beautiful before & after - buffet

I had to put a hold on painting for a few weeks when my family came down with strep throat - huge bummer. Everyone is on the mend now and it's nice to get back in the swing of things. We couldn't wait to share this transformation with you because it's one of those pieces that you just can't deny needed a HUGE makeover. This was our client's own piece. She told us what she was looking for and we helped create the perfect new look. Take a look at the the "before" picture:

This piece was definitely solid, but the style was lacking. We always get so excited to work on ones like this because they look so darn cute when done. Our client said she wanted white with a dark stain top, so we decided on General Finishes Antique White milk paint on the base. It took quite a few coats to cover this dark, shiny wood. We distressed to bring out all of the nice details on the cabinets and drawers....

The top took quite a bit of sanding to get to the natural wood underneath, but the hard work paid off because the dark top was stunning against the antique white. One of our favorite stains is made by General Finishes - Java Gel. It's a "no fail"!! We love how smooth the top looks now. The stain is sealed with a High Performance Top Coat - we prefer flat.

We finished the base with Johnson's Paste Wax and then a bit of Annie Sloan Dark Wax. We get asked a lot about the dark wax process and how much to apply. That is based solely on preference. It can be hard to apply a dark wax all over a pretty piece you just painted, but you'll get the hang of it. It's a good idea to practice on a piece of painted scrap wood if you've never used it before and work quickly. If we apply to much, we simply take a rag with clear wax and wipe over the dark wax and it removes it every time!

We kept the original hardware on this piece and freshened it with Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint. The drawers were all lined to complete the look - navy is a favorite!

Here are a few more pictures of this pretty buffet:

Lots of storage!!

Do you have a piece that would be amazing in your home if only it were a different color/style? Reach out and see if we can help create a new look for your home!! We love doing custom orders and are currently available to work pieces into our schedule for July/August. You can reach us here. You can also follow us on Facebook!