I bought this old silverware box several years ago at a flea market. I actually bought three similar boxes but today I am only going to show you one of them. I guess you could say I have a thing about silverware boxes - I have always been drawn to them. (Don't you just love my "paint tarp"? Its an old vinyl tablecloth spread out on the porch!)
Anyhows, in my diningroom there is one drawer that drives me crazy - it is the one that holds all my serving utensils.
Now I admit I am not the most organized girl and this drawer could be neater, but I have a zillion serving utensils and my drawer is really just not big enough to hold them all. So, I thought, why not repurpose one of my silverware boxes as a serving utensil box?
So, I did just that! Here it is all cleaned up, painted, distressed, glazed and with added handles. I just love the way it turned out! I think I will enter it into the
DIY Club's Monthly Contest! Go on over there and check out all the projects!
And here it is loaded up with about half of my serving utensils. Yeah! No more way too overcrowded drawer and hello beautiful yellow silverware box! To find out how I did it read on...
The first thing I had to do was get rid of all that tacky purple stuff. Now I am sure in its day it was a real jewel but today it is just a bunch of junky fabric that is screaming to be set free. So, I pulled it all out.
This is what was hiding underneath. These wood blocks were glued in place with some heavy duty glue. I had to beat them to death with a hammer to tear them out! Once removed I used my handy dandy electric sander to smooth out the inside and sand away the remaining glue (well, most of it anyhows).
I used my blue painters tape to cover the hinges on the backside before I gave the entire outside of the box a bath in a pretty, deep golden yellow paint.
After one coat you could still see the wood coming through so I gave it a second. By the way, this is one of those $3 paint samples from Lowes - can't beat that!
It looked much better after the second coat went on and I took some sandpaper to it to distress it a bit. I like to distress it just in those areas that tend to wear naturally.
I got so into the process of refinishing the box that I completely forgot to take pictures of the next two stages. Here it is after I glazed it with my favorite Valspar Mocha Glaze. Love how it settled into the little crevices on the front!
I also watered down a bit of burnt sienna craft paint and used it as a wash over the entire box. Basically, I brushed it on then wiped it back off, careful to wipe in one direction on each surface. In a couple of places it was too dark so I took a damp rag and removed some of it. I love how the glaze and burnt sienna paint added a warm depth to the box!
Next I went to work on the insides of the bottom and lid. I guess since this box was originally designed to be covered in all that fabric they weren't too worried about getting the insides smooth and pretty. Even after sanding and giving the sidewalls a coat of burnt sienna paint they still don't look too smooth. I don't care, the outside is what really matters to me. I pulled out my trusty Mod Podge and added some scrapbook paper left from a previous project to the bottom and lid. I also put a coat of Mod Podge over the painted sidewalls.
My sweet hubby took the box to his garage and drilled holes on both ends so we could add the black handles I purchased at Lowes. The screws that came with the handles were meant for thicker drawers so I picked up some shorter screws while I was there.
Here it is with the handles all added. Looks like a new box, huh? I just love how something as simple as hardware can really change the look of things!
And finally, here it is at home in the dining room being used as a stand for my beverage dispenser. (My flash really distorted my beautiful oil painting so don't look at that!) Now it serves two purposes: it stores my extra serving utensils AND it raises up my beverage dispenser to a height that you can fill something taller than a punch cup! I love it!!
One more look at its humble beginnings - it has come a long way in a day!
My dining room drawer still needs to be organized but it sure will be easier to find what I need with fewer serving utensils in there!
Thanks for stopping by Y'all!
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