Sustainable ideas ❋ Te oranga ō te taiao, from Thrive magazine
Hsin Huang uses a couple of vintage drawers to create useful display shelving that doubles as a work of art.
How to paint arty display shelving
Resene testpot colours
In the last issue we showed you how to turn an old chest of drawers into the kitchen island. If you missed it, find the details here.
Start by carefully removing all handles from the drawers. (A)
Measure the depth and width of the drawers and cut the plywood for the shelf so that it is a snug fit. (B)
Fill any gaps or holes in the drawers with Resene EzyFill Quick, then let it dry completely. Sand to expose the natural wood underneath the old paint, so that you have a smooth surface for your basecoat.
Apply Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat to the drawers. If it needs a second coat of primer, lightly sand first. (C)
When the basecoat is completely dry, sand, and finish with Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen. We used Resene Milk White. (D)
Photo (A)
Photo (B)
Photo (C)
Photo (D)
Make sure the surface of the wooden shelf you have cut is smooth – some sanding may be required. Stain the shelf with Resene Colorwood wood stain. We used Resene Deep Oak. Follow the stain instructions carefully. We found that applying the stain with a large brush then quickly wiping away excess stain with a cloth gave a good result. (E)
When dry, finish with Resene Aquaclear varnish. (F)
Paint the back of the drawer with a colour that will work as the background for your design. We used Resene Grain Brown from the Karen Walker Paints collection. (G)
Outline your design with pencil. We were inspired by abstract art we saw online. Using Resene testpots, fill in with your chosen colours, letting each colour dry before moving onto the next one. (H and I)
Photo (E)
Photo (F)
Photo (G)
Photo (H)
Mark points for screws to hold the shelf in place. We also recommend using liquid glue suitable for timber to make it extra secure. Drill holes and screw shelf in position. (K)
Use Resene EzyFill Quick to fill the screw holes, allow to dry and sand. Using a small brush, touch up the paint.
If desired, add hooks to one of the drawers to hang cups. (L)
Choose brackets that will hold the weight of the drawers, including anything you will store in them. We used flush mount hangers. L-shaped brackets are recommended for extra support.
Photo (I)
Photo (J)
Photo (K)
Photo (L)
› Download this project as a PDF
Project by Hsin Huang. Photography by Michael Moore. June/July 2021
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