Mermaid Net by Behr Distressed & Aged Book Cabinet

Mermaid Net by Behr Painted Glass Door Book Cabinet Makeover

Hello, and HAPPY FRIDAY to you! I’m trying to catch up on my blog since the kids have been out of school. It’s been hectic and crazy…but mostly in a good way 🙂 My oldest son had Driving School last week, Senior pictures Wednesday, and his wisdom teeth out yesterday. ( that was why I put “mostly!”) I never remember Summers being this busy, but my boys are older now, so I guess that’s the natural progression of things? 🙂

A few weeks ago, I saw someone selling a cherry glass door book cabinet, and I’ve wanted one for years. My Grandmother had a lawyer’s bookcase outside of her study that was a beautiful oak, and I have fond memories of getting lovely books out of it for her to read to my cousins and me. Thus, my inspiration for wanting a glass door book cabinet!

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Because I forgot to take a “before” shot, here is the closest image I found that looked like the one I bought for, wait for it, $35!!! It said Bombay Company on the back of it, but when I looked up Bombay Company, they no longer sell this particular book cabinet. I forgot all about Bombay Company! Although I do remember their stores in the malls! Do you? It’s not exactly an antique lawyer’s bookcase, but it was a solid piece, in good condition, and I knew I could paint it. And did I mention it was $35?!

Mermaid Net by Behr

I loved this Behr color the second I picked it up! I’m not typically a blue decor kind of girl, but I find myself and my design style/color preferences changing. This color is beautiful, soothing, soft, and I also love the name….Mermaid Net. I find it ironic as I’m writing this, that one of my favorite fairy tale books as a child was in that lawyer’s bookcase at my Grandmother Segrest’s house, and my favorite story was about a fisherman that caught a mermaid. Weird, huh? I have always loved mermaids, ever since I was a little girl.

I used a Satin Exterior Paint on this because I had bought that to paint on some outdoor furniture, but ended up using it for this cabinet, and it worked fine. It does not have primer in it, and I just used some Plaster of Paris to make homemade chalk paint. You can find endless formulas on Pinterest for making your own chalk paint, and it works beautifully. That was my basecoat, and then I wanted to dull the blue/green, so I made a wash with some leftover Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Versailles (Source) and painted that over the Mermaid Net. I distressed it with a medium grit sandpaper in various places. Then, I used a Martha Stewart metallic glaze in Black Coffee (Source) which I watered down so it would not be too heavy or dark. Finally, I gave it a couple of good coats of water based polyurethane spray.

Because I chose to place the cabinet in this spot in my 2 story foyer, I needed some additional items to place over it for visual height, since the cabinet is not very tall. I added a few antique mirrors, keeping the height level with the wall arrangement above the stairs, and bringing the eye “up.” Now, it’s not as noticeable that the cabinet is so much shorter than the ceiling, because the eye continues to move.

The baskets are helpful for storage, and the other items I can change out seasonally. It’s really fun to have this new cabinet, in a pretty color, that reminds me of my sweet Grandmother in several ways! And it was only $35, plus paint. I would say the whole thing cost under $60! Even sweeter…..

Now I just need to find the perfect mermaid to go in my book cabinet 🙂

Have a terrific Friday, and Father’s Day weekend! I’m so grateful to have a wonderful, godly Dad, husband, and Father-in-law. Truly blessed!