Happy Hour : More or Less Quick Chest Makeover

Every been in a restaurant when it turns "Happy Hour?" You notice the mood instantly changes as everyone is ready for fun. Whenever I'm having a Bad Hair Day, my cure is always a personal Happy Hour. Of course, I'm hopeless addicted to interiors; so for me, this hour is all about decorating. In this series, we'll look at some quick and happy mood changers for our very own Happy Hour. Each should take about an hour - a mere 60 minutes - to perk up our minds and our rooms. Let's get the party started.

A week ago Friday, I was 5 minutes from a late afternoon nap. I pushed myself off the sofa and started a Happy Hour. I needed some joy! Truth be told, this project ended up taking longer than I envisioned. Let's see what happened.

About 15 years ago, I bought this little 1940's mahogany veneer chest at the downtown Oakland Salvation Army for $35. Over the years, and thanks to direct sunlight, it's been pretty beat up.

The top was loosing some of its veneer.

Last summer, P asked for a new bedside chest. Something with easy-to-close drawers. I found this black soft close chest for his side of the bed. The Bassett Furniture manager gave me a great price for this floor sample as it had been discontinued. Bonus - no waiting. It was delivered the same week as I bought it. The mahogany chest moved to my side of the bed.

I thought painting the mahogany chest a flat black would look better in the room. While the styles are different, I liked the idea of two black chests. If P were here, he'd just shake his head.

The mahogany looked brand new under the hardware. Those screws were really hard to unscrew, guessing 80 years of wear and tear takes its toll.

I opted for black chalk board paint as I wanted a flat finish. The color and finish almost matches the new chest.

Turns out, the chest needed a bunch of coats but it was very quick drying. After I put on the hardware, I still needed to touch up with a 4th coat. So much for one happy hour as this went on and on. Luckily, I was able to paint in P's empty office (thanks to the mildew abatement a few weeks ago).

I brought out different lamps from the basement for a more "Mediterranean" look.

So here's to a Happy Hour that took about 4 hours. Afterwards, I had to take five days off, staying as still as possible, as the whole project brought on vertigo. UGH! What we'll do for our rooms.