Ok- so, in the interest of full disclosure, I fully intended this project to be my Product Test Drive post for this month. BUT…things didn’t exactly go as planned. So, I’m putting that product “on ice”…which has a double meaning. Why? Because my plans for this small wall cabinet were to transform it into a first aid cabinet and military decor.
Get it…putting it on ice…first aid…ok, dumb joke!
Even finding this small wall cabinet had its ups and downs. As I was snapping this photo in Goodwill, a woman came up next to me, intent on snatching it away from under my camera.
See that shadow on the right in my photo? Yeah, that’s literally her hand.
Thankfully, it didn’t get ugly. But thrift stores can be brutal if something’s not in your cart. After she walked away, I quickly snapped another photo and hugged it to my chest all the way to the cash register.
ANYWAY, back to my upcycling idea. I decided to transform the small wall cabinet into military decor or man cave decor. And it would double as a first aid cabinet or wall mounted first aid kit that would look perfect in a garage. This post contains affiliate links for your crafting convenience.
Transforming a Small Wall Cabinet into Military Decor
My original plan was to try DecoArt’s Vintage Effect Wash in a dark green color on the wooden cabinet.
I read the instructions and watched a video on YouTube before giving it a go. I removed the hardware from the small wall cabinet, but after I had brushed it on and wiped away the excess, I HATED how it looked.
It just…wasn’t the look I was going for…
But, here’s the thing- I don’t necessarily blame the product. I think the old, dark wood grain didn’t play nicely with the paint wash. So, I’m considering this Product Test Drive incomplete…and will try it again with a different shade of Vintage Effect Wash on an alternative wooden object next time.
At that point, I found a perfect shade of Army green from Behr Paint and carefully painted every square inch of my small wall cabinet.
Ahh…SO much better! And much closer to the vision I had in my mind.
Military Decor and First Aid Cabinet for the Garage
Now I could complete the transformation! I gathered my stenciling materials, red and white craft paints, my favorite stencil brushes, and a First Aid stencil.
I wanted the cross to be red (of course) and the lettering to be white. So, I centered the stencil on my medicine cabinet door, taped it down, and stippled on the paint.
And just like that, I had transformed the small wall cabinet into military decor and a wall mounted first aid kit that was perfect for a garage. Or to be hung as man cave decor, as well!
Man Cave Decor / Military Decor and First Aid Cabinet
Finally, I reattached the hinges, door and knob and my little first aid cabinet was done. I mean, isn’t it adorable (in a tough and manly way)?
I absolutely love it- and regular latex paint was definitely the way to go.
It’s perfect to use as man cave decor or military decor in a garage, boy’s room, etc. For our garage, it will hold first aid supplies. I mean, what better place for a first aid cabinet than the workshop where we do so much sawing and sanding?
If you enjoyed this upcycling idea for man cave decor, then you might also be interested in this wall mounted bottle opener with cap catcher, as well!
Craft on!
S
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The domestically speaking link doesn’t work
Hmm, she must not have set her post to publish at 4:00 ET, which is when we were all supposed to. I’ll update the link when she publishes her post.
I make quilts by hand.. Do you habe any patterns of antique quilts?
I do not, have you ever looked at the blog Flamingo Toes? She makes quilts and I think she provides patterns, too.
Love this idea! Always need first aid supplies in the shop!
Right?? I think I found the best place to hang it now, too.
I’m glad paint #2 was the perfect fit! It turned out so cute!!!
Thank you!! I was SO disgruntled with the first iteration, LOL. First that lady tried to steal it from me at the thrift, then the paint wash looked like crap…had the paint been a failure, I would have tossed the whole thing! #3strikes
This is an awesome transformation, you are so creative!
Thank you, Kristin!
Loving that military inspired first aid kit! My hubby is ex-military and has a sugar shack (we live in one of the big maple syrup regions of Ontario, Canada) and this would be PERFECT over at the shack! You have inspired me! Just need to find a cabinet similar to yours…..awesome job!
Thank you so much, Beverly! I remind myself from time to time that not every makeover needs to be feminine or neutral, as I really enjoyed the change of pace. 🙂
I KNOW that lady would not have done something so cool as this. I love how the first aid kit turned out Sarah!
gail
Hahaha, right?! I used my “Serious Sadie” voice to let her know it was mine. And thank you!!
Such a great idea! Turned out fabulous. Where did you get the first aid stencil at?
Stencilslab.com!
What is the name of the green paint from Behr that you went with?
I believe it was Global Green.