Dining Room Buffet. . .finally off my to do list!

I said I was going to get my dining room buffet done this week and I stuck by my word.  If you have followed any of my blog, I was really perplexed with what to do with this piece.  Part of me thought I should refinish it, another part of me thought about painting it black, then another part of me thought I was maybe getting too much “darkness” in my house.  (see why I struggle. . .too many parts)  I asked you guys for some direction and I have to thank all of you again for your advice.

The before. . .

Many of you suggested to pick out a color from the area rug.  I always admire the pieces you all paint in soft blues and grays, but never really thought those soft colors would fit in my house.  Our house is Craftsman style and somewhat rustic so I always thought I needed to keep things dark or natural.  After reading your comments, I realized that I needed to lighten up a bit. . .(not just talking my home decor here) so I chose Sherwin Williams Austere Gray.

 

It is a gray-green (looks more gray here) that matches a color in the rug.

So without further ado, here is my buffet now. . .

This picture was taken before my trip to Hobby Lobby to fill in the missing knobs.

 

 

I used the original hardware on the top drawer.  I had the amber crystal knobs from another project.  I bought the black knobs from Hobby Lobby and paired them with the backplates from the leftover original hardware.

Took the opportunity to move the table out of the dining room and give it a good vacuuming.  You can get a better idea of what the rug looks like.

 Thank you, thank you all for making me think outside the box.  I love my new buffet and now have a soft gray-green piece like I have always envied.  I have a mirror coming for above the buffet.  The Guy Buffet prints will be moved downstairs to the bar/family room area where they were always meant to be.  (I just stuck them in the dining room until we finished the basement)  I am also planning on moving the little black sideboard to the basement as well.

Look out world, Heidi is finally lightening up!

My Corbel Glamification

So this is what I came up with based on the iron willow votive candle holder inspiration (that's a mouthful).  Theirs:  $89.00 each. . .Mine:  $8.00 each.  (check my math below. . . was never good at math. . .that may be why I am a graphic artist).

I bought two 6 in. diameter aluminum fittings from Menards for the bases ($3 ea.), two 6 in. diameter styrofoam discs ($3 ea.), and some corkscrew willow branches from Hobby Lobby ($7). . . spray painted everything black ($3) and. . .

Now I want a big round mirror for above the soon-to-be glamified buffet.  And I just want to say. . .I think I have decided on a color for the buffet.  Wait for it. . .

I forgot to tell you that my other obsession of the week was flameless candles.  Yup.  Those are flameless pillars set on a four hour timer.  Love, love, love them.  I have a couple in my sunroom PB sconces as well.  I would never light them because they were too hard to reach, but now I can just enjoy the beautiful candle light and not worry about blowing them out or soot on my walls.

So yeah.  I can pretty much say I am happier with my dining room corbels now.  I still have a ways to go before my dining room glamification is complete, but it's getting there.  AND believe it or not, hubby even said “those are pretty cool”.  He usually just rolls his eyes and thinks I am obsessively insane over my “projects”.

Insert round mirror here?!

 

After living with this project a few days, I think I will shorten the willow branches just a tad.

I will have to wait & mess with that next weekend.

I have also noticed that my wine rack is looking quite empty.  Yikes.

PS - Don't you think this project would be cool on a smaller scale for the holidays?

Like spray paint the willows in silver or gold, or roll in glitter and cut the willows at different heights for a multiple candle centerpiece? 

This Week's Obsession

Ever since I hung those black corbels in the dining room I have been trying to come up with something cool to put on them to make me like them better, uh. . .not really like them better, just like them period.  I got them on sale at a local ridiculously expensive interior design studio.  They are not coming down. . .(hubby put seven holes in the wall trying to get one of them level - - also, I think he would absolutely come unglued if I took them down after the frustration of getting them right where I thought I wanted them).
So, my obsession this week has been trying to come up with an idea for those crazy corbels.  And I think I am finally on to something.
My mission this weekend is to glam up my corbels.
Here is a little hint in the direction I am heading. . .stay tuned, hopefully my little project will be complete come Monday. . .

Cathy's Cabot Cabinets

SHOUT OUT to my girlfriend, Cathy!  She was tired of her golden oak kitchen cabinets.  She wanted to hide the heavy wood grain of the golden oak, but didn't necessarily want to paint her cabinets.
Enter Cabot Waterbased Polystain.  In one weekend she transformed her cabinetry from this. . .

 

To this. . .

 

Look at the difference just two coats of Dark Oak Satin stain made. . .

She just scrubbed 'em down and lightly sanded before applying the two coats of polystain.  What a wonderfully inexpensive way to update a kitchen or bathroom vanity.

Three snaps in a Z formation to you my friend!