Occasionally, when I’m not looking for a new project, a new project finds me. That was exactly the case with this particular buffet.
I found it at a local thrift store while out with my daughter. She was on the hunt for a costume for her school play, but the second I spotted this brightly colored buffet, I was hooked. From the looks of it, I’d guess it was once used in a little girl’s room as a dresser or vanity. The paint job was, well… a lot. But underneath all those colors, I could see it had good bones—it just needed a little love.
Should I have brought it home? Probably not. Did I already have more than enough projects waiting for me? Absolutely. But sometimes, I just can’t leave a piece behind. I feel like I have to rescue them.
Luckily, it was small enough to fit in the back of my tiny SUV—though my daughter wasn’t exactly thrilled about it.
The Makeover Plan
Once I got it home, I had to decide how to update it. The first thing to go? The handles. I cannot stand when people use two knobs in place of a drawer pull. It looks bizarre, it costs extra, and it just doesn’t make sense. So, I filled all the holes with Kwik wood.
I used a piece of painters tape to make a template of the new handles post distance and then drilled new hole. I swapped out the ugly knobs for sleek cup handles to give it a more sophisticated look.
As for the paint, I had a quart of Heirloom Traditions Mediterranean Blue that I picked up at a garage sale for just $5. Originally, I planned to paint the entire piece that deep blue, but as I stripped the paint on a corner just to see. I realized the wood underneath was gorgeous. It was in perfect condition!
So, I changed direction. I stripped the paint off the top and the drawers, leaving the natural wood exposed.
The hardest part was getting all of the excess paint out of the cracks and crevices. That’s when dental tools come in handy during DIY. You can pick up a set at most hardware stores or on Amazon.
I used tung oil to seal and protect the wood. It’s a nice natural finish that doesn’t tint the wood.
To paint the rest of the piece, I gave the body a quick light sanding so that the new paint would have something to grip onto. Then I used a 1.5 inch brush to trim out the edges before using a 4 inch foam roller to roll the body.
Because the previous owner had painted the inside of the drawers, I decided instead of stripping them, I would paint them in the Mediterranean blue.
I’ve always loved the contrast of wood and paint—it’s a great compromise for couples where one person loves wood furniture and the other prefers painted. (Let’s be honest, it’s usually the husband who wants wood and the wife who wants paint.)
The Final Look
With the new two-tone design, fresh cup handles, and a beautifully refinished wood top, this little buffet had a whole new lease on life. And apparently, I wasn’t the only one who fell in love with it—it sold right away when I put it in the shop!
The Mediterranean blue is extremely sophisticated. This is fast become one of my favorite colors to use on projects that I think need to grow up a little bit. The heirloom tradition paints are an all in one paint, which makes them nice to use because you don’t need a topcoat and it is self leveling so the finish is extremely smooth. if you’re a novice painter starting with Heirloom Traditions will make all of your projects look like you’ve been doing this for years.
This is one of those transformations that’s so dramatic, people can’t believe it’s the same piece. But that’s the beauty of solid wood furniture—it can be transformed again and again. There’s no reason to send quality furniture to landfills when it can be rescued, refinished, and given a whole new look.
If I had wanted to, I could have stripped all the paint and refinished it as a full wood piece. That’s exactly why I always encourage people to buy solid wood furniture over flimsy laminate pieces. The cost is often the same, but the possibilities with real wood are endless.
So next time you see an outdated thrift store piece? Give it a second look. And if DIY isn’t your thing, stop into one of my shops—you just might find the perfect refinished piece waiting for you!
Love a good before-and-after? Check out this $20 dresser makeover. If this transformation inspired you, please share it on your favorite social media platform! You never know who might need a little furniture makeover motivation today.
