A Marketplace Find With Gorgeous Shape

This Art Deco cabinet was such a fun one to work on.

It was another Marketplace find, and I loved the shape of it straight away. The glass doors, slim legs, central mirror detail and overall proportions already had that lovely vintage cocktail cabinet feel.

There were some gold transfers on the glass doors when I found it, but they didn’t feel quite right for the piece. They were a bit dated and didn’t really work with the style I wanted to bring out.

So one of the first jobs was to remove them.

Out came the scraper blade, and the old transfers were carefully scraped off and cleaned away so the glass could have a fresh start.

Fresh Gold Art Deco Transfers

Once the old glass detailing was gone, I ordered new gold transfers with more of an Art Deco feel.

They worked so much better with the cabinet’s shape and gave the doors that glamorous, geometric look without making the whole piece feel too busy.

The new gold details added just enough drama to the glass, while still letting the shelves and drinks inside stay visible.

Because if you’re going to have a drinks cabinet, you may as well let it show off a little.

A Good Scuff Sand and a Cleaner Finish

The cabinet didn’t need much repair, which is always a nice surprise with second-hand furniture.

It did need a deep clean with the ever faithful Fusion TSP Alternative followed by a good scuff sand all over to prepare the surface for painting. The inside also had that silky fabric lining on the back, which you often find in older glass display cabinets. It might have made sense once, but it wasn’t going to work for the look I had in mind.

So that all came out.

The backing was ripped out, scraped back and cleaned down before being painted black to match the rest of the cabinet. It instantly made the inside feel sharper, cleaner and more dramatic.

A vintage Art Deco glass display cabinet with gold door transfers before being transformed into a black and gold drinks cabinet by Upcycled & Reloved by Jodi in Surrey, UK.
A black and gold Art Deco drinks cabinet with glass doors, glass shelves, gold sunburst detailing and gold-capped legs, transformed by Upcycled & Reloved by Jodi.
Gold Art Deco glass transfers on the doors of a black upcycled cocktail cabinet, refinished by Upcycled & Reloved by Jodi in Surrey, UK.
A close-up of the black and gold legs on an Art Deco drinks cabinet, with gold gilding wax detail added by Upcycled & Reloved by Jodi.
A close-up of the black and gold legs on an Art Deco drinks cabinet, with gold gilding wax detail added by Upcycled & Reloved by Jodi.
A black painted glass cabinet with gold edging detail, restyled as an Art Deco drinks cabinet from Upcycled & Reloved by Jodi.
A black and gold vintage glass drinks cabinet with cleaned glass shelves, gold edging, sunburst detail and restored feet after a Marketplace furniture makeover from Upcycled & Reloved by Jodi.
Gold Art Deco glass transfers on the doors of a black upcycled cocktail cabinet, with a painted sunburst design, refinished by Upcycled & Reloved by Jodi in Surrey, UK.
A black and gold upcycled Art Deco drinks cabinet styled with cocktail glasses, bottles, lemons and vintage glassware on a wooden floor, refinished by Upcycled & Reloved by Jodi in Surrey, UK.

The Hand-Finished Sunburst

Once I’d decided to really lean into the Art Deco style, I knew I wanted a sunburst design inside the cabinet.

Now, measuring, maths and perfect geometry are not exactly my strongest point, so this ended up being more of a freehand job.

I’m pretty sure I even used a paper plate to mark out the sun shape, then worked from there with FrogTape to create the rays.

And honestly, I think this is where my love affair with FrogTape began. The clean lines it gave me were so satisfying, especially with a design like this where any wobbly edge would’ve shown up straight away.

(By the way, you can buy FrogTape and my other upcycling essentials here. I'll get a little pocket money if you use my link.)

The finished sunburst added so much character to the cabinet. It gave the back of the piece a proper focal point and made the whole thing feel more intentional.

Gold Details, Edges and Feet

For the gold, I used gilding wax rather than paint.

I used it for the sunburst detail, then carried it through onto the edging and trim so the black and gold felt balanced across the whole cabinet.

The metal feet were cleaned up too, then accented with the same gold finish. It’s a small detail, but those little gold-capped legs really help the piece feel finished.

The final look was black, gold, glassy and just the right amount of glamorous.

One of My Fastest-Selling Pieces

I think this might be one of my fastest-selling pieces of all time.

It sold within about a week of being staged, which was such a lovely feeling. And it went off to a very happy customer, which is always the best bit.

Also, if you know anything about me, you’ll know my track record with glass and general clumsiness is not exactly flawless. So the fact I managed to collect it, get it home, transform it and deliver it to the customer without breaking a single pane of glass still feels like a small miracle.

But I did it.

Yay me.

Vintage Furniture Upcycling and Statement Pieces

Have a vintage cabinet, drinks cabinet or Marketplace find that could become something really special?

I can help rework tired furniture into one-of-a-kind pieces with colour, pattern, detail and a bit of imagination.

Get in touch and let’s make it happen.

Commissioned Furniture Upcycling and Refinishing

Have an old piece of furniture looking for a fresh new look? Or an idea and would like my help to source the right piece to bring it to life? Get in touch and let's make it happen!

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