Repurposed Piano Front
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Last year while I was on vacation in California, someone dropped this piece of a piano front off at my house. I was sort of stuck because of the color.
So, I mixed up some DIY black chalk paint. I instantly liked it a lot better.
I’ve been needing something for this wall in my kitchen, and I thought this piece might be what I was looking for. When I measured, it seemed like it might work. But to be sure, my friend Stephanie, suggested I use a piece of paper cut to size. I did. I immediately thought it was too small, and Stephanie agreed. However, after leaving it up for a few days, it grew on me.
I decided to hang the piece on my kitchen wall, BUT it has that middle piece that protrudes in the back, and I wasn’t sure it would actually sit right on the wall. So, I hung it on the fence to make sure that it would actually hang right. It did! 
I hung it on the wall, carefully centering it, and placing it where I thought it should be from top to bottom. BAD! It was too high and crooked! I brought in the level, and a piece of thin trim. I installed one screw and used the trim and the level to get the other screw in the right place.
I left it hanging in the kitchen for a week or so, and decided that I would give it a go.
I removed the side panels so I could use mirrors, and I painted it with Miss Mustard Seed’s Tricycle Red Milk paint.
I went to get MMS wax from the basement, and when I came back, this is what I saw. Yep, it is bird poop. If you follow me on facebook, you’ve already seen this preview picture.
I love the way the paint looks after applying the clear wax.
I tested it out to see how I liked it on the fence.
When I went to buy a couple of mirrors, I couldn’t really find what I wanted at a good price, so I opted for this sheet metal. (Union Jack) It comes in 1’x2’. It’s brushed nickel, just like my light fixture, ceiling fan and cabinet pulls. I used my tin snips to cut it.
Of course to hold it in place I reached for my favorite Gorilla Tape!
You can see I taped it around all 4 sides. You can also see those wood pieces that don’t allow the piano front to sit flush against the wall.
Back on the fence for a photo op!
You can get a good feel of the color on the fence. I like the way the detail shows. When it was black, the details were lost.
It’s so hard to get a good picture of it in the kitchen. The kitchen is dark with no lights on, and when I turn the lights on it distorts the color.
I like the shininess of the sheet metal. I will be on the lookout for a small canvas or artwork to sit on the ledge in the middle.
Let’s look at it once more on the fence:
I know this piece could be repurposed for so many more things. For now it’s in my kitchen, but come October, it may be for sale at Glendale!
gail
love the red color and the sheet metal inserts!
I love your inventiveness! I get more enjoyment out of making something new from something discarded than I do from starting fresh. (Why is that exactly?!) I am always looking at this site and continually amazed at your ability to envision what could become of the discarded objects. Inspires me : )
Diane,
I agree with you, but for me it’s the challenge of taking something old and making it new. Using all new materials isn’t as fun for me. 🙂 Thank you so much for your comment!
gail
I definitely like the red best and the sheet metal goes perfectly with the light shade. Oh, fyi I didn’t forget the pictures of the potting bench I want to make from the door. Time slipped by and other priorities needed my attention. There are pictures of the outside work on my house on my blog, if you care to see it in an almost finished state. Hope you had a Merry Christmas.
Really lovely transformation. I like the use of the sheet metal even better than mirrors, gives it such a nice texture.
Love this piece. You will find something nice for center!! My only suggestion is to hang it lower so light not interfering. Sometimes we just go to high?
I love the red on the wall. You still have plenty of room to add stuff above or on the sides if you ever wanted to. Seriously I had no idea it had that decorative pieces on it when it was black. The bird poo is so funny!
Beautiful project, Gail. I love the color and the way the inserts complement your light fixture.
It turned out great Gail! Love the metal inserts! Great job!
Nice job Gail! I am loving the color with the dark wax..super transformation.
Gail! I love it.
I like the metal inserts you said it was nickle finish? Is it magnetic? have you seen the magnetic clips? Like a clip board without the board? You could use those to clip photos or something on the metal while you await Art work!
If you don’t find any artwork you like, maybe you could use your stencil or decal words and put something clever in the middle.
This is a unique idea…something I’ve not seen. Kudos!
Patricia
Gail, I love it!! I am so glad you took the panels out. I cannot wait to see what you find to put on the music ledge.
🙂
It looks great, I like the metal too! And I need to try a dark wax someday, I love the results you got with it!
Mindi- I didn’t use dark wax. I guess I confused you. I painted it with black paint, then put the Milk Paint over the black, then applied MMS clear wax. 🙂