Crafty (& Handy)

DIY Striped Armoire Surprise

I spotted an armoire on Jubilee Furniture’s blog not long after Calvin had been born. I’d been looking for something to replace the storage we lost when remodeling the second floor, and this one was the perfect size. I suspected the quality may be lacking because it was priced at just $35, but it was worth taking a look at.

Armoire (Before)

Well, the drawers are wonky, two shelves have been replaced with plywood, and the left door is badly warped. It may not be in the greatest shape, but it does have great lines and it was decent enough to work with — especially since the price was right. That streaky faux-finish had to go though.

DIY Striped Painted Armoire, After

Much better! The doors are not perfectly smooth but the armoire has been moved to the hall where the light doesn’t hit it directly, and its imperfections are much less noticeable. I wanted something dark (but not black), so the color I chose was Shaded Fern by Glidden® and Brandon did the painting. But for the inside, I thought, why not have a bit of fun?

DIY Striped Painted Armoire, After

Whoa, that’s a whole lot of “fun.” Now you know why I’m calling this a Striped Armoire Surprise! Here’s how it was done. After priming the inside of the armoire, each compartment inside got a different hue. The colors used were Peach Daiquiri (pink), Extra Virgin Olive Oil (yellow), Crisp Linen White, Sea Spray (blue), Shaded Fern, French Stripe Red, and Safari Green — all Glidden® colors.

Priming the Armoire

Paint Colors and ScotchBlue Painter's Tape

I used painter’s tape (ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Delicate Surfaces with Advanced Edge-Lock™ Paint Line Protector 2080EL) along with a paper template to mark the diagonal lines on the doors. (The extra pieces you see are the ones I used for the spacing — obviously they were removed before the stripes were painted.) The drawers were painted white and then taped off horizontally with a thinner tape for variation.

Taping Off the Stripes with ScotchBlue Painter's Tape

ScotchBlue Painter's Tape

I bought a pint of each color in a satin finish, and I have plenty of paint leftover.

Red, Yellow, and Pink Paint

After three coats of paint for each of the first half of the diagonal lines, I removed the tape and let the paint dry completely (at least 24 hours) before taping off for the new stripes the next day. It was easier to use the thinner tape this time, aligning one piece to the top of each stripe and another to the bottom, rather than trying to perfectly fit one piece of thick tape along the entire length.

Taped Diagonal Lines

Removing the ScotchBlue Painter's Tape

The colors are so bright and cheery! It would be a little much for my taste to do this treatment to the outside, but I love it as a surprise when you open up the doors.

DIY Striped Painted Armoire, After

DIY Striped Armoire Surprise

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I am proud to be a 3M sponsored blogger, and, as part of my responsibilities, I get the opportunity to evaluate ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape. Opinions are my own and additional products used in the project were selected by me.

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Sources & Paint ColorsNeed design help? Let's work together.

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  • Lisa
    January 8, 2015 at 8:07 am

    It’s also fun making stripes using Scotch’s washi tape! It’s so easy to change too. Your painted version is great. What a fun surprise!

    • Making it Lovely
      January 8, 2015 at 2:52 pm

      Ooh, that’s a good idea! So easy to switch up.

  • kaycee
    January 8, 2015 at 8:13 am

    Cute and totally not what I had expected inside, but those wonky front doors would drive me insane. Have you considered removing them completely?

    • Making it Lovely
      January 8, 2015 at 2:53 pm

      The doors are really wavy. I would consider replacing them with new ones, but it’s really not as noticeable now that the armoire is in the hallway. The light is much dimmer and way more forgiving.

  • Jennipher
    January 8, 2015 at 8:51 am

    Wow, this is a seriously great project! It looks wonderful and I love the combination of a classic solid on the outside with a party on the inside. Well done!

  • Amanda
    January 8, 2015 at 9:40 am

    What fun! It’s like business on the outside, Willy Wonka on the inside.

  • Mimi
    January 8, 2015 at 10:53 am

    Very cute DIY! Can’t believe you only paid $35 even in wonky condition the piece would’ve been more here.

    • Making it Lovely
      January 8, 2015 at 2:54 pm

      It was a great price for it, but a fair one. It really isn’t the nicest of pieces.

  • Susan @ Jubilee Furniture
    January 8, 2015 at 11:41 am

    Wow! I hardly recognize the piece, Nicole! It looks fabulous! Well done (and thanks so much for the link to the blog!). Take care!

  • Laura
    January 8, 2015 at 12:35 pm

    Clever! I love the stripes on the doors that tie all the colors together.

  • Laura
    January 8, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    Also, the wonky doors give a hint of surprises within. Unless the doors don’t work properly I’d keep them.

  • Eileen O'Neill
    January 8, 2015 at 1:13 pm

    I love this and it should be in a Wes Anderson movie set

    • Making it Lovely
      January 8, 2015 at 3:10 pm

      The colors would have to be a bit more muted, I think. ;)

  • mudslide cookie
    January 8, 2015 at 1:18 pm

    Man so many good things at that place! I wish I lived closer:(

  • sandi m
    January 8, 2015 at 1:40 pm

    This is so cute!! Love the inside surprise. A suggestion possibility – would add a touch of whitewash/highlight to the outside decorative areas at the top and bottom which would go with the rug and tie in with the white/fern stripes inside. What would be super adorable is Calvin’s initials handpainted in that top decorative area in the fern.

  • emily
    January 8, 2015 at 1:48 pm

    adorable! such a fun transformation.

  • judy
    January 8, 2015 at 2:21 pm

    Nicole-Pure genius! and so darling. I love the idea of one suggestor with your artistic talent why not put a Zebra or teddy bear on the outside with a heart and Calvin in pretty script. Obviously I am not an artist but I know you are.

  • Rebecca
    January 9, 2015 at 8:40 am

    I am honestly amazed how you find the time and energy to do all these amazing things with 3 children. I only have 1 and I can barely manage to hang my clothes up, let alone decorate. I guess all the home projects will have to wait until my toddler is in college.

  • jbhat
    January 9, 2015 at 11:40 am

    I love it. I’d want to just leave the doors open all the time. :)

    jbhat

  • Lex Lemon
    January 9, 2015 at 7:51 pm

    I love it, so COLORFUL!

  • Alana
    January 11, 2015 at 2:15 pm

    Very cute! I’m a big fan of painting the inside of furniture. It’s a special treat for whoever opens it up. Total happy!

  • Marcee ... ILLINOIS
    January 11, 2015 at 2:35 pm

    For a minimal $$, so nice to experiment w/color, have lotsa fun with an old piece of furniture. Makes using it totally enjoyable! I also love the fact Eleanor and August see the artist in their mom and dad …. s’wonderful!! P.S. You did fool me w/Girl Scout green. I figured you were up to something BIG Nicole. Ha! Good work!

  • Llou
    January 11, 2015 at 5:13 pm

    I love the rug in the photo. Do you mind sharing the source?

    Thanks!

  • Jen
    January 12, 2015 at 1:01 pm

    SO SO FUN!!

  • Kate
    January 16, 2015 at 7:58 pm

    I love it!

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