How I Re-purposed a File Drawer Section Into a Buffet with Storage

Recently I purchased a section from an old oak bookcase.  I decided that the raised panels reminded me of the grid of a Union Jack and decided to paint that design onto it.
 I also had some iron pencil legs in my stash of stuff and used those to raise it up.

Here's the final product:

And here's what it looked like when I purchased it:

The first thing I did was to remove the hardware; then scrub, sand, prime and paint the whole piece with light gray paint. Next, I taped off the top and painted inside the tape with a darker gray.  (I added black to some of my original paint until it was as dark as I wanted.)

I then moved on to the front.  I inserted the drawers sans hardware.  I wanted the top design to cascade down the front of the cabinet.

Of course I couldn't stop there.  I moved on to the back side and continued the center + onto the back.  Notice that I put some small pieces of tape in the sections I DIDN'T want to paint. 

After the dark gray painting was complete I added a black stripe and painted the + an off white.  I then added the legs and it was done.

Here's the view of the completed back.

Back Side

Then the front with the hardware put back in place and the legs added.

So, will you give the Union Jack a try?  I have to say that there's a lot of taping going on.  And of course you know about my spacial relationship defect.  I actually had to draw the pattern onto a separate piece of paper and constantly refer back to it.  If you compare the photos you'll notice that I decided to paint all the raised panels around the top perimeter gray near the end.

Hint:  Press down the sides of the tape before you paint.  I used the edge of my fingernail.
 Then remove the tape as soon as the stripes are painted.  This prevents leaking under the tape and gives you a sharp straight line.

It was quite a project but I love the result.  I do admit to being geometrically challenged.
For some reason--time of day, blue gray paint--it looks more blue than gray in the final photos.

Kathy