This colourful rolling cabinet was transformed by Enikő Szendrődi at Nemiskacat, an Annie Sloan Flagship Store from Hungary, who enjoys breathing new life into well-used furniture. Inspired by the bold graphic style of pop art, she reimagined this battered but practical cabinet using the sgraffito technique – layering paint and scratching into the top coat so the colours underneath are revealed.

Materials and tools used:

• Wood filler
• Filling knife / putty knife
• Sandpaper: 60, 80, 150, 240 grit
• Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ in various colours: Antibes Green, Napoleonic Blue, Giverny, Tilton, Amsterdam Green, Emperor’s Silk, Graphite
• Pre-prepared drawings, stencils
• Chinese chopstick and cloth for scratching and applying the pattern
• Annie Sloan Clear Chalk Paint™ Wax
• Chalk Paint™ Round Brush
• Small artist’s brush
• Chalk Paint™ Wax Brush

How she did it:

Step 1

The first stage of the project focused on repairing and preparing the piece. The cabinet needed thorough sanding, and in several areas the veneer had already begun to crumble. Enikő removed the damaged veneer where necessary, repaired the surface with wood filler and sanded the cabinet again to create a stable base for painting. Some of the damage was too extensive to repair perfectly, but rather than disguising these imperfections, she incorporated them into the final design, choosing a freer, more expressive painting approach that would embrace the cabinet’s character.

Step 2

To create the base layer, Enikő applied several bright Chalk Paint colours in loose patches across the cabinet. These colours will later appear through the scratched design, so the aim was to build a lively, playful palette underneath the top coat.

Step 3

Once the base colours were dry, she began applying Graphite Chalk Paint as the top layer. She worked section by section allowed the paint to remain workable while she created the pattern. This step is essential for the sgraffito technique, as the paint needs to be soft enough to scratch through.

Step 4

While the Graphite paint was still slightly wet, Enikő scratched her design into the surface using a simple stick – sometimes even just her finger. The pattern had been planned beforehand on paper and was inspired by the energetic lines and figures associated with pop artist Keith Haring. As the lines were scratched into the surface, the bright colours beneath began to emerge, gradually revealing the playful pattern.

Working in smaller sections helped ensure the paint didn’t dry too quickly and gave her time to refine the shapes and lines. Little by little, the cabinet transformed into a bold, graphic piece full of colour and movement.

Step 5

Once the paint had dried completely, the piece was ready to be sealed and protected. The finished cabinet is a lively pop-art inspired design that celebrates both colour and creativity – perfect for adding personality to a teenager’s bedroom or any space that could use a touch of playful energy.

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