Sunday, January 5, 2014

Little Shutter Cabinet

 My brother inherited a quirky little cabinet from my parents.  
I assume my dad or grandpa made it. It was just a simple box with a shelf but the doors were shutters. I didn't necessarily covet the cabinet but I did love it. 
I had an extra set of shutters left over from a whole slew of them I found at garage sales back in 2006 or so. 
 I asked my sweet husband if he could build a copy of the cupboard for me. 
I used it as the hutch to a desk for a while until I moved the desk into the kitchen.   
Since then it has been kicking around. Bill wanted me to give it away but I love the things that he builds for me so I worked to find a spot for it.



 This spot has confounded me since we have lived here because there are 5 doors in one little hall!





The door to the powder room is a hobbit sized door and so the space always feels tight. 
Whatever I put here can only be about 5 inches deep. 
We've only had three pieces that fit that criteria. 
I realized this little cabinet would work. The cabinet itself was natural wood and the doors were white so I gave it a coat of CeCe Caldwell Chalk paint in Vintage White.
It needed some feet because it looked a little odd without them. 
I cut four wooden blocks and drilled them into the bottom of the cabinet.



I added little brass knobs that I spray painted oil rubbed bronze.




The little chalkboard was made from an old decor piece we've had forever.
It was from the 50s judging from the pseudo cowboy look to it.



It used to be in the boys room when they were little. 
Don't you just love the faux longhorns? This probably hung in my grandfather's basement/bar/mancave at his lake house.  




Bill wanted to purge this too until I noticed it's unique shape if the horns were taken off. Oh and I'm recycling those horns! 




I thought about cutting a little piece of wood to make the chalk board. You know how pictures have layers of cardboard behind the glass and the print? Well I painted one of those layers with chalkboard paint. It worked beautifully and was a cheater fix. I put the glass back in the frame behind the new chalkboard layer in case I ever want to turn this back into a regular picture frame. 
Now I don't have to worry about where the glass is. 
Sorry no pics of this. I was really off my blogging game when I did this project.



I have to say that I just love it. 
I was going to turn it into a key holder but changed my mind when it didn't fit on the key wall.




The watercolor was a $1.00 at a garage sale eons ago. I love finding original art if at all possible even if it's by a novice. In all this time I never could find a frame for it because it was such an odd size. 



I finally ended up trimming the piece and putting it in a vintage frame. Modern frame sizes differ from those in the past so keep that in mind when shopping for frames at thrift or antique stores. The frame also got a coat of paint.



My second batch of Paperwhites hasn't bloomed yet so 
these are from Pottery Barn last year. They have cute faux ones with exposed bulbs showing sort of like the real thing.



I'm kind of deciding that I don't really love the way real Paperwhites smell so I may have to go with the faux from now on.    




This little nook is coordinating better with the lighter and whiter vibe I have going on elsewhere downstairs. Rebekah had an aha moment and said I was trying to turn our house into a Pottery Barn.  :) 
I wish!  



Thanks for coming by,
Katie 

Linking with,
   Between Naps on the Porch
Coastal Charm 
My Uncommon Slice Suburbia   
Timewashed   
Funky Junk Interiors

9 comments :

  1. I love your little cabinet, and the items you chose for the wall are so cute. Great makeover on the chalk board, and loving the watercolor too! I'm with you on the paperwhites, can't stand the smell of them. :) Have a great week!

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  2. I really like how you repurposed the piece with a chalkboard - truly gave it new life! And the little shuttered cabinet is definitely a keeper!

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  3. LOVE that shutter cabinet! It looks perfect in that spot with your cute chalkboard and picture! Great job :)
    Susan

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  4. The shutter cabinet has found its home! It looks great in the hallway! I am the same way about original artwork, even from a novice which most of mine are! Blessings, Tammy

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  5. It's a great little vignette! The chalkboard is really cute...love how you transformed it. I'm with you on the smell of paperwhites. I thought wires were burning until I realized it was the flowers.

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  6. Great finds and makeovers! LOVE that chalboard!!!

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  7. Love this sweet vignette and what a great makeover!!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!! My latest post on my Christmas blog tells a bit about where i store all of my holiday decorations. I usually start decorating for Christmas in October with the upstairs being done first but this year, I had too much on my plate and did not get the upstairs done. After I take down the Halloween and Fall decorations the first week of November, I start decorating for Christmas downstairs.....

    Hugs,
    Deb

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  8. I can imagine that the hallway with so many doors can be a challenge! I like the little cabinet there with the artwork and chalkboard you made above it.

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  9. Hi Katie,
    I adore that shutter cabinet, and the chalkboard you created from that old piece! You are so clever! I have some pieces I want to use chalk paint on, but I may try making my own since it is so pricey! My pieces are large, so it would cost a lot, I'm afraid! Thanks for linking up to Blissful Whites Wednesday!
    Have a lovely day!
    Becky

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