Old Chipboard Armoire is Totally Transformed!

I started with this super basic chipboard armoire which I picked-up second-hand for just $50.

Granted, it's not the most attractive specimen in the world though I wanted something sturdy with simple lines so it fit the bill perfectly.

My first step was to cut off the toe-kick then attach slightly over-hanging sheets of plywood to both the top and base.

This isn't necessary though I wanted a more custom look and like the way it helps frame the doors and drawers.

In addition, I created a new pine feet frame in a mid-century modern style.

Again, this isn't necessary and whilst it wasn't overly difficult it was probably the trickiest aspect of the project. For ease you could simply use off-the-shelf feet instead.

For a more luxe look I gave the whole exterior of the armoire a few coats of black satin paint.

Next was the fun bit...attaching the hexagons!

Now, if you're cringing at the thought of trimming 300 perfect hexagons by hand, never fear! Ready-to-go laser cut plywood shapes can be bought from lots of places. Because I needed sooooo many I found my cheapest option by far was to purchase wholesale through Alibaba (you can find further product information over on my blog - link at the end of this article).

The hexagons were raw so I used a variety of wood stains to tint them different shades. It sounds time-consuming though was actually pretty quick and very simple. Almost therapeutic!

Once my hexagons were dry I began attaching them to the armoire.

Determining how the over-all pattern would work took a bit of figuring though once I got started it was just a matter of gluing and clamping, gluing and clamping, until everything was covered.

Once the glue was fully set, I used a jigsaw to trim off any over-hanging hexagons before sanding everything nice and flush.

To finish I sealed the hexagons with several coats of Danish Oil.

This gives them a lovely lustre, enriches and protects the wood and also helps to "lock" everything in place.

Finished!

It's like a whole new piece!

Thanks so much for reading. I hope you like it!

Visit my blog post here for the full how to, further photos and all of the product source info.