don’t wait until it’s completely dry. Peel it off slowly when it’s wet. Reason being, once latex paint dries, it peels, and it takes little pieces of the stripe with it.
Therefore, I declare, wet paint is good for making stripes!
Aaaaaaand this is how I should have done the geometric pattern in the first place, but hey, this gal’s still learning. This is also a great time to mention that the final paint color on this piece is a slate blue/gray color by True Value called ‘Avoidance’. It ended up being a little bluer and less charcoal than I really wanted, but oh well. It still works!
**Please note, I have no experience painting stripes on textured walls. For those of you who have, please feel free to chime in and share your secrets for perfect stripes on textured walls. We’re listening!
I gave this credenza two coats of Polycrylic in Gloss for added sheen. Me likey shiny. Pur-tay! I also added some contemporary hardware I found at True Value.
This piece would have been just okay refinished in gray, but the addition of the sleek nickel pulls and the white geometric pattern makes it something special and one-of-a kind. I love it! It’s so nice to have all this storage for paperwork and now at last practical has met pretty.
Practical, meet pretty. Pretty, meet practical. I think you’ll get along swell.
True Value Blog Squad legalese: “I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.”
I’ll show you the entire office soon!
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Tags: credenza, thrift store find, true value
Dang you! Now I want one for myself. The search is on!
Bee-uuuu-teeee-fuuuul!!!!! Love it, girl! Those sliding doors are eerily similar to the one I wrote you about. I think I’m just going to do a pre-dated post that will fit way back in my archives and send you the link, rather than just emailing a bunch of photos.
You did a fabulous job! You should be proud of yourself and Zinsser should be sending you some royalties. ;)
It’s gorgeous, Kate. What a transformation! It’s got such a nice sleek, modern look to it now. I love the raspberry accents with it – the lamp and the pretty roses. Very lovely!
This is incredible! I love the pattern you made on the top – amazing! I feel inspired after reading this :)
I’ve painted stripes on textured walls! http://housebella.wordpress.com/2010/10/02/painting-contrast-stripes/
Textured walls are a pain to paint, but painting stripes *really* isn’t that bad. Promise.
My tricks of the trade for texture is to JAM DOWN THAT TAPE. Literally. To paint the contrast stripes (link above) we put up the painters tape, made sure it was truly straight (did the “across the room eyeball test”), and then added some SERIOUS pressure over the tape to make sure it was adhered as tightly as humanly possible. Then, when we painted, we painted straight on. No angles, no edging brushes, straight on. It gives the paint less opportunity to slide under the tape. We let the first coat dry, then peeled the tape off while the second coat was still wet. Used latex paint, worked like a charm. No problems.
I have also heard of people with textured walls putting a bit of caulking underneath the tape to seal it even closer to the wall. I wasn’t willing to deal with that cleanup, so I just pushed the tape down like the dickens. Worked for me!
I loooooove this! Way to go!
Thanks so much to everyone for the tips on painting stripes on textured walls, you are all awesome!!
This has me thinking about my own desk. Yours turned out very sophisticated yet fun!
How totally Fun!!!
Stripes on textured walls: I learned this trick when I worked in a museum painting walls and wall murals. The best way to get a crisp line is to first paint your lighter color on the whole wall and let dry for an appropriate amount of time (or, if you’re painting stripes over an existing paint job, make sure you have the original paint color, at least enough for touch ups.) Lay out your tape lines, then seal the edges of the tape with your original color using a brush or roller. Let dry, then paint your contrasting stripe color over that, and remove the tape while the paint is still a bit wet. Not only will you get a clean stripe, but the only seepage you’ll get is in the original paint color, and should blend in just fine.
Dang, girl. You never cease to amaze me!
Outstanding job. Especially the top. So that’s how you get stripes to work out. I always wait for the paint to dry. Who knew?
Great Job!! It looks fantastic!!
The detail really does make the piece.
SaWEET! I bet it looks fabulous in your room. I love the mid-century modern done in fun twists like this.
Gorgeous! Love the pattern on the top!
Aloha. I didn’t read all 65 comments so forgive me if this was already mentioned. A trick I use when painting stripes is after the tape is placed I roll over it with clear glaze to seal it. After that is dry then I paint the color on top and remove tape while it’s still wet. Hope that helps (if you have extra clear glaze). Have a great day and keep up the great work. You are an inspiration to all of us!
LOVE this! So creative! I love refurbing furniture! This geometric shape definitely made quite an impact! I am working on my office right now too. Fun!
xoxo,
Brandi Nell
Hey, Kate! I hereby crown you Queen of furniture painting. You do such a great job, my dear. I love this piece!!!
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how you painted the top of it! I’ve been meaning to do something similar for a while….just haven’t had the nerve! Yours looks fantastic! you may just have inspired me to refinish a piece for my bedroom!
Get out of town with your bad self. That is amazing. I love the top of it. So great.
Another gorg-e-ous project-and thanks for sharing the details about what not to do too!
Goodness, that looks incredible!! I am suffering from severe credenza envy ..;-)
i love 100% of everything that you do!!! but i don’t care for those pulls on that piece!!
That looks fantastic! I’m curious as to how you manage the drawers and sliding doors and interior surfaces. I have a wooden filing cabinet that I’d like to paint, and I haven’t figured out how far in to go, or whether I should tape the edges where I’d like to stop. I’ve also painted a couple of dressers, and the edges of the drawers are chipping where they come in contact with the rest of the dresser when closed. If you have any advice on those things I’d be hugely grateful!
Did you put two coats of the gloss on the whole piece or just the top? And did you spray the gloss or paint brush it on?
The graphic on top makes the piece! Great job!
Love your credenza and I think the pulls really work with it.
Beautiful makeover!
I have textured walls and I’ve done stripes and other patterns many times with success. The key is to apply a thin coat of caulk (the paintable kind that dries clear) over the edges of your tape (I just use my fingers). This keeps the paint from leaking underneath every time – I promise it works! I’ve tried every brand of painters tape out there and they have all failed me. Caulk is the only surefire way that I’ve found to get those nice crisp edges on textured walls.
Gorgeous!!! Thank you so much for all the tips! I’ve been dying to pick up some random furniture to play with at goodwill and these painting tips are absolutely perfect!
Just found your blog today — kind of in love! =)
xoxo
That is so dang purtee! Love love love – I need somthing like that for the never ending piles of paperwork in my house! Thanks for the inspiration … now where did I put that foam roller …
Wow… very inspirational!
Totally gorge!!!! Love the color.
LOOOOOOVE it!!! Awesome!
LOVE this! Your makeovers are so impressive.
I have a laminate desk and I have been debating on whether to paint it or not….you have definitely inspired me to actually do it. I LOVE what you did with this piece! The white striped detail really makes it.
That is utterly gorgeous! How do you do it? You do one thing better than the next! Really.
i was wondering where you found the pulls. were they spendy?
tx and great job.
I am crazy over that color. Absolutely gorgeous. And geometric touch on the top is perfect with the mid-century lines of that piece. Awesome….as always.
why do you live all the way out on the West Coast ??????
Wow, awesome work once again.
Wow, you’ve done it again. You’ve got vision, great technique, and great style. Brava!
Fantastic tutorial. Nice design on the credenza. Who knew that old credenza could be transformed into a beauty. Well done.
Oh so pretty! I love shiney too! The color is wonderful! I love this mix of retro and modern- You go girl!
Oh, Kate. You KNOW what you’re doing! This looks absolutely wonderful!
Beautiful!! This is crazy but I seriously had the idea to the same pattern on the top of a dresser but didn’t do it bc I thought it would be too much work. You have reinspired me!!! Thank you!!
OHHHH-AHHHH. how lovely! My local Habitat Restore has a piece very similar to this and I have been resisting the urge to buy it and rejuvenate it. The urge now is even stronger! I may breakdown and get it! Awesome finish to your project! Can’t wait to see the whole office. I am about to be redoing mine so more inspiration and ideas would be great! :-) ~Iris~ P.S. New blogger in need of some blog love! LOL! Thanks!
This looks fabulous!!! I would never be gutsy enough to do blue, nevermind the top. It looks amazing!
Great job, love what you did with the piece!
the best way to get perfect lines using tape is to brush matte medium (avail at art supply stores) over the lines first then cover with your regular paint. it fills in the areas where it might bleed through and dries completely clear.