Refurbishing An Eighties Cedar Chest

Monday, February 9, 2015





Can you believe that after moving almost four years ago (and living in our home for a year and a half now) I just about finally have everything out of storage and put away?  There were so many things that I had moved, put in storage... and then when our house was finished, they either didn't fit or my style had changed so much I really didn't want them!




This cedar chest was one of those things.  It was a high school graduation gift to me from my parents in 1980!  And now, it basically was trash.




The wood was scratched, stained, and just overall disgusting.  (I'm almost embarrassed showing these pictures!)




The padded cover was rotten and ripped and of course very "eighties"!




I just about set it on the roadside for someone to pick and refurbish.  And then I thought, WHAT?  I can refurbish it myself!




It definitely is a solid chest with a beautiful cedar interior and everything that was broken on it I figured I could repair.




In thinking of a color to paint it my daughter suggested Annie Sloan Paris Gray.  After a little thought I decided she was right as I could brighten it up with pillows.  (I also figured it would look good with the gray floor and I was right.)



After cleaning up the wood a bit outside I carried it upstairs and got started painting.   (I did it very late at night so I didn't even try to take pictures of the process.)


  

There was a point where I was very unhappy with it, but that is one thing I've discovered about Annie Sloan paint (at least for me).  Every project I've ever done with her paint, there is a very fine line between "Oh yuck, I can't stand this" to "Oh.My.Word.  This is going to be gorgeous"!



Usually it is the dark wax that does the trick for me.  That's when I begin to love the result.




I dug through my fabric scraps and covered the top in new foam and this gray striped Duck Cloth.  I just love how it came out.  




Then I did some more digging in my fabric scraps to cover some huge pillows I had and pulled out these two fabrics that don't really go together... but yet for me, they do!




I scrubbed the interior, put new screws in the hinges and filled it up with all our games.  They fit perfectly.




I moved it into the dormer window of my craft room and was immediately so happy.  It just belongs there!  It works as a window seat for looking out to see who is coming up the road.  Or to just watch the cows walking by in the woods below.




Or for the grand-girls to recline with a book.





Final verdict on the cedar chest?  I'm so happy I didn't leave it on the roadside!





P.S.  Eldon finished the shelving and doors in my built-ins and I finally pulled together a few other details in my craft room.  More on that in a few days!


26 comments:

  1. Such a great job! I love recycling something into a "new-again" useful item. It looks perfect in that spot too!

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    1. Thanks Maxine. Coming from you that makes me feel really good! :-)

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  2. oh my goodness!!!.....I LOVE IT!!!!.....so glad that you didn't throw it out!!!....I love being able to refurbish things and you did that job FABULOUSLY!!!!

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    1. I am so thankful I didn't throw it out either. I wasn't sure if I could actually follow through with leaving it at the roadside because of the memories involved... but I sure was tempted to leave it in our storage building! :-)

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  3. That IS the perfect spot for that "bench". LOVE IT!!!

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  4. Dori, I just love your new home! I love your blog page too!! You are such a fabulous crafter!! I love all the personal touches you have done yourself to your home!! I inherited a cedar chest from my mom and it just sits in the basement.....it's in poor shape too. Likely from the 1950's or so. This blog makes me wonder about turning mine into something useful as well. Thanks!! ♥

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    1. Sheri, thank you! I love my home too. Somedays I just want to walk around it and smile! (And I usually do!!) And YES, you should do something with your Mom's chest. :-)

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  5. I'm happy you kept the cedar chest. Perfect spot for the grand girls to read. Looking forward to more posts on your craft room Kathleen in Az

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    1. Hi Kathleen, I'm happy I kept the chest too. I think my Momma will love it when she sees it! :-)

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  6. Replies
    1. My husband bought me an cedar chest in 1980. He bought for me on my birthday a month after our first date. ( sweet) it is sitting in the building taking apart because it was falling apart. He thought we should toss it. I could not do that..I am hoping he will refashion it into an smaller chest. I am glad you kept it. What a treasure to pass down to the grand girls.

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  7. Dori, love it and it's so YOU!

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  8. It was such a meaningful gift that I am glad you didn't give up on it either. Looks great!

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    1. Vee, it would've been sad to toss it huh? I know it is one of those things I would've regretted forever. I'm thankful that I knew the potential and followed it through!

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  9. Dori, I love the details around this beautiful chest too! I can just picture your granddaughters sitting there reading while you work on another amazing project. Beautiful!

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    1. Thank you Nancy! Wish you could come sew with me for a day. Or two or three! Hugs!

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  10. I gave my old cedar chest (from 1970) to my DIL who removed the "odd" plastic embellishments and painted it with chalk paint - it turned out great! Your's is just perfect for that spot in your craft room. :)

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    1. Barbara, great idea on your cedar chest. What color did she paint it? I sure did struggle with that decision.

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  11. It's just perfect in the perfect little spot too. I can just see grandchildren sitting there reading books or playing with those games inside the chest. Good job!

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    1. Yes! That is the perfect spot. The next day Jillian sat there reading a book and promptly fell asleep (the almost 7 year old that never naps anymore!). It was precious.

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  12. So cute. Love the chalk paint!

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  13. Lovely makeover! The chest is lovely! Great job! Greetings, Storage Heasden Ltd.

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