(Cerulean Blue!) File Cabinet Makeover

I mentioned last week that the computer shop makeover I've been a part of hit a snag.  With the decorating budget sunk into the other rental space, pretty much everything - wall colour, flooring, blinds, lighting - have to stay the same in the new rental space.  I have, however, painted some tables as well as the counter you see immediately when you enter the shop.  All of these disparate pieces were painted a rich, glossy brown to blend in with the existing espresso brown furniture.  I was itching to paint at least the tables a chipper colour, but I think that with office furniture, "sets" (or faux sets, in this case) look sleeker than the eclectic hodge podge of furniture that can look so chic in a private dwelling.  In this setting, there isn't the opportunity for the drapes, accessories, and lighting that can help tie a room together.  I'm happy with my decision to buy a gallon of glossy brown paint, but it hurt my soul a little to play it so safe.  I had to, just had to, add a little colour so I grabbed a small, two-drawer file cabinet and went to town.

Let's get right to the after:

The before is likely very familiar:

The folks at the computer shop wanted a spot for kids to play, and the mini file cabinet will be perfect for a set of magnetic letters, plus the drawers can be filled with colouring books, etc.  The spray paint was on major clearance (75% off), so the project fit the miniscule budget quite well.  I skipped sanding but gave the file cabinet a good scrub and then, once it was dry, applied multiple thin coats of Tremclad metal primer in white.  When the primer was dry, I applied very thin coats of Liquitex spray paint.  I've used this paint before and have found that it goes on differently than other brands.  If you're curious, here's a post I wrote about what makes this paint so special.  I used a can of primer and a can and a half of paint for full, even coverage.  Because the key is long gone, I just sprayed right over the lock.



It took me the better part of an afternoon to make this file cabinet less dreary, but it was a hit!

It's so cheery and -  ta da! - it's not turquoise, it's cerulean blue (I'm branching out).  I actually pulled the colour from the only art currently adorning the walls, and now I can't wait to get started on some large abstracts to liven up the space and introduce a little more colour.  I had scooped the cutest little chair (for free!) to go in the kiddie corner but it was vetoed.  It was originally a dark wood stain, but had been painted a vintage sky blue blue and then cream over the years.  I'm not normally a fan of shabby chic, but this was just so perfectly aged and so perfectly petite.  It was suggested I slap on some more dark brown paint, but I just can't bring myself to do it.  Now I'm on the hunt for some pint-sized chairs.  This sounds an awful lot like thrifting for work, which sounds an awful lot like my dream job.