Before & After: Plain Jane Shelf Gets a New Occupation

As a shelf, this piece of furniture is a little bit of a snoozer. Meggie bought it off Craigslist for $15, not because she loved the look of it, but because she had grander plans in mind. For just a few more dollars, she transformed it into a fun, useful addition to her rental apartment. Check it out:

Says Meggie:

I have been on the hunt for a bar cart for months, but everything I liked was upwards of $100. After scouring Craigslist daily for ages, I came across this metal and glass shelf for $15. (I did have to drive 40 minutes to a somewhat sketchy trailer to pick it up, but it was totally worth it!) I spray painted it with a solid coat of primer, let it sit overnight, and then used Krylon metallic gold spray paint to finish it off. I found if I sprayed too close the paint would coagulate and leave weird markings, but I kind of like the worn, vintage look it gives parts of the frame. My roommate and I topped it off with glassware we already owned, including our trusty walrus bottle opener, and brought it together with two succulents we grabbed at Home Depot when we bought the paint. It was so easy and so much cheaper than buying something new! We even had leftover gold paint to upgrade some other trinkets in our apartment.

(Also, ignore the ugly blinds – some things you can’t upgrade in a rental!)

Nice job Meggie, and thanks for sharing!