(re)Purposeful: Buffet

I'd been scouring Craig's List for months looking for the perfect hutch to tear apart and re-purpose in my kitchen. I just need more and more storage (sound familiar) and got this fantastic idea from HGTV to use the top part of a hutch as a cabinet. I will definitely blog about that project because it's coming along swimmingly but isn't quite finished yet.

SO back to my story... I found this interesting '50's vintage hutch in pretty good condition and brought it home to hang. I had no idea what I was going to do with the bottom half. It was deeply scratched and shabby and had no place to be useful in my home. It's hard to appreciate just how ugly it was in this picture because it already had a good sanding before my brain kicked in and I whipped out my camera.

I've now decided that it deserves a second chance at life and a good home! A place to fulfil it's purpose which has gone from "second half of hutch" to "buffet"... has a nice ring to it, no? 

Lucky for me (and my bank account), my mother-in-law just gave me her old orbital sander. It made sanding the top, quick work! I love the top now so much that I'm going to stain it and poly it to keep it's rich "woodiness". I hand-sanded the rest of the whole buffet and decided it needed to be painted.

The body of the piece definitely needed some updating.... I bought some sweet, little, wooden appliques at Hobby Lobby and glued them (with wood glue) to the middle drawer. Then I used spray primer and gave everything (but the top) and nice coat.

Now to paint.... I opted out of glossy black latex and went instead for "coalmine" (yes there IS a difference) which has a soft, dark, grey-brown hue in a satin finish.  I'm really hoping I don't regret this but I would like to distress it and I think the glossy black would look "fakey". So here's where I'm at now...

Now this orphaned buffet just needs a second coat of paint, all it's "bit and pieces" reassembled and possibly a little distressing.... Can't wait to share the end results!!!