Reviving and rebuilding…
I have a weakness. It’s name is antique buffets. I see one and I take very little time before I say “SOLD”. Every other piece of furniture I buy I make sure that I fully investigate by asking all the right questions regarding quality, origin, drawer slides…but buffets. I just can’t help myself! My very first piece I purchased for myself to flip was an antique buffet and I’ve been hooked ever since.
The last one I snagged had all the gorgeous characteristics of a classic antique buffet. Intricate details, ornate hardware, and curvy legs made this buffet stand out. However, it was in rough shape. I knew I could make this buffet beautiful again with a few coats of paint but the top was unsalvageable. So on to building a new one…
I started off by buying an edge glued spruce board to fit the top. I chose an edge glued board over a solid hardwood board because I was planning on painting the entire piece. It was about an inch too wide so I first needed to cut it down to fit. I used my Dewalt Circular Saw and cut the board to the perfect size. Next I needed to create an edge that matched the rest of the piece.
I’ve had this Dewalt Fixed Base Router for awhile now but had yet to use it. This was the perfect project to break it in! After testing it out on several practice boards, I used it to create the edge on the buffet top.
I attached the top, gave the entire piece a quick sanding and cleaning and then it was time to start painting! I chose a pure white with Wise Owl Chalk Synthesis Paint in Snow Owl. I wasn’t certain on the type of wood this buffet was so I applied two coats of Wise Owl’s White Stain Eliminating Primer before painting with Snow Owl. This buffet had quite a few dents and dings so rather than try to cover them up, I embraced them! I heavily distressed the entire piece using my orbital sander to create natural distressing marks.
I finished off this piece and sealed it using Satin Varnish. The original hardware just needed a little cleaning before adding them back on to the buffet. The inside of the cabinet and drawers were freshened up with Lemon Verbena Furniture Salve which not only made the wood look great but smell amazing! I could not be happier with how this buffet turned out. Most would have thrown it in the burn pile, but I knew it could be beautiful. Time to go find another buffet!
Disclaimer: This post includes affliate links for certain products. While I do not represent these products, I do recieve a small commission from purchases made from these links.
Laura is a decorative painter, builder, and designer. She lives in a small town in Southern Minnesota with her family. Born from her love of beautiful things and unwillingness to pay for them, a passion for decorative furniture painting, building, and DIY decor began.