How To Glam Up Your Helmer

Happy Sunday Funday!

So I woke up this morning with an urge to paint. I painted my nails but that still wasn't enough to satisfy my urge so I decided to paint my helmer. :D A "helmer" is a type of drawer cabinet set from ikea that has shallow drawers that are the perfect height to fit nail polish bottles. They retail for $50 and can hold between 400-600 bottles of nail polish. They come in different colours depending on your local ikea. 

My helmer started out an army green colour but it didn't match the decor of my house so I decided to change it. This is a before and after shot:

I used spray paint to paint the unit. I used 2 cans to paint the main unit and half of a 3rd can to paint the front and sides of the drawers. I didn't paint the inside since it isn't noticeable and if any polish spills, it will be less visible on a dark surface compared to a light surface.

The paint I used was Krylon brand spray paint, purchased at Walmart for $4.98. It is suitable for wood, metal, wicker and other surfaces. This one I used has a matte finish. There are many colours and finishes available so you can design your unit however you like.

My unit needed 2 coats of spray paint to get it completely opaque and covered. The spray paint takes about 10 minutes to dry. I would highly recommend painting your unit outside because of the fumes, with newspaper surrounding the area. I removed the drawers from the unit and painted it all separately.

Once the unit is dry, you can add decorations to it with acrylic paint. I used Folk Art Shiny Acrylic paint, also from Walmart.

I based my design on an image I found on google. I like lotus flowers so I used that as my main focal point. 

(Picture source: www.ffibizz.com)

I free handed this design with the acrylic paint but if you are hesitant about painting, you can sketch it lightly in pencil first, then go over it with the paint. You can also use stencils for scrap booking. Stencils can be found at arts and craft stores like Michaels.

When I painted the design, I laid the cabinet on its back because I find it easier to paint like this than upright. 

I saw acrylic paint sealer at Walmart but because I am keeping the unit indoors and not planning to wash it, I think it should be okay for a while. The acrylic paint took about 10 minutes to dry completely. 

The good thing about the helmer is it is on wheels so you can move it around more easily.

It is 11 x 27 inches and has 6 drawers, with each drawer holding a little less than 100 bottles. You can use it to store all your nail tools and decals too, which will help you keep your craft supplies organized.

There are various ways to decorate the helmer. When looking for paint or spray paint, look for ones that are suitable for metal. I hope you found this post useful and you're inspired to decorating your nail polish storage unit. Happy painting!