Navy Blue Sewing Cabinet Makeover

This navy-blue sewing cabinet makeover took me only a year. Yep, a full year from “this will be quick” to “why did I do this to myself?” What started as a simple two-tone plan, navy paint with those pretty original wood tones, turned into a brush-stroke mess thanks to chilly, gloomy weather and me thinking one more coat would fix everything. Spoiler alert: it did not. But I was not about to let this little mid-century cabinet win, so I switched gears, smoothed it out, and gave it the finish it deserved.

Do you ever have one of those projects that don’t go as planned? That’s the case with this Sewing Cabinet Makeover. What I thought would be an easy and quick makeover was frustrating and nearly a project failure.

Vintage Sewing Machine Cabinet Makeover

I got a good deal on this mid-century modern sewing cabinet. Almost exactly one year later, I dragged it out and worked on it. It was early December, and I had just finished working on my DIY laundry cart. I suppose that’s why I was drawn to the navy blue.

Remove Hardware

The first step in a sewing cabinet makeover is to remove any unnecessary hardware left behind.

Visit the My Repurposed Life Amazon Store to shop my favorite items.

Prepare to Paint

As always, I mixed up some DIY chalky paint primer. Of course, I used plaster of Paris and semi-gloss Behr paint (Naval).

I used a cheap chip brush, as I do on 99% of my projects, but something went wrong with this paint job.

Sand Metal Feet

I sanded the metal legs (feet) for the sewing cabinet makeover. Initially, I thought about leaving them as they were.

Spray Paint

But I decided to paint them. Please excuse the blurry picture.

The jury’s still out on whether I like the blue metal legs.

Too Many Brush Strokes

I love the two-toned look of wood and paint. However, I felt that the pretty veneer of the front of the cabinet shouldn’t be painted. While looking closely at the top of the cabinet, I’m sure you’ll notice all the brush strokes. The weather was too chilly and overcast when I painted, so I kept applying more coats, hoping it would improve. You would think I’d be better at this by now, but it happens, you know?

I chose to leave the inside of the cabinet its natural color, and the front and the legs.

Plan B

The poor little cabinet was banished to the garage for over a month. It was time to fix this gal and get her on her way. I brought her into the house to allow her to warm up. We had a week of very cold, icy, and snowy weather. This was one of the few places that wasn’t snow and ice-covered.

Step 1

In this image, you can see how bad the paint job is.

All is not lost when you have a piece of furniture with a rough paint job. Lightly sand the finish with an orbital sander and fine-grit sandpaper, then wipe away all dust.

Step 2

Use plastic wrap and painter’s tape to protect areas not painted with the Finish Max.

Step 3

Choose the desired nozzle for your paint project. For this project, I used a blue nozzle (2.0mm). Proper precautions were taken because the weather was not ideal for using a paint sprayer. Before starting the job, the paint, sprayer, and furniture were all brought to room temperature.

Step 4

Prepare to paint. Because of the snow on the ground, DIY sawhorses were used to hold the sewing cabinet. Although the cabinet top appears to have brush marks, the sander did a great job of smoothing the paint. This is when you close your eyes, run your hand across the paint, and feel the smoothness. If you feel something less than perfect, keep sanding. 

Step 5

Spray two light coats of paint, allowing the first coat to dry thoroughly before applying the second. The plastic wrap and the painter’s tape perfectly protected the wood-toned wood.

Step 6

Admire a job well done, and I wonder why you didn’t use the Finish Max in the first place.

Paint Spraying In Winter

Have you ever painted furniture in the snow? The temperature on this day was  50°. Sunny and 50 is okay as long as everything is room temperature. 
Now, look at the new-and-improved sewing cabinet makeover that nearly became a project failure.

Navy Blue Sewing Cabinet Makeover

The difference in the paint job is fantastic! I love how smooth it is now.

Related Content: Navy Blue Furniture Projects

So pretty! I love the original wood tones with the navy blue paint.

If your paint job ever goes sideways, take a breath. Most “project failures” are really just a sanding problem and a better plan. Once I let the cabinet warm up, lightly sanded it smooth, and applied two light coats with the sprayer, the difference was night and day. The navy looks rich, the wood tones still shine, and the whole piece feels as if it has finally found its purpose. If you have ever painted in less-than-ideal weather, tell me I’m not alone, and be sure to check the “See More Sewing Cabinet Project Ideas” link at the bottom for more ways to turn these old workhorses into something useful again.

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Thanks for stopping by!

gail

See More Sewing Cabinet Project Ideas