Older makeovers...Part One

We have some makeovers that we did over the last year or so that we haven't shared. I figured now was as good as time as any to get us caught up.

Maybe the fact that I found a before picture I didn't think I had last night helped prompt me too...

About a year and a half ago we had our first big garage sale find. We went out that morning looking for a coffee table (we finally have one a year and half later!!) and instead found a couple selling a really nice Broyhill china cabinet and a beautiful armoire. We needed neither. They were priced a little too high for us considering we didn't need them but, we were so intrigued by them that we said if they didn't sell them by the end of the day to call us, and we'd negotiate. We got a call about half an hour later that it was starting to drizzle and they'd like to just wrap it up. Would we pay $200 for both? Um...YES!!! Seeing as they'd wanted more than $200 for each piece to start with!! The armoire is perfect and exactly what we didn't even know we wanted for our master bedroom. Its the perfect TV cabinet and we love it. The only change we made was to pull off the brass handles and knobs and spray paint them a hammered metal. They don't show up very much but I have a hate/hate relationship with brass and am systematically removing it from my house. (Don't believe me? I'll have to do a master bath makeover sometime!!!) This is the armoire...

The side table you see next to it is a great find too! We got that when we went to pickup a washer and dryer from my cousin and she and her fiance had put the side table and matching (huge!!) coffee table out on the side of the road for trash! We brought them home and re-finished them as well :) Its turned into the perfect spot for Em to eat a snack or breakfast and watch an occasional cartoon!


The china hutch on the other hand while a very nice piece was too traditional for me. Here it is as purchased. (This isn't a great picture but its the only one I have)

Like I said...it was a very nice piece.

It just wasn't...ME.

When we started discussing painting it we were initially looking at just darkening it up. But then I got a wild hair and we decided to go big or go home. I love the final product!

We took out all the glass (we didn't at first but learned quickly that it would be easier if we did), sanded it down to remove the finish and rough it up a bit but not to take all the stain off, and removed the metal diamond shaped leading. Then we got out our 2in1 paint and primer and painted the entire thing. We even painted the inside, this was a chore and something we debated on, but painting the inside really gave it a finished cohesive look. And it looks really great when we turn the lights on inside. Pretty sure it required two coats. And the wood character still shows through which we love. We also removed all the hardware and sprayed it with a hammered metal paint. Had to get rid of the brass ya know?!

Oh and as you can tell the diamond shaped leading didn't make it back into the finished product. I was sooo excited when it slid right out when we removed the glass and quickly threw it away before we could change our minds. I love it without it! It really helped get the look we were going for.

So now we're the crazy couple that hits garage sales on the occasional Saturday morning looking for great deals. We're even the crazy couple that will pull over and load up someone else's trashed piece if we think it's worth refinishing! Here's a picture of Em enjoying donuts and cartoons while we drove around one Saturday several months ago. It was early...she still had crazy bed hair :)

Hopefully I'll get up our master bedroom and bath in the next several days! Enjoy!!