Met Monday Hutch Makeover

This is my first participation in Metamorphis Monday, brought to you by the very creative Susan at www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com.  Just click on the yellow butterfly to the right, and you’ll join Susan and the other bloggers that have some wonderful transformations that will inspire you to create more beauty in your home or yard.

As I continued to collect teacups, teapots, china, collectibles and everything else to do with tea, I found that I had literally run out of room for storage.  So for months, I looked for a china cabinet that would work in my home.  After looking high and low in antique stores, thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales, I told hubby that I was just going to give it up, and find other nooks and crannies for my goodies. Then one day, I was browsing through a cottage decorating magazine, and saw a china hutch that I really liked.  It had an open hutch top, and I thought that would be the perfect style for me.  I hastily went to my trust dusty computer and googled Craigslist.  The very first hutch to appear, being listed that very day, was this china hutch and buffet…for…$75!  The young woman selling it told me it belonged to her grandmother, and she tried to keep it, but it was just too big and it really wasn’t her style.  She also said it was big and heavy, so I had to wait for my son to get off work so he could go with us to help hubby load it on the truck.  Well, when we got there, I took one look and knew I had a winner.  It was solid knotty pine, and the entire buffet bottom was all drawers!  That’s exactly what I needed for all my linens, that were in stuffed in drawers all over the house.  I couldn’t wait to get it home and begin the transformation…Here it is!

Before

Sanding stage…these sanding blocks (there is another name for them, but I can’t remember it off hand) are great…they made the job easier for me, since I have a hard time controlling the electric sander…it always runs away from me. 

 

 

I tried to get a better shot of the drawer pulls…they are adorable!

     

 

The priming stage…a lot of drawers…I hated this part.  After I got it all taped papered and taped, I realized that it wouldn’t work and took it all off! 

 

First coat of paint

     

 

And after…I really like it.  I had planned on embellishing the curves on the top, but I just got impatient and wanted it done!

 

You can see the little French Country buffet that I posted previously…it’s over against the wall…see it?

 

Last month, I posted the little French country buffet that I purchased at Teen challenge Thrift Store many years ago…I always planned on redoing it, but never knew quite what to do…so when I brought this home, it became clear that it should be painted white right along with my “new” china hutch.  We did them at the same time…what a job! Not sure I would do that again, but it get done and we brought them both in the house at the same time… I loved them both!

I have to give a lot of credit to  Shari at www.mycottageofbliss.blogspot.com . She has a wonderful tutorial on painting furniture that I found to be very helpful.  Shari is so sweet friendly…she way beyond the call of duty to answer my questions and research products for me, and she encouraged me along the way.  I did have some problems with the paint, so I really needed that encouragement!  I also got some great information from Cindy at www.myromantichome.blogspot.com .  She has another great paint tutorial on her website, so if you’re thinking about painting any furniture, they will be there to help you!

I think that at first, painting a piece of furniture can go against all reason, but what I found to be so great about it is that it unified my hodge podge pieces into a cohesive cottage style look, which I have always admired, but was always afraid to try for myself.  Once you dive into that paint can, all fear is gone…go ahead…you can do it!

Thank you so much for visiting me today, and taking a peek inside my home.  I hope to participate in this event again and again…I gain a great deal of joy from finding wonderful things to add charm and character to my home, always with the desire to make it inviting and comfortable…and always have it ready to serve guests a cup of tea and a scone…cottage style does that for me, but it can be done with any style in mind, with an imagination and a can of paint!

Please continue to pray for Amy, Rachel, Wanda’s mom, and the others that you know  in blogland that need our prayers.  And please continue to pray for our troops, the troops from other countries, and our own United States of America.

God bless everyone!  May Monday be the beginning of a wonderful week for you!

 

Mary