Get it off my chest

Pink and white drawers in situOne of the jobs on my to do list was to spray a chest of drawers white for Scarlett’s room, as all of the built-in furniture in there is white already. My first thought was to just buy a chest of drawers, but as we had an old one just sat there, albeit the wrong colour, it seemed a bit foolish.  Plus, there’s the added aspect that this particular piece of furniture happens to have been my dad’s, so I did really want to keep it.

The first thing I bought was the handles – I got them at the same time as the wardrobe, drawers and bedside cabinet handles for our bedroom a couple of months ago.

Drawer handles in pinkI’m kind of addicted to the handles from theseplease.co.uk – I’ve now had three sets from them, and they’re great.

The next step was going to B&Q to see what spray paint they had that would provide sufficient coverage for some pine drawers covered in varnish.  I picked up a can of their own brand paint in a satin finish and asked the sales assistant if I needed a primer or base coat – I was informed not.

Spraying the drawersI started spraying the shell of the chest liberally and was getting really into it until the paint ran out.  This must be how Banksy feels.  Without the fear of being caught.  Or, you know, the hard-hitting political observations.  Or the artistic ability.

I got as far as spraying the outside of the shell and the front of one drawer and then the paint sadly ran out.  It was only really then that I stopped to look at it once it had dried.  From what looked like a good satin finish as I sprayed, it dried into dappled patches.  Whether it’s from the dark spots in the original wood or my spraying technique (which my husband has blamed it on), it doesn’t look fantastic.

img_6913Stuck between knowing whether to carry on or not, I decided to continue with the spraying, so put the drawers back in the garage for a couple of weeks (as nothing’s happening quickly round here!) and then bought another white can and was struck by inspiration to buy some pink in the same finish to surprise Scarlett with the inside.

My original idea was to découpage the insides of the drawers and I got some fab advice from my friend involving mod podge, but painting seemed like an easier option.

On the face of it, they look pretty cool, if I may say so.  The pink drawer inners match the handles quite well, and spraying is the absolute easiest way of painting I’ve come across.  However.  It’s all an illusion.  The paint is already chipping off.  I hoovered the insides as we drilled the drawer holes slightly bigger to accommodate these handles and strips of pink paint scraped away.  Despite being resprayed, the dappled effect is still there.  Basically, the shop assistant who said I didn’t need a primer was talking out of her arse, and I wish I’d never strayed from Annie Sloan.  Chalk paint is definitely more effort, but it’s much harder wearing and worth it.

These drawers have been put into Scarlett’s room to be used for now anyway – let’s face it – even chalk paint would be tested in the hands of a spinning three year-old.  She doesn’t care that they’re not perfect.  But it’s back to the bottom of my to do list for repainting in chalk paint one day.  And I’ll line the drawers with découpage.  Just not soon.

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