Literally purchased this beauty in 2010 when we first moved in together for our files.
Before this I had been living out of a plastic file box and it was more than holding it's share ie: could no longer fit any more papers in it and the overflow was in an unorganized plastic bag. Real classy.
So karma stepped in and as I resolved to find a file cabinet the first posting on CraigsList's For Sale items was a wood file cabinet for $15. $15!!! Do you know how expensive solid wood file cabinets are? Amazing.
Of course it's a oak (right?) and I'm much more drawn to the darker woods so I picked up a quart of paint in a darker brown color. The reason I did paint instead of stain is cause I'm lazy. Yep, I didn't want to do all the sanding necessary to stain it even though really it wouldn't have been that much at all. Keep in mind this is pretty much the first DIY project I was planning on doing and I didn't think to search the internet for tips and how-to's. My bad.
Our first dwelling was a town home. Loved it but in no way easy for painting projects. Our second place was a rental home. Easy for painting projects, this is where the lazy kicked in. And finally our house where in wanting to put as much together as possible I took advantage of a weekend when Michael was out of town and did it. Quite proud of myself.
Mixed the paint and went for it! I liked the color in the can, I wanted something dark and rich. But when I put it on the cabinet and stepped back, not so much. Maybe it was because I'm on this color with life in it kick but the brown on the cabinet just seemed so blah, flat and lifeless. The opposite of the rich color I was going for. Bummer.
I did two coats, one Saturday and one Sunday. Hoping I would like the two coats better, that it might dry richer or deeper. All I want a thoughtful paint, one with feelings and emotions! Is that too much to ask!?
HA!
I'd say this one depicts the color best. Just not really feeling it. So on advice from all knowing friends and the guy I waited to fully hate it until I got the pull handles on and it into the room.
Now the handles, I thought they would be the easy part. I took an idea from John and Sherry on YoungHouseLove on how to indicate where the holes should be and it didn't exactly work out in my favor.
You tape on the back of the handles and indicate where the hole should be. Yeah didn't exactly work out for me, something slipped in the process cause the holes were not aligned. So drilled out with a larger bit to give myself some more wiggle room. The second drawer Michael was my savior and actually measured and got precisely where the holes should be made.
The other complication is that the drawer was quite wide, too wide for the screw provided with the handles.
So I took a 3/4" spade bit and drilled an indent so the screw would be long enough.
And the finished drawers!
It all put together. I do like the color a bit more in the room, its growing on me I think. Not to say that I won't somehow spruce it up a bit in the future.
Oh, and look at my brilliant painting skills!
Are there any projects you've been putting off for a while? Feeling like getting some spring cleaning done?
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