The Reject Piece

The other day I had a rare couple of hours without any kids. I decided to spend some time at our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I saw something I liked but wanted to think about. I kept it in mind as I walked around the store. I walked by it a couple of times and something was just drawing me to it. So finally I decided I would regret it if I didn't pick it up. And it was only ten bucks. And apparently, as the back of one of the drawers said, it was a reject. I can't walk away from any sort of reject. Be it person or thing. So it came home with me.



From what I can tell it was a built-in piece. One side was not painted at all and there was obiously trim on the bottom at one time. There used to be a back on the shelves but it had been torn off. Either on it's own or it stayed in the place that the piece was removed from. I guess I will never know. Several of the drawers didn't open well and many knobs were missing. I guessed that the drawers were just put back in the wrong slots and I intended to replace the knobs anyway. It was wood and hand-built. I got it home and got to work.



Upon sanding it, I found it had been many colors over the years. There was yellow, green, pink, white, and right before the last coat of white, a black and red motif. I love the history. What a story. Where was this thing for so long?

This is after a coat or two of primer. I used oil-based just for durability sake.
Here it is after 2 coats of the finish color. It is an off-white. I happened to have a can of door and trim paint from our house so that is what I used. I bought the knobs on ebay and I added the trim on the bottom.
Here she is in place in my bedroom. I desperately need a headboard, which I intend to build immediately after I get a nailgun.
Here she is loaded up. I am still working with where I want things, but I already love it. It feels like a grown-up piece and not a makeshift thing like we have a lot of still. I love how the drawers are shallow but deep. They hold a lot of the little crap that seems to end up in my bedroom.