Friend, welcome back to GITG! It’s Furniture Fixer Uppers day again with my blogging friends (you can see their awesome projects at the end of this post) – and today I’m sharing a new makeover for a repurposed radio cabinet that I already fixed up and painted several years ago.
Here is the original before photo…
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I got this piece for only $20 (gosh I wish I could find deals like that now), but it was missing some very important parts!
This antique radio cabinet was missing everything inside and also the back panel. Mr. GITG and I worked together to clean, sand, fix, cut new wood, assemble, and then I painted it. Read the whole tutorial and see all the photos here.
I also had to add a new magnetic closure so the door could stay shut. Below is the view looking in from the back side after we added shelves.
It was painted in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Provence, which is a lovely turquoise color, and then lightly distressed. I also used a light creamy color for the shelves inside.
Read all my best advice for how to Chalk Paint furniture here.
I thought this cabinet was absolutely gorgeous! I took it to a market and it didn’t sell. Then I took it to my booth for awhile and it didn’t sell… I was stumped, so I brought it home just to move inventory around.
It ended up going in my storage trailer for several months with a few other pieces. One day I opened the trailer and looked inside… and some of the painted pieces were basically ruined. It wasn’t traditional bleed-through because plenty of time had passed, but I think some moisture or just the change in temperatures (fall season) was to blame.
…and I have never left another finished piece in my trailer again. It was a tough lesson to learn.
I was understandably upset and this cabinet went into my garage to sit for a long time until this month’s Furniture Fixer Uppers project.
Not wanting to prime and start from scratch, I chose a darker color this time. Grab my two free guides – including how to properly prep furniture for painting – here.
Since my Annie Sloan stockist has been M.I.A., I tried Rustoleum Chalked Paint in Charcoal (I wanted a true black, but there is no black in this brand).
You can read my full honest review of Rustoleum Chalked Paint here.
After a gentle cleaning, I brushed right over the old paint with one of my favorite Purdy paint brushes.
Not wanting three different colors, I also painted the inside of the cabinet.
I applied two coats of paint on a gorgeous spring day, so I absolutely didn’t mind the work, although I do hate having to repaint a piece that I already put a lot of effort into.
Then I sanded all over with 320-grit sandpaper and distressed it some. When you sand over black or dark gray paint, you’ll end up with light colored streaks. I explain it more here in this post How to Paint Furniture with Black Chalk Paint, but the quick solution is to apply a black wax after painting.
You can see below how the right area where I’ve applied Annie Sloan’s black wax with a lint free cloth looks much more black than the left side without the wax.
This repurposed radio cabinet looks much different now than the turquoise before, but the distressed “black” looks very industrial chic.
Rustoleum Chalked Paint in Charcoal reminds me of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite – I always used black wax over that too (before they came out with Athenian Black) to darken the hue.
If you look closely, you can see where the distressed paint shows a little bit of turquoise peeking out from underneath.
Hopefully, with its new look this piece will find a new home quickly!
It’s fun to see how one piece can look painted two different ways, isn’t it? I loved the turquoise and I’m surprised it didn’t sell. Which way do you prefer this cabinet?
Please feel free to share this project with a friend or Pin it for easy access later.
Now it’s time for Furniture Fixer Uppers with my talented blogging besties!
Below are their Before photos. Visit the links underneath to see the amazing Afters and to learn how they did it:
1. Petticoat Junktion
2. Confessions of a Serial DIYer
3. Salvaged Inspirations
Danielle says
Hard to choose – love them both! I have 2 radio cabinets to refinish and you’ve inspired me to get to work on them. Your styling is lovely too, love the little treasure boxes.
Side note- I am so sorry about your stockist being MIA. I am an Annie Sloan stockist as well and would be happy to help if you ever need! 😊
Denise Zdziennicki says
I know how you feel. I’ve had to restyle a few of my makeovers because they’ve had some damage along the way. It’s really fun to see how the same piece can take on such different looks! Both makeovers are gorgeous… what a great vintage piece you and your hubby salvaged! XOXO
Donna says
I love them both, but I think the second version is my favorite! And I love how you repurposed it from vintage radio cabinet to storage cabinet, giving it a whole new lifetime of use. Thanks for the inspiration!
Lizzy says
I like both versions. I’m surprised it didn’t sell the first time. I do like how the turquoise is peeking out through the black.
Christy James says
I love the new darker color on this cabinet! It is so sleek now…hopefully you’ll get a buyer this time! XOXO
Antje says
I liked the darker better. Hopefully you’ll get a buyer this time. It’s a very lovely piece.😊
Christine Roppel says
I do like the new darker color on this cabinet, however, it looks “streaky”. Also. maybe you could change out the knob or paint it as well as the key hole. Just myho.
Naomi Shelton says
I think the cabinet has a much richer, more elegant look in the darker color, but it does look a bit “streakey” like Christine said, above. I don’t know exactly why that is or what could be done about it. I think it didn’t sell in the turquoise because it’s harder to introduce that color into a decorating scheme than it is the charcoal. Not as many people would have decor that it would fit into, perhaps. I also think Christine’s suggestion of changing the knob to something that contrasts a little would be an improvement. Something in a filagreed silver-toned metal might be good.
Anyway, it’s a lovely piece and I hope just the right person comes along to claim it.
Karen Young says
I bet you sell it next time you’re at when it shows. It looks great.
Cheryl Atkinson says
Hey Jen, I love color but.it is harder to sell. On this cabinet I love the darker charcoal color. It doesnt look.”steaky” to me. It’s perfect.
Kathy says
I love this version better although they are both pretty.
Cecilia from Georgia says
Annie Sloan Providence is the first chalk paint I used. I put it on a side table, and I loved it. Aqua is my favorite color; however, it is not a good seller here in SW Georgia. I love the black with the Providence peeking out and know someone will fall in love with it soon. Beautiful makeover of a makeover!!
Anne says
I’m just curious how you price an item that is not selling. When do you just reduce the price versus put in a lot more time and effort and supplies to re-do it?
I love the turquoise but could see it not selling because it was too specialized of a color and hard to match with other furniture colors, versus the dark gray which is more “neutral” and would presumably have more universal appeal because dark gray matches with everything.
I love the dark gray as well! So when do you drop the price to just sell it and when do you say no I can recoup the costs of re-doing it in another color and selling it?
Just thinking out loud and wondering when to drop prices for items that are not selling.
Again, I love both colors!
Becky says
I love blues, but I really like this one in the black. I feel like the “in” blues lean a little more green or… have a touch of black in the color right now, so maybe that’s why it didn’t sell? So many people are scared of clear, bright color! 🙄 I think this will be a fast sell now! It’s very pretty! I personally like the “streakiness” as it adds texture and a “feel”. The blue peeking through is gorgeous. You guys did a great job filling that empty cabinet frame!
Cindy says
Radio cabinets are such unique pieces to find. I was lucky enough to makeover one once. Yours is lovely – I think I like the charcoal color the best – so classic! Pinned this awesome makeover!