Hello All! I hope you had a Great Easter filled with Love, Family and Lots of Goodies! We had a great Easter with Family. The First Easter without my Mom. She had a great time last year watching the kids hunt for eggs. Bitter Sweet this year as I sat in the same rocker on my sisters back porch and watched as my grand daughter, great nieces and great nephews hunted for their eggs this year. Family is what it is all about!
Some of you know that I have searched for a Buffet for myself, something that I could make my own. My tiny cottage needed just the right piece. Well, I always tell everyone...you can have great pieces without breaking the bank. I searched, friends searched and I found a Sheraton Chest that needed lots of love. I have some before and after and a peek into my dining room.
This is the Chest I found. I paid $40 for it. It is missing some of the handles, and needs repair on the drawers and part of one of the feet replaced. It doesn't look too bad, right? Let me get a little closer for you. This is the top. Years of paint, an orange stain on it and deep scratches. But this is what I wanted. It may look small but actually is a nice size for a Buffet. It measures 45 inches tall, 36 inches in width and 21 inches in depth. 3 deep drawers. So it is a nice size.
Ok, this is the side, the horrible orange stain is dripped down the side on top of white paint and a brown underneath...horrible. But I knew it had potential!!
You can see the gouges and what looks like wood...but it is paint. So I sanded the top completely down to the raw wood. Sanded the sides to remove the layers of stain and paint. Repaired the drawers and made sure they slid easily in and out. (Soap works great, just take an old bar rub it onto every surface the meets another. It will help your drawers slide with ease). I decided the wood on most of the chest wasn't what I wanted. It had paint in the grain that I couldn't remove so, I put on my thinking cap....what could I do??? I used an off white satin paint on the entire bottom of the chest, sanded a touch here and there for the distressed look I like. Then I glazed it, this gives a Vanilla look. I waxed it, replaced the missing handles with matching Vintage Sheraton Handles. AND.....
I have a Buffet that I love, with all the old charm but storage I need in a small cottage!
I used a Red Mahogany for the top and kept the wood grain. There are still a few small places with the paint in the grain but nothing I couldn't live with!! And the distressed parts make me happy!
The front of the chest. The Vanilla and Distressed areas seem to bring out the sweet details a little more! It is perfect for me. I saw a new one very similar to this one on Pierre Deux Website listed for $2800. Almost the exact same finish. Same Shape!! You know I am not going to pay that kind of money for a Buffet...nor will I let you. There is always a way to get what you want without spending that kind of money.
I found 4 Great arm Chairs at a yard sale, I only needed 2. Sold the other 2 and it paid for my Buffet. I had 4 Antique Side Chairs already. The 2 arms fit nicely on each side of my Buffet. Sweet Thomas Made me a Farm Table. He builds them for all my customers. But now I have one as well! Found my drapes at the same sale as the Arm Chairs. On another junking trip I found a bolt of fabric with the Blacks, Rusty Reds, Olive Greens I love in a large floral pattern and Covered my 4 side chairs. The Drapes and the arm chairs are the same fabric, a small Olive Green and Vanilla Check. I do need to cut and hem the drapes...these were made for a 12 foot ceiling. But...all in all I am happy. I am just searching for the perfect rug now and Shades for the Chandelier (which needs to be lowered). But below are photos of my long narrow Cottage Dining Room. Total cost without any labor....$125.00!!! This includes Table Materials, Buffet, Drapes, Chairs, Fabric, Paint and Handles!!!
I will show you a few more a little closer.
Oh, Almost forgot, I need to find the Perfect Rusty Red Shade for my Florentina Lamp!
You can see the Fabric on the chairs, I will make a runner and some Roman Shades for my kitchen from this fabric as well. The Table is Beautiful. Thomas did a great job for me. My walls are a Gold/Green Valspar Lions Mane. Looks nothing like a lion to me..but loved the color. I do need 2 long mirrors for behind my Arm Chairs but....patience is the key word. I will find the perfect ones, they may cost more the room but...I will find them.
My Easter Bunny I've had this for more years than I can remember. Picked him up a Little thrift Store in Atlanta before my 21 year old was even born for $1.00. He became a tradition in my Spring/Easter Decor!
This Mr Bunny is a Cookie Jar, I bought this one when my 21 year was tiny. We baked Cookies to fill him for years. He has some age cracks now and I just love him too much to use other than for gracing the table top.
My Sweet Kitty Cat, Mr Hedley with his Easter Ball.
He needed an egg as well....with the candy inside so that it make noise as he pushes it across the floor.
Tell me what you think. I'd love to hear from you.
I wanted to show you a couple of things Thomas is building right now and if you are interested...get it touch with me!!
Potting Table, this one in White Washed Finish. Vintage Window and Boards. Shelf on the bottom and top $55.00
Primitive Table/Kitchen Island. This one in A Vanilla Distress $55.
Stay in Touch!!
K
