Name: Kyrielle
Location: Richmond, VA
Time: Off and on for two days - most of the time was spent waiting for paint/glue to dry.
Cost: Around $62. Many of the materials were left over from previous projects.
Showing off your cat is almost unfair. Pets always get the vote. At any rate, Kyrielle didn't intend to make pet furniture, but an organizer with free seating in her compact hallway. Head below the jump for all her pics, tools, and instructions and VOTING...
Tell us the tools and resources you used for the project:
Body:
Modular shelving unit - Target ($25)
Sandpaper
Paint (Olympic Silver Blueberry, Valspar Soft Rabbit Brown - both from Lowes - and a custom mix that matches my apartment complex's walls from Duron.
Drawer pulls - Lowes (2 x $5)
1' x 2' piece of indoor/outdoor carpet - Lowes ($2)
Removable Double-sided Tape
Legs:
4 wooden craft candlesticks - Michaels (4 x $1)
Hammer (to flatten the metal candelholder flush to the top of the candlestick)
Kilz Satin Nickel spray paint - Walmart ($4)
Quickset Epoxy - Lowes ($4)
Cushion:
2' x 2' piece of plywood cut in half at store - Loews ($4)
1' x 2' piece of 2" foam - Hancock Fabrics ($4)
Low-Loft Batting - Hancock Fabrics
Green Microsuede Fabric - Hancock Fabrics
Staple Gun
Spray Adhesive
Sticky-back Velcro ($5)
Scissors
Share step by step instructions for how you completed the project:
I've needed a place to store shoes and pet stuff by my entranceway and I haven't been able to find anything ready made to fit the close quarters that 1) I liked and more importantly 2) my bank account liked. I found a storage unit on sale at Target that looked promising.
First, I put together the storage unit and then scuffed all the surfaces with sandpaper to give the paint something to stick to. I think if I did a similar project again, I'd go ahead and use a quick primer instead. The Duron and Valspar paints didn't have any trouble with the melamine, but the Olympic pain had a few.
After sanding the cabinet, I turned it over and painted the botton and inside-tops - places that would be difficult to get to later. While that dried, I gathered the candlesticks and hammered the rolled edge of the metal candle holder flat until it was flush with the top of the candlestick. I originally had tried to pry the candleholders out, but they were stubborn and since the metal was thin - hammering was an easy fix.
Once the rims have been hammered flat, I spray painted them with a satin nickel spray paint and set them aside to dry. When the cabinent & candelsticks were dry, I mixed a quick set epoxy and glued candlesticks to the bottom of the unit and let them set for a couple hours to be safe. Then, I turned the unit over and painted the rest of the cabinet and the drawers.
While that is drying, I started making the cushion. I had a piece of 2'x2' plywood cut in half at Lowes and then bought a 1'x2' piece of 2" foam at Hancock Fabric. I sprayed one side of the plywood and one side of the foam with spray adhesive and glued the two pieces together. I then cut a piece of fabric and batting left over from another previous project large enough to stretch over the foam and plywood and stapled the batting and fabric to the board. Then I attached the cushion to the cabinet (now bench) with velcro.
Finally, I bought a small piece of indoor/outdoor carpet that just happened to match with the brown pain really well (score!) and cut that to fit the lower compartment. I did lay down a strip of removable double-stick tape to give it a little more help staying in place and that seems to have done the trick.
Copyright © 2007 Apartment Therapy
Great idea! Thanks for showing us something to do with those storage units at Target. They are so useful, but very bland. I may have to steal this idea. Thanks, Kyrielle! (I even have my own cat to complete the picture!)
Have you done anything else with any of the other cabinets?
view Pteetsa's profile
I love it, what a fantastic idea. I might have to steal the idea too, a great place to store a few pairs of everyday-wear shoes... and a bench to sit on while putting them on... sweet! And the drawers would be great for hats and scarves, and tote bags!
view thesamanthafiles 's profile
I like the bench, but wonder about the sturdiness of the shelving if you actually sit on it? I've had those shelves before and was disappointed by their weight-bearing ability. Looks great though and the kitty seems happy to have a new seat!
view CQ in DC's profile
Great idea. I thought about the sturdiness for weight, too, but at least the cat can sit on it! I bet the minute you were finished, it was thinking "Fantastic, mom made me a new sofa." Love the idea of those candle holders for legs!
view Christine (the one in DC)'s profile
Thanks for the kind words - I was regretting hitting the submit button the instant my finger left the button. :-)
As for sturdiness, despite the intro, this was never really intended for people weight. It's located under a couple of shelves, and while it would be possible to scootch on the edge, it definitely wouldn't be comfortable. So, this was always going to be the cat's - adding padding was just bowing down to the inevitability.
If I were to make it a real bench, I'd put a piece of wood in the center of the shoe compartment from midway to the back for reenforcement and choose 2.5" doll heads for legs and place them a little closer to the corners. Or use a base cabinet with more built-in cross braces, like a shoe rack or something.
view Kyrielle's profile
very clever using the candle holders for legs. I would have never thought of that. Well done!
view Signe's profile
The candlestick holder legs are brilliant. Raising the shelving unit off the floor makes it look much better than it would otherwise -- realizing that makes me wonder what I could improve in my own place with a couple of pairs of candlesticks.
view quercus's profile
i've often considered buying one of these generic target cabinets, but then i never do. anyway it's nice to see someone thought of a way to make it their own.
off topic, i like ur landing strip shelves in the two different sizes. were are they from?
view SD913's profile
off the topic, but I have that lamp on my landing strip at home! That exact same lamp! How funny is that?
On topic, that is a wonderful idea. I have a very old bookshelf that came from the school where my grandfather was a principal - it's very narrow and short - the bottom shelves hardly get used - i wonder if there is something that more sturdy but similar to your candlestick idea that would hold the weight of this thing (btw, it's incredibly heavy).
view elizabeth in AL's profile
It's not unfair to use the Occasional Cat in your photos--after all, staging is everything, as HGTV has shown us time and again!
view kuroneko's profile
i wouldn't mind seeing a cat in any photo regardless of the topic! **me wuvs dee kitties**
view *heather leaf*'s profile
SD913 - the shelves were also from Target. It looks like they are still available online, but are no longer in the stores. You can find them by going to the "home" section and selecting "shelves ledges" from under the "Wall Decor Accessories" section
view Kyrielle's profile
While this is a fun idea, it would behoove you to stop supporting so many "big box" stores. They certainly don't support creativity. Stop supporting WalMart, Target, and Lowes and try local businesses and thrift stores for some of your supplies. You're putting your neighbors out of business.
view barracutie's profile