A Diamond in the Rough -- Beautiful Creamy Buffet

A diamond in the rough!

I rescued this buffet from a garage last fall. It was in awful condition as they had been using it for a workbench for years. Clearly it was going to take a ton of work to clean it up, but it had such amazing character...how could a girl pass it up!

For weeks, my husband peeled veneer, filled holes and sanded. He did that over and over and over until it was looking great! Once all the cleanup and prep was done, I painted the outside a smooth, creamy white and the inside of the drawers and cabinets a rich cocoa.

Now that it's completely beautified, I'm shocked looking back at the before pictures. What a great transformation!

Before... 

 

  

AND After...

  

 

 

 

Linking up to

Funky Junk Interiors

Petticoat Junktion

Beyond the Picket Fence

Button Love

Valentine's Day is just around the corner so time to get some decorations up.

These darling button hearts are creations that my incredibly talented mom designed. These are really quite inexpensive to make, it just takes a fair amount of time to get the buttons placed just right.

I cut and sanded some barn wood for her to use as her canvas. She creatively placed the buttons and glued those girls down. Then I attached a pretty ribbon and hanging hardware to the tall signs. For the smaller signs, I used a piece of trim from an old barn to make a base so that they could stand.

The balance of the pretty white pearl buttons and the rustic barn wood together is my favorite.
Piles of buttons + rustic barn wood + a ton of Elmer's Glue = LOVE!

If you have some time hop on over to UPs Facebook Page and give a 'like'.
Thanks for stopping!

Linking up to Petticoat Junktion

Dresser + Repurposed Nightstand Set

Sometimes what a piece once was just isn't practical for today's lifestyle. So was the case with this bedroom set. I decided to transform what was a large mirrored vanity into 2 amazing night stands that would offer much more versatility with this matching dresser.

The top of the dresser was a beautiful oak grain and in really nice condition considering the age of this piece. Consequently, I couldn't cover it up with paint, instead I gave it a quick sanding and refinished it in its natural tone. I think it would have looked great completely painted too, but sometimes you can have too much paint...wait, did I just say that! It's true, there is a fine line between what is perfect and what is too much. But the beauty here is that there are no rules and you can choose what is right for you and your decor.

Some of the detail on the legs shows some hairline cracks and some detailing is missing all together, but when the piece has a cohesive look something about those imperfections just adds more character to the set.

I struggled for weeks trying to decide on what color to paint these pieces and now that they are finished, I think I made the right choice.

SOLD

 

Complete with original antique bronze hardware and wheels, all in perfect condition.

  

 Intentional distressing makes her look like she was just plucked out of storage.

 LOVE the detailing on the dresser and all the storage!

She is beautiful once again.

Here is the before picture of the vanity. If you look closely in the mirror you can see the reflection of the dresser too...just don't look too closely and judge me by all the clutter in the background:) I already have plans for repurposing the vanity mirror too, stay tuned for that project!

Classic Titanium Grey - 6 Drawer Dresser

Lots of grey, cold days here in Minnesota lately, maybe that is why I've done several pieces in the same color pallete! Nonetheless, my latest project was a much needed facelift on a really common solid maple dresser. I have to believe most every American household had one of these in their decor at one point or another, I know I remember one very similar at our house. The big difference with this one...she now sports a beautiful new finish!

My inspiration for the color came from what I have been seeing at Restoration Hardware lately. I had to update the heavy gold hardware with some gorgeous drawer pulls. It seems like the hardware can make or break a piece, so I try to spend extra time locating the perfect knobs/pulls in the appropriate finish.

This would clearly be awesome in a bedroom, but I also see it as an entertainment stand, behind a sofa, in an entryway or just about anywhere you need some extra storage.

$245

{a steal compared to the inspiration piece that starts at $1500!}

 

6 large drawers that slide perfectly.

 

Lightly distressed in all the right places.

Stunning from every angle!

Dovetail constructed drawers.

 A before picture of a similar looking dresser.

Functional + Gorgeous French Provincial Side Table

One thing you can count on with Minnesota are long, cold winters...so you better have plenty of hobbies to keep you busy or you'll go crazy! With temperatures that never reached positive digits this past weekend, I found plenty of time to stay indoors and get some painting done.

One of the projects that I was able to work on was this classic side table. (I had finished the matching desk before the holidays) Both pieces were in good condition but had seen a lot of use and needed some refinishing. Constructed with great bones and lots of character I knew they would clean up great.

 The side table is painted with French Grey chalk paint, distressed and finished with a coat of dark wax to create a warm patina. Wouldn't she be adorable as a sofa or entry table?

The hardware that came with this table were large, heavy, gold tone pulls. They seemed so dated that I decided to swap them out and used these vintage pulls that I had salvaged from another project. I think the look is perfect on this girl.

 

 Interesting feature on this side table are the pull out shelves on both ends.

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This is a glimpse at the matching desk. Previously a tired, golden blonde pine desk...it was my duty to give this guy a major transformation! The detail of the claw feet came to life with a fresh coat of black...and the beautiful pine desk top looks fab with a deep dark stain.

I know the photos are not the best, so please try to look past the concrete garage floor:)

Desk is SOLD

Thanks for looking - Stay warm!