A Fresh Look for an Outdated TV Armoire

I finished painting my TV armoire, and it looks so much much better for just a little bit of money invested in paint. I know many people prefer to mount their TVs on a wall, but I prefer using the armoire so I can close the doors and hide the TV while it's not in use. This cabinet I am working on today was made in the 1990's and is constructed of pressboard with a faux wood finish.

BEFORE:

At one time we used it to store VHS tapes and later DVDs. Now I use it to store my paints and supplies.

PREP WORK:

Of course the first step is to clean and wipe down the entire piece. I used a mild detergent and water. I considered replacing the cardboard back of the armoire, but decided to work with what I had instead.

I used clear packing tape to add a little support to the back cut out areas. The extra support was necessary so I wouldn't punch through it while painting.

I wasn't planning to paint the hardware, so I removed all the pulls. Once the pulls were removed I would lose the ability to open the drawers, so I created temporary drawer pulls with painter's tape.

EXTERIOR - CREATING PAINT LAYERS:

I chose a two toned neutral color scheme of Coco and Old Ochre. I layered the colors to add some visual dimension to the color. The faux wood finish was very smooth, so I applied a very thin base coat in Coco.

Next I used random brush strokes to apply a coat of Old Ochre over the Coco.

I stepped back to look at it after applying the second coat. It looks blotchy while applying the layers, but after building multiple layers it will even out a bit. It's starting to take shape with the third layer of paint. I ended up with about 4 or 5 quick and light layers.

INTERIOR:

The next portion of the project was painting the interior. Once again I used a very thin base coat over the faux wood. I used my Vintage Effects paintbrush which works especially well when painting faux wood or laminate.

The subtle brush strokes create a bit of texture which acts as a good base for my second coat of paint to adhere to.

AFTER:

And here's the finished armoire. There is still some color variation created by the layers of paint, but it's subtle without being too "flat". I sealed the paint with soft clear wax.

I added touches of dark wax for a little extra color dimension.

The dark wax is mainly settled into the recessed areas.

Although my first coat on the interior was thin and a little rough, after applying the second coat it is smooth.

One of my favorite things about this style of armoire is the bat-wing doors. When they're open they fold back flush to the cabinet.

Supply list:

(Affiliate links)
Chalk Paint - Coco and Old Ochre (you can save shipping costs by picking up from a local stockist).
Vintage Effects paint brush & large wax brush
Clear and dark wax
Lint free rags or blue shop towels (to wipe away excess wax; can also be used to apply wax instead of a brush)