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Whale tale


Craft - inspired by Resene, from Little Treasures magazine

Create stylish storage for your nursery with sea-themed drawers and a pair of wheely good crates.

Sea themed drawers and painted crates

Crates

You will need:

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Sand crates inside and out with 120-grit sandpaper to smooth the rough edges.

  2. Use mini roller and brush to paint crates with a coat of Resene Quick Dry sealer. Leave to dry.

  3. Use mini roller and brush to paint crates with two coats of your chosen colours; we used Resene Half Stack for the lidded box and Resene Fountain Blue for the blackboard one. Leave to dry; sand lightly with 180-grit sandpaper between coats.

Blackboard crate:

You will need:

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Cut two pieces of 4.75mm-thick MDF slightly smaller than each edge of the long crate sides. Sand edges and paint with two coats of Resene Blackboard Paint in Resene Black; leave to dry.

  2. Screw blackboards to each long side of the crate using screws and washers.

Lidded crate:

You will need:

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Paint droplets on long sides of crates: we used Resene Morning Glory, Resene Fountain Blue and Resene Hippie Blue.

  2. Cut a piece of 6mm-thick MDF 20mm larger than the top of your crate (our crate measured 505mm x 360mm, so we cut our MDF 525mm x 380mm). Sand edges and paint one side with two coats of Resene Half Stack; the other side will be covered with foam and fabric. Leave to dry.

  3. Screw batten pieces of timber to the inside of the lid, ensuring they’re placed in from both ends and edges, so when you place the lid on the box they fit snugly inside the crate.

  4. Cut thick foam to fit top of lid. Cover with Dacron and fabric. Staple fabric on the underside of the lid, folding in the corners as you go.


Crates


Whale drawers

Whale drawers

You will need:

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Remove drawers, then unscrew handles from drawers.

  2. Sand drawers and unit with 80-grit sandpaper to remove any old polyurethane, then sand with 120-grit sandpaper until smooth.

  3. Use mini roller and brush to paint unit and drawer fronts with a coat of Resene Quick Dry sealer. Leave to dry.

  4. Use mini rollers and brush to paint unit with two coats of Resene Half Stack. Leave to dry and lightly sand with 180- grit sandpaper between coats.

  5. Do the same for the drawer fronts, painting each drawer in a different Resene blue. Top drawer: Resene Tranquil; second drawer: Resene Morning Glory; third drawer: Resene Fountain Blue; bottom drawer: Resene Cotton Wool.

  6. When drawers are dry, use the template in the You & Your Family/Craft section of treasures.co.nz to trace the whale onto the bottom drawer. Paint two or three coats with small paint brushes in Resene Cotton Wool, leaving to dry and lightly sanding with a small piece of 180-grit sandpaper between coats.

  7. Use template to paint water spout on second and third drawers, using the same process as you did for the whale.

  8. Reattach handles.

Tip: Choosing similar colours from dark to light is an easy way to create a colour palette. Use the Resene Multifinish collection to find your favourite, and select lighter and darker tones.

Testpot tips

  1. We’ve chosen a whale but you could use any design you like. Be inspired by your child’s favourite animal, or create a beach, forest or space theme.

  2. Use existing furnishings in the room to help with your colour palette. If you have opted for greens and blues, or pinks and purples, in a room, using those colours on the crates will make them look like they belong.

  3. Children are very good at leaving fingerprints behind, so it’s often best to opt for slightly darker colours to help hide the fingerprints. A semi-gloss finish such as Resene Lustacryl will be easy to wipe clean.

  4. Another fun option for drawers is to paint Resene Magnetic Magic on the drawer fronts before topcoating. Your child can then stick magnets onto the drawer fronts – handy for playing, learning the alphabet, or as a reminder of what goes in each drawer.

  5. Handprints can also make a fun decoration for pots or boxes. Simply paint your child’s hand and then place it gently but firmly onto the side to get a handprint. Repeat with each hand and different colours. Better yet, get each family member to add a handprint. Children love comparing their hands with other family members as they grow.

  6. For a bit of added sparkle and shine, consider using a Resene FX Metallic finish in gold, silver or your favourite metallic colour.

  7. Paint a few touches in Resene FX Nightlight, so your child can enjoy those features softly glowing in the dark after the lights go out.

  8. Let older siblings help you choose the colours so they feel like they are part of the project too. Simply lay out the Resene KidzColour chart and let them choose. If their colour choice isn’t quite what you had in mind, use it for an accent or detail.

 

Created by Sarah Eberhardt.

Photography by Bryce Carleton.

 


Kid's Bedroom Decorating Ideas
View more decorating ideas for kids from Little Treasures magazine in the Resene kid's bedroom inspiration gallery.

More ideas

 

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