Big Girl Room - The Armoire is 99% Done!

Yesterday, we discussed Munch's big girl room.  I gave you a general progress update but I left out one major piece I completed but never shared - the armoire.

You may recall my mentioning that I wanted to have a large piece of furniture to store Munch's toys out of sight and off the floor.  I went with my first thought, an armoire, and I searched Craigslist for an affordable option.  I didn't want to spend a lot especially since I planned to paint it the same color as her ceiling, Benjamin Moore's Gentle Butterfly.

I searched for about two weeks with no luck.  Just when I gave up on finding something to meet my budget constraints and requirements (for the time being), I got an email that one of my church members was offering a small armoire for… wait for it… FREE!

I immediately replied and we scheduled the pick-up for the upcoming Sunday.

I piled and shoved every piece and forced my kid to hold drawers and probably broke multiple safety laws by having my kid ride in the front seat the armoire into my truck and headed home.  A few weeks later, on the day before Munch's Sunshine & Lemonade birthday party, I painted the armoire.  If you're looking for an inexpensive storage solution (it's perfect for towels in a hall or a pop of color in lieu of a dresser in a guest room), consider an armoire.  To make it your own, follow these easy step-by-step instructions  and paint it a fun color.  Enjoy!

Supplies

~ White spray paint

~ Gold spray paint

~ Sand paper

~ Paint color of choice

~ Drop cloth

~ Small paint brushes

~ Paint rollers (small and medium size)

Steps

1.  Lightly sand the armoire down.  Once the surface is sanded, use a damp towel to wipe the furniture down taking care to remove all shavings.

2.  Use the white spray paint to prime the piece for painting.

In my case, I sanded, wiped and planned to return to the garage and start priming AFTER I prepped dinner… which turned into an hour.  During this time, Hubbs came home and saw the armoire in the garage.  Calling himself helpful, he decided to prime the armoire for me and came inside feeling accomplished. I thought it was SO sweet... ya know, his willingness to be part of the room design without having to nag him...

…until I saw he primed with the hardware on the doors.

Thanks.  I removed them and I haven't decided what I want to do about the drawer pulls and handles - replace, paint or leave them as-is?

3.  Using the gold spray paint, spray the edges of the piece:

It was at this point that Hubbs wanted me to know he felt the entire armoire should be gold.  He's so helpful... and opinionated.

I think I liked it too… just not that much.

4.  Paint the drawers of the armoire.

5.  Turn the armoire upside down.  Doing so allows you to paint areas that are commonly neglected and will give your piece a more thorough paint job.

6.  Paint the armoire.  It may require multiple coats.

7.  After the piece dries for 2 hours, flip it over and repeat the painting process.

8.  Use the small brushes to paint any details.  Note, my armoire had a lot of intricate details on the doors and I found it very difficult to get the paint to fill those areas.  Small craft brushes (I purchased from the Dollar Tree) were the perfect solution to cover the details.

9.  After the paint dries, use the sand paper to gently sand the edges of the armoire (corners, doors, drawers, etc.).  This will allow the gold paint to shine through the paint.

10.  Allow the piece to dry for 4 hours.  Then, move it into position.

Can you see some pictures on top of the armoire that need to be donated or hung? I'm a mess, I know.

11. Enjoy the fruits of your labor :)

I've since replaced most of the hardware but I still need to find drawer pulls for the top drawer.  We moved her puzzles and craft supplies (jewelry making and sewing machine) into the top portion and we placed her dress-up and doll clothing in the lower drawers.  It's functional and adds subtle color to the space!

The gold really adds a touch of glam!  As it ages and gets more wear, I'm sure even more gold paint will come through and I'm SO excited about that.

I am very pleased with how it turned out!

Have you painted any furniture pieces lately?

Do you have an unconventional use for armoires?  

Feel free to share in the comments!