The Lost Garden Drinks Cabinet

My Thirteen Project #002

When I was planning pieces to take to Crafterama, I knew I wanted something that would make people stop in their tracks.

I've had my eye on the Iron Orchid Designs Lost Garden transfer for a while and thought it would be perfect. I love its oriental-inspired design and thought how amazing it would look against a dark background. I looked around for inspiration for this project and found a lot of people who had used it teamed it with a green paint. This looks equally as good and perfect if you like a pop of colour!

I wanted to create a piece that would become a real talking point and show off how IOD transfers can transform a piece.

If you've never used a transfer before they are one of my favourite ways of transforming furniture. Really easy to use and so effective.

I remembered this beautiful vintage round drinks cabinet that was buried in my storage and thought it would be the right choice. Its curved shape was perfect for showing off the design of the transfer, allowing the design to wrap around the cabinet.

Before - a plain cabinet with huge potential

Products Used

• IOD Lost Garden Transfer

• Jubilee Paint - Heraldic Plum

• GILD Metallic Paint - Bronze

• Wise Owl Primer in Grey

• Guild Lane Satin Topcoat

You can shop the products used on this piece here.

Preparing the Cabinet

Every successful furniture makeover starts with good preparation.

The cabinet was thoroughly cleaned, sanded and primed using Wise Owl Primer to create the perfect surface for painting. I often prime my pieces as i like a smooth base to work on. Taking the time to prep the piece properly helps achieve a more durable finish that will last for years.

Creating the Finish

For the main colour, I chose Heraldic Plum from the Jubilee Paint range. The dark plum purple creates the perfect backdrop for the Lost Garden transfer, allowing the details of the artwork to stand out beautifully.

Once the paint had thoroughly dried  I carefully applied the transfer. I had planned on filming the application but I put on some music and got totally lost in the process! The joy of creating just took over! But they are easy to use. Cut out your design and position them in place. You can use some yellow frog tape here to secure the position. Once you are happy you remove the white backing paper and using the tool in the packet just rub over the design, checking it has adhered as you go.

Next I wen in with the Bronze. You all know I love a bit of bling on my pieces so to enhance the luxurious feel of the cabinet, I painted all the trims, the legs and the original handles with GILD Bronze metallic paint. The warm bronze complements the transfer beautifully and adds to its eye-catchingness! 

The cabinet was then sealed with a satin topcoat, giving a sheen and also protects the transfer so it stands up to use.

A New Shelf

Unfortunately, the original glass shelf was broken as I tried to wrestle it out of my extremely full storage area..

Rather than replacing it with another piece of glass, my husband cut a new wooden shelf to fit the cabinet. Hooray for husbands! 

After - The Lost Garden Drinks Cabinet

The Finished Piece

This cabinet is exactly what I hoped it would become, a true statement piece.

The combination of dark plum, dazzling bronze and the dramatic Lost Garden transfer creates a design that feels elegant, luxurious and full of character. Whether styled as a drinks cabinet, a decorative display piece or a unique storage cabinet, it is designed to be noticed.

One of the things I love most about IOD transfers is how they completely transform an ordinary piece of furniture into something that is bespoke and one of a kind. This project is a perfect example of how a transfer can become the starting point for an entire makeover.

Shop the Look

If you'd like to recreate this look, you'll need:

• IOD Lost Garden Transfer

• Jubilee Paint in Heraldic Plum

• GILD Bronze Metallic Paint

• Wise Owl Primer

• Satin Topcoat

You can shop the products used on this piece here.

I'd love to see your own interpretation of this project. If you create something inspired by this makeover, tag @thirteen_furniture on Instagram and use our hashtag #MyThirteenProject.