Nautical and Dresser-to-Buffet Upcycle

I love taking something ugly and old and making it great and new again.  On our first trip to Europe, our tour guide Ann Youdan told us about the preservation laws in place for most London apartments and buildings.  You could own, but you had to remodel according to codes, keeping the original period character of buildings in tact, inside and out.  I came to find out, over time, that the same thing was true in most of Europe.

I remember thinking that was wonderful, and how in keeping that was with my own personal philosophy of most everything.  That isn't to say I don't throw things away, but just that I like to imagine the possibilities of how something that has seen better days can have a fresh new look or purpose.  And sometimes old things just beg to have new life, don't you think?  I love old houses, old furniture, old books...well you get the picture.

My mother is remodeling and has some different furniture for her bedroom.  She gave me her old chest of drawers and dresser with mirror.  It was purchased probably in the mid 70's and was that old dark veneered wood.  It wasn't in bad shape in terms of being solid and functional..but it needed a face lift.

I am so anxious to get on with my projects that I think, "aw...should have photographed" right in the middle of the project.  But I have the old headboard still waiting for a new do...and so you can see just what the other two pieces looked like before I got hold of them.  What you see below are pictures of the two finished pieces.  The nautical inspired high boy, with random blue and white striping on the top, has rope pulls.  That was the solution for abnormally wide original pull holes.  I love that.

The chest of drawers was fun because I took the three middle drawers out (you'll see those in a future post) and replaced them with pretty baskets.  I made quick liners to add a touch of color but the baskets would be fine all by themselves.  This could be a great buffet, or used as a dresser again.

The headboard is going back to my mom and will be repainted in the same colors as the other two pieces, and distressed lightly.

And you can see the antique dresser there in the midst of everything..that too will be a feature in an upcoming post.

The best part..I can be as creative as I need to be or want to be, and I can take things down to a fun little store called Sandhills Sage in Johnstown, Nebraska, where I consign some of my projects.