Tag Archives: General Finishes

Portable Potables

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I wanted to make a portable, compact bar unit to help my son entertain in his small apartment. The designs I came across reminded me of the media cabinets my generation used to organize VCR tapes. And I found one.

Outdated storage units tend to be inexpensive. I like inexpensive.

The cardboard back needed to be replaced with sturdier particle board, and for ease of painting, I took the doors off too.

It was so much easier to paint everything separately. If I had nailed the panel to the back and then painted, I would have had a lot more pesky corners to deal with.

The colors of choice were Annie Sloan Emperor’s Silk and Graphite.

For the bottom and exterior I wanted a deeper black. For this I used Artisan Enhancements Scumble and General Finishes Glaze Effects in Pitch Black, making long even strokes over the paint with a chip brush.  Scumble keeps the glaze wet longer so there’s more time to “play” with it. (You can read more about this glazing technique in Backgammon Anyone?)

Exterior of the cabinet doors. One door with black glaze and the other without.

To give the interior some shine, I sealed the red paint with Satin-finish General Finishes Topcoat.

After letting the black glaze dry overnight, I was pleased with the dark, textured look.

Fortunately I was able to put the whole thing back together again.

Two additions I made were casters and handles. The handles (large cabinet pulls) help maneuver the rolling bar, and they also make a convenient place to drape a towel.

I included a fifth caster in the front to keep the unit from tipping forward when the doors are open. To keep the glasses from sliding around, I cut up some gray rubber shelf liner to fit the shelves on the doors.

A fun addition was motion sensor lights.  Double-sided tape adheres a metal strip to the surface (one under the top and one under the shelf). The metal attracts and holds the magnetized light. The lights can easily be taken out and put back in. Instead of batteries, they recharge with a USB port.

Setting the lights to motion-activation means the lights will go on when the doors were opened. Fun!

I’m sure my (very) responsible son will enjoy the storage and versatility of his rolling bar cart. And I know exactly what he’s going to ask when he reads this. The answer is, “Sorry, David, the liquor is not included.” (He’ll get a chuckle out of that.)

Cheers!

(P. S. Not that I wouldn’t mind, but I’m not paid to endorse any of the products.)

www.karenraelevine.com

Backgammon Anyone?

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Thrift store find, $16.99!

The top told me it needed to be a backgammon table. (Furniture talks to me. Don’t ask.)

My backgammon idea challenged me for quite a while. I’d run through all kinds of color and design options in my head but none of them seemed right. It wasn’t until I took a General Finishes class at Suite Pieces that I knew glazing was the answer.

First, two coats of Annie Sloan Country Grey.

With a light distressing and some clear wax, I could have stopped there, but of course I didn’t.

For a two-tone look, I taped the edges of the top and the sides to get them ready for a glaze finish. The first step was a coat of Artisan Enhancements Scumble. Scumble is a water-based extender. It keeps the glaze wet longer so the glaze goes on smooth and there’s more time to “play” with it.

The Scumble has a sheen when it goes on. I tilted the table in the light to find the sheen and make sure it covered the entire surface that would be glazed.

I brushed on the glaze, a 1:1 mixture of General Finishes Water Based Glaze Effect colors Van Dyke Brown and Winter White. I used a chip brush to move the glaze in straight(ish) lines along the top …

… and across the drawer, and the sides.

I let the glaze dry overnight, then taped off the glaze I’d already applied. On went the Scumble and the glaze in Van Dyke Brown. Again, I used a chip brush to move the glaze in the direction I wanted. On the top, I followed the shape of the rim. On the bottom, I brushed downward and followed the line of the legs.

I changed the drawer pull and could have stopped then, but of course I didn’t.

I mapped out the backgammon triangles in Photoshop. I had a few different options to apply them. I could decoupage paper triangles, transfer images that had a triangle shape, make my own triangle stencil, or tape and glaze. I decided to tape and glaze.

I taped the table top and used graphite paper, pencil and ruler to trace my triangles onto the tape.

(I should buy stock in FrogTape Brand painter’s tape. I think I’m keeping them in business.)

I used a ruler and exacto knife to cut the tape around every other triangle.

I applied Scumble and Van Dyke Brown glaze. This time I brushed a cross hatch pattern, stroking the glaze first along the triangles and then across them.

In the photo above, you can see a little smudge on the bottom where I forgot to tape. I caught it while it was still wet, and wiped it off with a damp paper towel. The advantage to glaze is that it leaves a nonporous topcoat. Bare chalk paint would have absorbed that little goof and I would have had to paint over it.

The following day, I used my ruler and exacto knife to cut out the triangles that would receive a lighter glaze. I applied a fairly heavy coat of Winter White and with a damp paper towel, carefully wiped the glaze from each dark triangle.

Photo bomb by my “helper,” Charlie

Because the coat of white glaze was heavier, I removed the tape right away so that I could catch and wipe away any glaze that had seeped through the tape.

There were a few times during the process I could have stopped and still had a nice looking table, but I’m glad I kept going.

Backgammon anyone?

www.karenraelevine.com