Old sewing cabinets are terrific to upcycle for the kitchen because of their height. Took the folding top off this cabinet. Had a piece of new wood cut from Home Depot that is 42 inches wide X 20 inches deep for a new top.
Conditioned the wood top with 50-50 Denatured Alcohol and Shellac to prep for the General Finishes stain. I stained the top with General Finishes Java Gel Stain using scrap upholstery foam. I applied the stain in one directional lines in thin coats. I did 3 coats of stain and allowed the stain to dry before each additional application. I then let the piece dry and cure 3 days before applying Heirloom Traditions Best Top Coat. I applied the Best Top Coat in the same method and time period as the Java Gel Stain.
Sanded the body of the sewing cabinet with 3M flexible sand paper. Cleaned the piece with Simply Green household cleaner and then used a water spray bottle to wipe the piece again with just water.
Applied a coat of Shellac on the body with a throw away foam brush to prevent bleed through. Painted the base with Heirloom Traditions Paint in Irish Cream (white) and Black Bean (black). Used 2" wide Yellow Frog Tape for my stripes. Stenciled the piece with a stencil from Maison de Stencil. Sealed the piece with Heirloom Traditions Best Top Coat in 3 thin applications using a throw away foam brush.
Added stainless steel handles from a thrift store for kitchen utensil holders.
Mounted the stained wood top to the sewing cabinet to make a kitchen island.
