Putting The Office Together: Chippy Cupboard

The biggest hurdle in the office makeover was deciding on the palette I wanted to use.  I knew the colors had to flow from room to room, so whatever I decided to go with, I knew I had to want those colors, or similar ones for the rest of the rooms in the downstairs.  To be honest, I had no clue where to start.  Well, I was reading a magazine a few weeks back and one thing that stuck with me was to take your cues from an item that speaks to you and build your idea  from there.  

Some people get their color scheme ideas from fabric or build a mood board.  Me?  I got my idea from this...

I have always loved the white, blue, green, and beige of this picture.  It soothes me.  And makes me think of my home.

One of the last items I purchased for our office was this chippy old cupboard.  I loved the peeling paint and BONUS!  Tons of storage!

Yes, the wood on the doors are cracked and warped.  Yes, the paint is peeling.  It has some stains on the shelves from paint storage, but that wasn't a big deal.  I'm sure I'll be adding my own, soon enough.  And when I get that workshop out in the barn that I want and it can be the display piece that I eventually want it to be... Paint, Scrapbook Paper, and Mod Podge work wonders.  Its completely perfect...  For me.  The doors shut and the latches work.  What's not to love?  For $115.00, I wasn't complaining.  Sure, I could have found one cheaper somewhere else, but it would take months of looking.  I didn't have even have one month.  And how often is it that you find exactly  what you were picturing in your head for a certain space?  For me?  Not very often.  ;)

The storage capacity is insane.  Even I was surprised how much I could stash neatly organize in there.

Okay, let's break the items down by cost, top to bottom.

I love white plates and I love picture frames.  There's just something about their simplicity.  They're unpretentious, yet pack a big decorating punch.  Love them, love them!  The two plates on each side were $1.00 each from Goodwill.  The center platter I found at Trinkets back in November for $2.00.  The easels?  Goodwill.  $1.00 each.  They were black and then got the chalk paint treatment.  That stuff will stick to anything!  The two frames on each end I found at the Lil Brick School House in New Hampton for $5.00 each.  They were gold.  The little round frame?  0.75 at Trinkets.  It was gold too.  The middle square frame used to house a picture of my Dad when he was about Landon's age.  Another paint job.  The small square frame?  $1.00 at Country Collections in Hampton.  Paint job.  And the top of a newel post?  $0.50 at Schunk's Junque in Clarksville.  It was varnished wood.  Again, chalk paint.  Love that stuff!

One of my favorite items is this meat grinder that I found at my in-law's several months ago.  Its so industrial and is just neat to look at.  I think it'll always have a home in our office.

A big thing I've learned is to never underestimate the power of paint or upcycling an object for another purpose.

The glass vessel holding my twine and raffia?  That came in the lantern that I used for my Christmas decor last month.  The glass candy containers on the top shelf?  1.00 each.  The glass bathroom accessory, another buck.  I found them all at Goodwill.  The small glass vessels on the 2nd shelf?  $0.75 each at Trinkets.

And check this out...  The white canisters?

$1.00 each in the Wal-Mart Christmas Clearance aisle.  They'll eventually get labels, but I haven't had the time and to be honest, the energy to do them yet.

The baskets?

Primer and spray paint.  Yep.  They were gold.  Christmas clearance.  $1.00 each.  And just to be sure I wasn't getting the good ol' Walmart fool ya on the "deal", I went to the florist section.  Wicker baskets of the same design and style, but in black and natural, were selling for $12.97.  Go figure.

And the bottom shelf:

All my painting supplies.  I told Scott that if we ever had a fire, the house would blow up.  I really need to get that outdoor workshop.  And I also realized I have a slight addiction to glaze.  Do you think 6 full quarts is enough?  LOL!

So, my whole stash of stuff, which up until this point had been relegated to stashes around the house in bags, boxes, and laundry  baskets, as well as piled up in the northwest corner of the office all look nice, neat, and orderly - Dare I say somewhat organized - in our nifty chippy cupboard...

The trick will be keeping it that way!

Until tomorrow, y'all...  I'll be talking about that corner that holds my desk.  Be sure to check back!  :D