Before & After Cabinet Reveal

I am so SO happy this project is done (mostly done) Is anything ever really done? I don't know. Brett and I drove to Clinton two weeks ago in pursuit of a Craigslist posting that advertised two china cabinets for $40. Yes we were that couple in the little Chevy S10 going 45 mph down the highway with two china cabinets, a wash basin and side table strapped in the back of the truck. 

I've been meaning to replace my pile of (you know what) Ikea dresser. I'm not big on hangers and I'm not big on drawers, so something like this will hold folded clothes and be a good solution for me. It needed a lot of work, I mean A LOT of work! 

Water damage to the veneer. Some spots had to be removed and filled with wood filler. 

dirt and grime was my biggest opponent. 

oh, and mold. 

I started by cleaning the entire cabinet inside and out, removed all hardware, removed the doors and hinges... and scrubbed. My bucket of water was black. After scrubbing with good old soap and water I used a paint brush and bleach and painted the entire piece (with bleach) before priming, just to ensure all germs were gone (a trick lent to me by my mother).

After this baby was cleaned and primed things moved quickly. I am so happy with the final product. Even though we are still dealing with some hinge issues and there are a couple of places that I wouldn't mind touching up ;) 

The door knobs are a hobby lobby find, while the drawer and cabinet pulls are original. I painted the pulls cream and cleaned up the end pieces. 

I painted the entire inside of the cabinet. I roped Mr. Beery into the project to help me reinstall the shelves, which was one of the most frustrating and time consuming parts of this project. These shelves didn't want to go back into the cabinet, I tried to assure them that I would take much better care of them ... but still, they were awnrey. 

So, there you have it, a cabinet rescued from cobwebs and repurposed for fine living! What do you think?

linking up to:
The Rooster and The Hen