Buffet Makeover

Have you heard those stories about people finding gorgeous pieces of furniture on the side of the road?

Yeah, I know. You just wonder where those magical roads might be located!

Then, you think...  Why does it never happen to me? :/

Well, this piece of furniture can be one of those stories. And I wasn't the lucky one.
It was my sister-in-law who spotted the gorgeous buffet sitting there...

Nope, it wasn't on the side of the road.

Every time she took this road, she saw the gorgeous buffet sitting there, on the far-end corner of this front porch. It was hard for her to look at this piece on rainy days. She knew it was getting damaged.

After she couldn't take it any longer, she decided to stop by and ask...

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Can I have it?

The answer: Yes! And you can also take the hutch that's inside the foyer. :D

Ha, maybe that's what you and I have to do from now on... Just ask!

Well, that's if we find those roads. 😃

The veneer on both sides of the piece was the part that endured the water damage.


THE PLAN

Pilar wanted to use this piece in her craft room. So, besides repairing the damaged veneer and giving the piece a nice finish with an antique character, she also wanted to add a shelf on the lower part.

Here are the 10 steps it took me to transform this piece from dark and drab to bright and glam!

1. VENEER REPAIR

I didn't take a before picture of the damaged veneer, but it was bad. Lots of loose little pieces.
They were removed, and those sunken spots were leveled with wood filler.

Then I used a 220-grit sanding disc to smooth the entire area.

2. BUILD A SHELF

Every time I look at that lower part of this type of buffet, I'm curious to know why they didn't add a shelf. It is the most logical way to put that lower part to good use. Storage is always welcome.

Now, I didn't want to cover the detail on the top of those support pieces. That's why I built the shelf to be placed on the inside back part of those supports.

1 x 2 material, connected with pocket holes and glue, was the main element in constructing the shelf.
¼" plywood material, top it off.

3. INSTALL THE SHELF

Again, pocket holes and glue were used to attach the shelf frame to the buffet supports.

I also attached two 2 x 2 legs for added support on the back.

The ¼" plywood cover was set in place with staples.

4. FILL GAPS WITH WOOD FILLER AND SAND

Wood filler was used to close gaps and small holes. Then, it was time to sand the entire piece. I started with an 80-grit sanding disc, then moved to a 120-grit.

The legs were sanded with 120-grit sandpaper.

Before moving on to the next step, it's essential to clean all areas thoroughly, removing any dust.

5. PRIME

Even if you're using chalk paint like I did, it's wise to prime these dark pieces before painting. You don't want stains bleeding through your finished coat.

I didn't prime those recessed areas, after all, I wanted them on the darker side. ;)

6. SAND & PAINT

I gave the entire piece two coats of chalked paint. It looked good with only one coat, but certain parts still needed more coverage.

Of course, the chalk paint finish is far from smooth, but that's when I used fine sandpaper. A 320-grid sanding disc was used to sand all those long, flat areas.

Clean all surfaces thoroughly before proceeding to the next step.

7. SEAL

A light coat of clear wax was used to protect the finish. Then it was buffed with a soft rag.

I could've stopped there, but it was too white! The paint was hiding all those beautiful details.

The solution for that...

8. GLAZE

I applied a translucent color glaze to highlight those pretty details and engravings.

You apply it, then immediately use a wet rag to remove most of it, leaving it only on the parts you want to highlight. 

You can check my kitchen island makeover HERE, where I used this same technique.

9. GIVE IT SPARKLE

Apply a tiny bit of gold on those highlighted areas for added charm.

Once dry, give the entire piece another coat of wax.

10. CLEAN THE HARDWARE

The last step was to clean the hardware with Bar Keepers Friend.

And here is the new, beautiful buffet in all its glory!

The three gold wire bins fit so perfectly on the shelf.

My SIL loves the new addition to her craft room! Here is a little peek at how it looks in its new space.

And I couldn't leave you without a before and after of this makeover:

Love it!!

Here's a short video of this makeover:

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