Cheap Thrills on the Homefront . . .

We (and by that I mean Bill) are in the process of updating a 2nd floor hall bathroom. I get to pick out stuff and he gets to install it.

I like this arrangement.

But then what happens is I start looking around the house and find other things that need to be updated.

Our kitchen for example, and the dining room, and the . . . list goes on.

I have been looking for a kitchen island - for 2 years. 

Found this online (Facebook Marketplace)

and fell in love with this antique cabinet.

I bought it from Erin who owns

Cotton, Copper & Ash.

She has a storefront by the same name on Facebook.

Anyway, the cabinet had been refinished in it's natural state with a beautiful patina wood top.

But . . . I wanted an island.

So I had a top made that matched our current kitchen counter.

But . . . that's temporary too until we get other things in the house (bathrooms) updated.

(It will eventually be changed to either granite or quartz)

My counter guy had a great idea and didn't want to ruin the wood top of the antique piece

so he devised a way to secure it from underneath.

Patina saved and I got my island.

Then . . . the dining room.

It's too formal and opens a bit to the kitchen and family room.

I am getting rid of my queen anne table

(with 2 leaves, 4 chairs and custom table pads if anyone is interested)

and moved my kitchen table to the dining room.

Refinished the top of the table, painted a couple of old chairs

and this . . .

So now I have this formal dining room hutch.

I love the design but what to do with it?

Leave it?

Paint it?

We have a bar on the opposite end of the room that is black with a dark wood top.

Black? Would it be too much black?

Partially paint it?

I've scoured Pinterest, Houzz & many other sites and can't find exactly what I'm looking for.

Ideas are welcomed!

Maybe just a bit of black somewhere?

Here's another question for you:

I've painted the chairs black (they were dark brown stained).

I had two coats of paint on the chairs and missed a few spots.

But then I decided I liked it.

So do I sand more spots away? They look really antique-y to me.

And one more . . . 

Bill and I (and by I I mean Bill) refinished this piece for me last year.

I added Prima rub-ons on the top and sides

but it was super white.

So this morning I attacked it with Tim Holtz Distress Ink and a tiny brush

and now it's all distressed and toned down.

I love antiques.

Always have.

Always will.

Send me your ideas!

Comments

[Tom Wethington]

As always, you and Bill do such a great job with projects like this. Love the island. Not sure I would do anything with your china cabinet other than leave it be...it is a classic and while it may not be "on trend," classics never go out of style. Love the white cabinets with the distress ink....made me think of distressing our Mom and Dad's kitchen cabinets on Twinbrook in Rock Hill. Perhaps that was part of your training in the decorating arts? ;-) Love you!

[Nancy Wethington]

Tom, I've been distressing/antiquing and altering furniture since I was in high school. First thing ever done was my Grandma's antique dresser in my room on Leona. I was a sophomore in high school.

[Kathy Scott]

Try changing just the hardware first on your hutch, you may like just that change enough to not want to paint it.