Buffet Turned T.V. Stand for HIM

Can I tell you a story? It all started one day when I was checking out the "free" section on craigslist. I go there every once and a while hoping to find something that could be of use here in Lewisville. I have found some gems, but nothing compares to this buffet...turned T.V. stand.

 Of course, it didn't look like this when I pick it up. This beautiful piece of furniture was just about to be thrown in a dumpster. It was a left over from a church rummage sale, but no one wanted it. A woman took it home and posted it on craigslist hoping someone would take it. She didn't have time to work on it, but recognized the craftsmanship and beauty of the piece. That's where I come in.

One glorious morning, I'm drinking my coffee and decide to scroll through that free section. When I saw the buffet, I practically choked, but had sense enough to grab my phone and text her asap. Praying. Hoping. Please still be available. She text back, and I was on my way to pick it up. It was a short 5 minutes away from my home! By the way, I did take all the precautions I talk about in my How to buy and sell on Craigslist post. Read. Stay safe.

I brought it home sometime last spring. She was in my garage for a few days, then I brought her in because I really needed a kitchen island of some sort. We have absolutely no counter space in our kitchen, which is not good for a family of five. This would help, and it did for months and months and months. We used her "as is" when she first came to our house. Here's the before.

Nice bones but major scratches.

And the years of neglect really showed.

It's a very dark piece, and I just wasn't sure where to start.

At first, I planned to re-do it and maybe sell it on Craigslist, but then I had this thought.

The buffet was to big to use as an "island" and it just wasn't that kind of piece. But this dresser we were using as our T.V. stand was too small also. It needed to be replaced with some kind of piece that could house the receiver, DVR, DVD, and all those kinds of things. Light bulb!

I love my shabby chic dresser, but I never intended it to be used this way. And the equipment stacked on the side wasn't pretty either. So I went to work.

I HAND sanded the buffet with 100 grit sand paper first, then smooth it out with 220 grit. A lot of old smells came out. I worked in my kitchen for a few hours a day since it was freezing outside.

Progress. Maybe the wood could be stained again. Maybe it could be brought back to life without painting the whole thing.

 I used English Chestnut by Minwax to stain the top and detailed trim. That curvy piece in the middle came off, and the piece got two coats of primer.

I use Zinsser primer for my pieces that will get used every day. 

And here's where my story takes a turn. I really wanted the base color to be grey, a silver/metallic grey with a bit of an antique look on the side. Here's the problem when it comes to DIY in the Denver area: Paint can and will freeze if stored in the garage and thus become useless. My paint was frozen and no amount of different thawing methods was going to help. So I decided to mix my own paint. I was going for greyish/blue.

I ended up with more of a light blue, but my husband really liked it. That settles that. It got two coats of my custom color blend. The staining was done. The painting was finished, and the entire piece got a coat of polycrylic.

Results.

 The pictures don't do it justice. It's really gorgeous.

And the new home...bye, bye little dresser.

I decided to clean and spraypaint the old hardware in oil rubbed bronze for now. That will get replaced though because we want a more contemporary look. Love the results and the function it gives us.

Not bad for Free!

Blessings,

Lisa