Scratch that
New plan for household revitalization that doesn’t involve spending as much $$: DIY. I’m going to paint the laminate shelving unit that I hate. I realized I don’t actually hate the unit itself. I hate moving it (and have vowed to never do so again) and I dislike the light wood.
So, after some Apartment Therapy and Ikea Hacker research it appears I can paint it even though they are maple or birch veneers. Now in an ideal world I’d be able to stain it a deep dark almost black chocolate color, but I’m pretty sure I can’t stain those veneers. So paint, in a high gloss blackish chocolate, will have to do. I think the darkness will contrast nicely with the brushed metal supports. Luckily I can do test spots on the back supports. My cursory research suggests the steps are sand paper, vacuum/clean, numerous coats of paint. It doesn’t need to last forever so that’s my plan for my first attempt at DIY. The living room is now void of table and chairs so there’s plenty of room for my project after I get back from Iceland.
Did I mention I was going to Iceland on Friday? Ten blissful days of cool rainy (read: ideal) weather in a Scandinavian country. V. excited.