A New Life

I have wanted to give the buffet in my kitchen a makeover ever since Chris put the wood floor in 2 years ago.  Although it was a beautiful piece of furniture, I felt like it blended into the floor too much.  I wanted it to to pop, so upon discovering and becoming motivated by The Frosted Gardner, I finally gave new life to my beloved buffet!!  I am so tickled with how it turned out that I can hardly quit staring at it!!!  It's still not completely finished though.  I still have to put the hardware on, but I'm in the process of making it over as well.  

Part of the reason  I wanted to redo the buffet myslef was so that I didn't have to spend a lot of money on my "new" piece of furniture.  When I began looking at new hardware to put on it, I nearly fainted at what it was going to cost me.  I was standing there, looking at different options, when my eye caught sight of these nasty, UGLY, very outdated brass pulls that were on clearance for 51 cents a piece. 

I scoffed and rolled my eyes at first, but as fast as I did that, a light bulb literally turned on.  The idea was so clear to me that I'm sure people around me probably saw the light bulb above my head.  SPRAY PAINT!!!!  So that's what I did.  Spray painting takes a lot of patience.  You have to do several fine coats so that the paint doesn't run and you have a smooth look.  I think if they were wood, I wouldn't have had to be so careful, but the fact that the slightest run would show, I took it nice and slow.  Which is why they're not on the buffet yet. 

The first coat was aged copper.  Over that I did oil rubbed bronze.  Once it was completely dry, I dipped my finger in mineral spirits and rubbed the top layer of paint off so that the copper would show through.  I finished with a clear satin (all of the paints are satin finish) polyurethane coat on top.  Not bad for 51 cents a piece, huh??!?!   And they look just like the $5-$8 ones at the store!  Now, I know that spray paint can be pricey too, especially in the colors that I chose, but that's why I bought it at Hobby Lobby with a coupon!

I have 3 more pieces of furniture that I'm going to refinsih for my bedroom, which is going to get it's own makeover really soon!!  In the 13 years we've lived here, I've never done anything with my room, so this is LOOOONG overdue.  I can hardly wait to get started!!!!!  Oh, and did I mention that I seem to be obsessed with red and black?  I wonder why that is.  If you've ever been in my house, you know that's what colors are in the kitchen/family room, and now, soon to be in my bedroom.  =)