Vintage Vanity

I found this little treasure in pretty good condition but felt it needed a little pick-me-up.  It was already painted white but had a little wear and tear.

In cases where a piece has been around the block a few times and may show a little "less than chic" shabbiness, I like to keep it shabby chic but clean it up a bit so that it looks like it should be inside the house and not out in a shed.

If there are scuff marks or scratches, I like to sand those out a bit, feathering the edges.  This gives the piece an all over worn look without looking damaged.  I scrape off any chippy paint and sand those edges as well to stop further chipping.  In this case, I went ahead and sanded the top and then gave the whole piece a coat of Minwax Gel Stain in Aged Oak.  The result is a more a more durable top and the white is now a more vintage white.

For a little added surprise, I painted the inside of the cabinet and drawer a robin's egg blue, then decoupaged a bird and nest motif tissue paper inside the drawer.

Tip: When a piece has cupboards instead of drawers, adding baskets not only helps to organize storage but adds an interesting textural element.

Idea:  This vintage piece may have once been a vanity but now it has unlimited potential.  It could be used as a desk, sewing table, craft station, buffet, bar, media console (the baskets are perfect for cd's and dvd's)....