Projects.....New/Old Hutch

When I am not writing, or reading, or doing countless other things, I am usually doing some sort of project. Projects can be anything from putting up molding in a room, to repainting, or redecorating, to repurposing some beautiful old and worn piece of furniture I found at the local Consignment shop for cheap.

This love of all things old and decorating came from my mother. A few years back I had the lucky misfortune of volunteering to help her renovate her newly purchased older home. I say misfortune only because that six months only made me more obsessed with projects. Before the reno, or pre-reno I should say,  I led a perfectly normal small project life. I didn't put up bead board, or tackle wainscoting. I knew nothing. I was green, I had no idea how to use various saws, or nail guns.

Now post-reno, I know more than I ever dreamed. Sure I wanted to know how to do those things, I just didn't have the balls to try. I figured that if I wanted anything heavy-duty done I could call my mom, or ask the honey and miraculously without doing any of the work myself, that lovely remodel would be done. Bam!! like magic.

So now here we are however many months/years later, and my projects have grown quite a bit. At the moment I am gearing up to do my kitchen. It is by far the biggest project outside of my mothers entire house that I have taken on. But until that project starts, I'm going to start sharing my older projects. Some of them I failed to document (or lost pictures) of the starting process, but I will do my best to give you an idea of what I'm working with. So without further ado...here is my first tiny share.

 

This is a hutch I bought at a local antique shop at a close-out price.

 

 

 

I like buying antiques for two reasons:

 

1.  Solid wood. New furniture is often times veneered and partical board. As a person familiar with  MDF I totally appreciate it when doing certain projects...but when its my furniture I want heavy solid wood, you just can't beat it.

 

2.  Price. Not only is old furniture built better (most of the time) it is cheap too (most of the time.) I'm not talking about Queen Anne, or Louis the IV furniture I'm talking the homestead, pioneer, farmhouse furniture, the hidden gems. The piece below I bought for the low price of $149.00.

 

 

 

 

Because I am impatient I did not get a true before picture. I started painting it before I thought to take one...boo me.

 

 

 

 

After a few coats of white enamel paint, this is what I was left with. I like it's simplicity and old hardware. I love its dark wood table top, and wire doors. It speaks to me.

I also sanded parts of it to give it the beat up look that all older well-loved furniture seems to have.