Squeal for Laminate

I told you last week how I went to my friend Amy's yard sale. We (my friend Lisa and I) actually did a preview the night before at like 10:00 PM. We were walking along with a flashlight searching for treasures when I saw this white display cabinet about the same time Lisa saw it. We both wanted it for our playrooms. As we were fighting over who should get it and making our claim on it Amy says, "Hold it ladies who is the craftier one of the two?" Immediately Lisa points to me. Amy says "I have two of them but the craftier one gets the one that needs a little work."

We immediately looked at each other and squealed. Yes, I squealed for white laminate furniture. I don't normally squeal nor am I big fan of white laminate. However, I had been looking for an armoire to put in our playroom to hold a TV and all of Isaac's games for a while. I didn't want to spend over $50. I originally wanted one that was solid wood but for $4 who could pass up the white display case?

My cabinet was being held together by ratcheting tie-downs because there were screws and dowels missing. So I had a little work ahead of me.

After a little wood glue, new dowels and tightening up some screws she was in business. I also anchored her to the wall for added support from a rambunctious 3-year old boy.

She was a little beat up and dirty from being in storage.


I could either go for the antiqued look or I could go for the "I-am-scratched-up-white-laminate" look. So I took sandpaper to all her edges to give her a little age. I wiped her down with some Lysol and a Magic Eraser and she was good as golden.

The knobs weren't "doing it" for me after I scuffed her up so I changed her knobs to some freebies I got on Ebay (long story short...they sent me these wrong knobs for my kitchen makeover and had to resend the correct ones and let me keep these). I think they look much better.

Old one (left) and the new one (right)

I wanted the piece to look more "armoire-ish and less display cabinet-ish." (Do you like all my quotation mark use today?) I kept going back and forth on what to do with the glass doors..magnetic paint, chalkboard paint, fabric, paper, spray paint. Since I couldn't make up my mind I figured I would go for the least permanent option...fabric.

Believe it or not, I didn't have enough fabric left over from Isaac's baby bedding to make it work for the cabinet...haha. If you are new to my blog you have no idea what I am talking about now...sorry.

So I spent $1.35 on some red vintagey looking dot fabric (that my husband doesn't like) and covered the glass in it. I love the punch of color and I can always change it later if I want.

Playdough, bubbles, wood blocks and marbles are up top. I put things I didn't want Isaac to get without permission up high. Then his videos are below that. We will put the TV under there when we get a new one. In the bottom cabinet are all of his games.

I love how all that junk is hidden and contained. It makes my organizing ♥ so happy. And who wouldn't squeal over a white laminate makeover for $5.35?