Reader Redesign: A Buffet Reinvented
When Lindsay sent us the before photos of a cabinet that she completely transformed we could never have predicted just how different the end result would be. It looks like a whole new piece! Here’s her letter:
Well, I know you guys love a good before and after so I wanted to share an “extreme makeover” we performed on a large hutch a few weekends ago. For us, it was all about working with what we had, livening up the piece and taking cues from places like Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs (too much $$, but really cute things!). The hutch is a truly dramatic transformation (see more info here on my blog about the process). Hope you enjoy it! Love your site! -Lindsay
Isn’t it amazing that she could look at something with such a rustic country look and turn it into something crisp and clean-lined with new doors and a newly framed base? And you gotta love that they kept an old piece of furniture out of the landfill by reinventing it with a little elbow grease. Thanks so much for sending the photos our way Lindsay. In a word: inspiring!
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Wow! I love it! Bravo – fantastic job Lindsay!
Wow, that is impressive. That took some serious vision to see what that buffet could be, despite its somewhat dated beginnings. Love the redo, and the fresh white. I also like that they chose not to “distress” it. Looks much nicer like this!
Wow!
That’s about all I have to say. Amazing job!
Fantastic! Love a good before & after and this one does not disappoint. I agree with Jenny that it’s great not distressed. Very fresh looking!!
Great timing! As you can see, I’m in the middle of revamping an old dresser we’ve had in the family for years into a buffet for the dining room.
That is awesome! I love the contrast of the black hardware. Love the lamps too- the befores and the afters.
Great job! It look fabulous!
Wow, thanks all for the awesome comments!! I had no idea why my readership took a spike today ;-). Thanks Sherry and John for the awesome shout out! Love your site still!
I LOVE this transformation.
To take an old bulky dresser with an old-time look (is that knotty pine under there? Eeek) and give it such a fresh, totally updated look is great!
Some people would’ve just painted it and stopped there and still not been happy — so it was a fabulous idea to go a few steps farther, AND change the knobs AND the doors AND the base detail to boot. Excellent idea!
I’ll have to check out Lindsay’s blog for more detail. Thanks for posting!
Gorge! I just wish they were as good with the step-by-step process information as you guys are…
Ha! I inherited a smaller version of this knotty pine hutch made by my father in law in Ohio (like yours…hmmm…what’s going on in Ohio?). My husband likes it because his dad made it, but I can’t stand the country looks of it. You just gave me a great idea on how to transform it so we are both happy!
i love that they replaced the base pieces. that really gave the whole piece a very updated look!
What?? No website? No blog? No details? I need details, Lindsay! I have a china cabinet similar to that – we took the top off a few years ago and have just been storing it (for what, I don’t know) and are using only the bottom. I would LOVE to do to it what you have (maybe finally just toss the top?), but how did you make those doors? And how did you fix the bottom – mine has even more curvy carving at the bottom than yours did?
Hey Beth,
Good news! Lindsay actually does have a blog! And she handily included the link in her letter to us above (in the post, not in the comment section). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
that’s an amazing transformation! awesome!
Fantastic!!! I love it!
Gorgeous!!! Love the new look. What a great job.
I have the same reaction as everyone else! WOW!
Amazing!! Love it! Your site with so many wonderful ideas really has boosted my own confidence..will undertake a big chest of drawers soon- I promise!
That’s beautiful! I love the new clean lines. I’ll have to bookmark her blog – I have an old dresser that may be up for a similar transformation one day.
Awesome revamp of the hutch guys!! It’s very Pottery Barn-esque! I’m in a similar situation, my husband and I just bought our first house and are trying desperately to turn it into our stylish & cozy home (on a budget of course!). Hope to see more before & after pics of your future projects!
She did such a great job on this! Love the white, and changing the doors really changed the look for the better too!
Oh my gosh!! It is SO great!! I am so inspired by this!
Wow, it looks amazing! I love seeing these magnificent makeovers.
so i was ready to paint all my old furniture black but i’m LOVING her wihte redux…
Hey Lindsay, Ahhhhhhh much better! I know that’s what you were thinking when you finished your project. Thanx for inspiring me to do a project that I have been procrastinating on.
What a super makeover – I’m always super impressed when someone can see the good “bones” of a piece and know how to make it look a little different. Nice work!
Wow, so cute! If find this kind of thing so inspiring…makes me want to go thrifting!
And Sherry, I’m sure you’ve seen these by now, but I couldn’t help but think of you when I saw these today: http://www.delight.com/Jonathan-Adler-Menagerie-Ornaments
Oh yeah I’m loving those Stacy!
xo,
s
It’s amazing what a white paint and a little of love can do for a home.
Thanks for sharing so good ideas.
I love before and afters.
Nice! I have to say though, I love curved lines in furniture so I would have kept the bottom piece in place.
It looks so good. I dont’ know if I would have thought to take off the ugly bottom. I’m so glad she did. And I love the trick with the blue tape and the mark for getting the hardware in just the right spot. Clever!
Wow. Nice work. Looks totally ‘store bought’
I have a hutch and buffet by This End Up. I would like to redo it to give it some spark. Besides a good paint job, I am open for some suggestions. Putting some cute knobs would help, but would love to hear any suggestions.
Thanks,
Hey Glenda,
Here’s a tutorial on how to paint furniture: http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/02/how-to-paint-furniture/
Hope it helps! Adding new knobs and even painting the top of the hutch a complementary color could add a ton of interest (ex: you could paint the whole hutch white but choose a robin’s egg blue for the top). Good luck!
xo,
s