Without a makeover, this bar cart was facing last call.
Heading to a contemporary space, it needed a serious update. The wheels were squeaky, the finish was scratched, and the style was too traditional. Time to “mix” it up!
The Base Spirit
After a serious cleaning, I scuff-sanded the surfaces. I did this by hand since there were so many curves and details. I also removed the frilly drawer handles and filled in the screw holes since the new sleek handles were a different width. But I had a solid foundation to work with — quality wood and construction.
The Mixer
I removed the grumpy wheels as well as the two side leaves that flip up for more workspace. Then I applied two coats of Farmhouse® paint in “Black Noir.” Glossy black is a good choice to modernize an old piece of furniture.
The Swizzle Stick-ing Point
The wheels were a giant headache. At first, I planned to replace them. But when I finally figured out how to detach them, I discovered that the rear axle wheels were installed at a different height than the swivel wheels in the front. It would be nearly impossible to find suitable replacements in appropriate sizes.
Instead, I cleaned the wheels and painted them with Rustoleum® metallic silver spray paint. I did what I could to straighten the swivel wheels and gave all the contact points a shot of WD-40®. I painted the hinges for the flip-up side leaves silver as well.
The Garnish
Once the wheels were sorted out, it was time to turn my attention to the artistic elements. The wavy lines of the cart begged for curvy details. I applied silver paint with a mandala stencil in an offset pattern to give the piece an eye-catching look.
The problem with stencils is that, no matter how careful you try to be, some lines still bleed. Here, I’m touching up with black paint using, yes, a straight pin. Very detail-intensive but worth it for the clean lines. The amount of labor for detail work like this is why furniture artists cringe when customers haggle over prices!
The Chaser
Originally, I’d expected to put a piece of custom-cut glass over the center top of the cart to protect the finish. Then I realized the inward curve of the edge trim would prevent a pane from fitting as glass can’t be flexed. Since I was applying Minwax® Polycrylic to protect the other parts of the cart anyway, I did extra coats on the top instead. (Check out that gleam on the shelf!) I also lined the drawer with a bold print for the final spritz.
Raise a glass to this makeover!
This once-traditional bar cart is now the toast of the office! Its new modern spin makes this once squeaky, scratched item truly top shelf.
Check back soon for more from my workshop. Use my contact page for any Qs about items on my blog, and follow me on Instagram: @serendipitysequelsmn.
