"click on photo's enlarge"
Creating clam spaces for a simple way of living, finding beauty in the imperfections that comes with age and history. A buffet to love, it came to me in poor shape with dark stain and overly lacquered high gloss finish. With over looking the splits in the buffet top, doors and drawers not wanting to close properly, most would only see this piece less then desirable. Of course seeing the light in it, I started to strip, sand, repairing, priming, and painting with an aged white finish to it. Finding great pieces in any shape and painting them in shades of whites make an even better impression if the background is calm, and peaceful.
Using this piece in a creative way against an entry way wall will leave a lasting impression on those who enter, and those who leave.
"I rather like battered pieces that have a bit of history." Adding old pieces that have been loved a little to much, and choosing pieces because they inspire your home. Not just antiques, but pieces that have been rescued, and then breathing new life into them. Objects up-cycled from salvaged pieces that make them desirable, rather then new trendy pieces will speak in volumes to any room. Recycling furniture and found objects will always give your home an air of individuality.
There are no rules in designing with flea market, thrift shop, and estate tag sale finds. The only rule I will pass on is to be inspired by it, bringing beautiful things back to life, and the piece will love you for it.
78 comments:
I love what you have done with your buffet!
It is fresh and looks perfect in your lovely home...Your artistic talents know no bounds!
:)
It is GOOOOORgeous!! I love the shape. Wow, you strip before you sand?! I'm impressed! :) Cute cloche.. a tall bell one like that is on my most-wanted list. ;) Take care sweet.
Lara
What a great buffet. I can see why you love it. The nice thing about having things that have been previously loved and aren't too perfect is that if something happens to it, like it gets a little dent is that you don't notice or it makes it look even better :)
Dore I love how you have decorated this piece - just stunning. Sandy xx
I just purchased a piece similar tho this in Salvation Army! I haven't worked on it yet but am now so inspired to - thank you. This is stunning
Not only can you paint and bring to life...you've got some mad styling skills! Wire baskets and roughed up wood never looked SO amazing :) LOVE IT!!!
Dore,
What a beautiful buffet! You did an amazing job on it. (of course you did!!) And I am LOVING the chair....yum yum!
xoxo,
Shellagh
I couldn't agree more, Doré. Your sideboard is loving with it's beautiful vignettes. Love your style, bet your home is beautiful everywhere. YOU inspire!
xo~Tracie
I really like how your buffet turned out. It is beautiful! I also like how you staged the top too.
Your buffet turned out so beautifully! I especially love the way you have styled it from top to bottom!
Your buffet is gorgeous and so nicely staged. I am also eyeing a beautiful chair next to it. Did you paint and reupholster that chair, too?
You have to remember you are a gifted artist with a keen eye for arranging and displaying, exquisite display and painting, so best we can do is apply your tricks of the trade, so thank you for sharing the visual eye candy.
Cheers,
Joanny
Oh how perfect these IMPERFECTIONS are for us who love the beauty of age. I love everything you create ma belle! Keep having fun, for WE benefit by the results of your dreams.....Bisous, Anita
Oh Dore...it is just perfect! Love the vignettes that sit on top too. I always leave here inspired and ready to see things in a new way, thank you!!
A girl can never have enough storage either. So pretty
I love your buffet and the vignette on top too. I just found your lovely blog.
Carolyn
What a gorgeous piece! I love how your renewed it, so pretty! I just love pieces that have 'a memory'.
It's AMAZING!!! I love it! Your style blows me away!
XO
G'day my friend~Always enjoy my visit and seeing what you have rescued this time.Awesome job and photo.~Cheers Kim
~GORGEOUS~ Hugs, Rachel
It's beautiful Dore. I love what you did with it! I tried to get over to the antique station the other day, but it got late with errand running, kids had places to be, and I wasn't sure how late they were opened. I'm still trying :-)
Blessings,
Marcia
...simply "a-Dore" the wire bins and burlap satchel peeking out from underneath!
lovely!!
xo, Rosemary
I think you need to come give my pieces a makeover!
Just beautiful!!
I love what you did with it.
Rosemary
Dore your buffet is a dream, fantastic work! Have a great weekend. Greetings Alexandra
Your Buffet is beautiful! So true, Dore... most would just pass a piece like that up... but you have an eye for seeing what a piece could be and making it so. Love the serene vignette you've created as well... gorgeous!
Have a great weekend my friend!
Hugs ~ Jo
Dore..what a beautiful piece of furniture..I love the distressed finish on it...just perfect..and your display n top is very dreamy..I love the little bird picture..I think it says " your devoted admirer" so simple and sweet the look..You make me want to start refinishing a piece of furniture!!! xoxo Marlene
Ma chère Doré,
You are always so kind and beautiful and wonderful, as so are your creations. Your visits are always uplifting, and we share so many things, such as the love of white and GRAY! I thought of you as I was doing this new post, and do you know that I KNEW you would love that darling little gray desk at the end of the post. NOW I WANT to go out and find a little old, nothing of a desk, and paint it exactly that color of gray!! The last photo is of a table that I found in the trash and then painted a light gray!!!!! Then I just chipped it a bit. I LOVE IT. I send you my fondest wishes for a magical weekend as it makes its way into our lives, to EMBRACE the season of memories...bises, Anita
Hi Dore,
love what you did with it!!! Will you please come over and help me out with a little cabinet I bought?? Have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs,
Marie
Wow, Dore - this is just beautiful! You age your pieces to perfection, you know that? :) What a stunning piece to welcome visitors...ok...so I'm jealous...... lol! Happy WW!
xoxo laurie
Perfect, tis white buffet - it's the patina, that makes all the difference! I want to redecorate my hallway now, where's the next felamarket ;)
Good morning my precious Doré...thank you again for such kind words of true commaradery; you really make MY DAY when you come to visit with me....thank you for always making me feel so special. Don't you just love this time of year? It brings us so many ideas for our palates of artistic expression....and may you enjoy a fine weekend filled with lovely things.....Bisous, Anita
You did such a wonderful job restoring her back to her beauty. This would make an impression on anyone who enters and sees it.
Enjoy your weekend.
Kathleen
Dore, I just adore
your style...What
a gorgeous piece
and you truly did
it justice with the
refinishing! Just
saw one of your signs
over at Debra's blog...
They always make me
smile!
xx Suzanne
Dore, I just love this buffet- I wish I had a place to put one- And you continue to impress me with the way you take "imperfect" treasures and make them perfect.
Cheers-
Aubrey
thank you so much for following me! I, too,will enjoy following you. your blog is beautiful. I often wonder why I love imperfection so much. I guess it's the histor, the texture, the story something tells. we would be boring, too if we were perfect!
thanks so much,
gail
adventuresininnkeeping.blogspot.com
Thank you Dore, for your lovely comment on my collage-chair! Oh, i'd love to see these wardrobe doors you did, as well as the other things. The thing is, collages can get you going and somehow they make you jump over any artist block or border you might be facing. They are so playful! Glad i discovered your pretty place here, will come more often. Have a fab day :)
You always have the most incredible transformations. Everything you touch turns out gorgeous!
Just gorgeous, Dore. Your paint finish is wonderful and I love your accessories on top, A really pretty and serene vignette. Did you see the post that I showed your "sanctuary" sign? I think it was last Wednesday for White Wednesday. I just love it, and so did everyone else,
big hugs,
Debra
Such a beautiful post and beautiful piece of furniture!! I simply love it's elegant worn look!!
Hugs to you, sweets!
~Terrell @ FrouFrou Decor~
Thank you for your nice comment and prayers today...it has been a bit tough, and bless Cindy, she's been having some too!
I love the Buffet!
dearest dore~
you will lOvE the jean d arc magazine...it is exactly what you are all about girl! i just discovered it myself this year. it is very difficult to find...no you cannot order it from a usa bookstore. only a few bloggers sell it. i get mine from tracey at *french larkspur*...she has a blog and a shop and she wraps them up so pretty and ships them to you in the most gentle care. you will find her link on my bloglist...www.frenchlarkspur.blogspot.com
let me know if you need anymore help finding it. each issue cost $32 includes shipping.
Dear Dore,
This is just beautiful! I love how you wrote to... just be inspired by what you find at estate sales etc and bring beautiful things back to life; that the piece will love you for it. You are so talented, both in painting and with words. Thanks so much for this!
Ann
You did such a great job of distressing it in all the right places. Love the baskets you placed below it also.
that came out amazing!
Hi Dore,
I came over to say "hi" and see how you're doing! I wanted to tell you that the pic of Hannah looks like she's in a limo--very chic!!
Sending hugs your way!!!
XO
Cindy
The details on this are amazing-looks great!
That is just lovely, really wonderful! Theresa xoxo
What a lovely little buffet. She's got great legs!
Ma belle Doré,
YOU ARE SO SWEET! TEEEEHEEEEE!!!! I too remember this Nancy Sinatra song and I COVETED THOSE WHITE GO GO BOOTS! I never got a pair because my father was so frugal. I cried over those boots and one day he came home and said, "Mijha (chèrie in Spanish), I found your white boots, let's go get them!" Well, you can only imagine how excited I was. We went to a thrift store and he said, "THERE THEY ARE!" To my chagrin, they were a pair of white rubber galoshes lined in white fur. Not quite what I had in mind. I cried more.
TEEEEHEHEEEEE! What a dad.....oh and I grew up as an only child in the inner city, giving me a lot of time to develop a silly imagination; that has never left me, so I actually do not run out of ideas!!!!
THANK YOU SWEET ONE for always encouraging me to be ME.
Mille bisous, Anita
It is beautiful. I love bird nests and burlap too. I have to wash it really good before I sew with it. You have so much beautiful pictures in your blog! Eye candy.
Truly gorgeous restoration...and a beautiful vignette on top too! Love your entry! ~Sheilla
Oh this is gorgeous! Excellent job...it is just so much fun breathing new life back into a piece.
Hugs,
Olivia
How pretty! Just when I think I need to add a shot of color, I visit your peaceful place on the web and I dig my heels in for my white:)
Hi Dore! You have such a talent for painting and transforming furniture!! I LOVE your style!!! This piece is incredible!
Hugs ~
:) T
you are so creative and the outcome end result just stunning! love the piece! thanks for sharing. have a great weekend!
xo
fitty
Hi again Dore!!
Thank for stopping by. You said you liked the chair. That is the chair I had covered using a dropcloth. I love it too!
We do get a lot of kids at our door on Halloween.
Have a wonderful weekend!!
xo,
Rosemary
What a lovely way to give this piece a new life!
--Lee Ann
I love it...I just made over a old buffet with similar lines as yours....Yours is fabulous
Love the french piece in this post. You have wonderful taste.
I just did a post of my kitchen where the cabinets are reclaimed barn wood. I'm thinking about putting a chandilier above the table and would love your advice.
My Southern Front Porch
You wouldn't even know that this piece had imperfections. It now looks like something that should be in a magazine. Very, very pretty!
What a gorgeous buffet. It's just perfect! I love an old, discarded treasure. It is my passion to turn something old and worn into something beautiful. I love to use my imagination to come up with a new use for an old thing. To love it again as it was meant to be loved!
Great job!
God Bless,
Kathleen
Hi Dore~
I love your buffet! (You can never go wrong with white!) I love the distressed look, too! So pretty! :)
Thank you so much for stopping by Beautiful Nest and saying hello! It always makes my day when you visit! :)
I hope you have a beautiful weekend!
YOU ARE THE MASTER!!! Look how gorgeous this is! Just love all your work=0)
Have a great weekend,
XOXO,
Carol
Dore,
I love your taste and simple style. You give so much love to your finds and you are very good at it! Thanks for sharing more inspiration!
Lisa
Thank you for your lovely comments. I enjoy seeing each new piece you paint, you do such a good job making them look old, not as easy a task as most may thing. I hope you have a great weekend.
Hi Doré!
Thanks for you sweet visit over at my little blog!
LOVE (LOVE!) this post & your photos. Especially the last one. Absolutely lovely!
Happy weekend to you,
Zuzu
Hi Dore,
Thanks so much for stopping by, it's nice to meet you! I actually "met" you awhile back in Romantic Homes magazine! How exciting that must have been! I can only imagine how thrilled you were! I love your blog, and your Etsy shop is gorgeous, love your signs!
The buffet looks outstanding...she has great lines! Happy Fall!
Blessings,
Linda
Hi Dore, have just found you blog and am loving it! will be back for more.
alicia
Dore, it is simply beautiful. I love the things you chose to display on it, too. It sounds like the buffet we redid a few years ago...but it is black now...Love, Lezlee
Dore,
So many bloggers love you and your talents and mostly your soul. It comes through so beautifully in everything you do and say. Your beauty is boundless. Thank you for coming over and leaving a birthday wish for my boy:) He's doing great by the way and I'm always asking him if he's made contact with Hannah yet? I think it's up to us :)
Do you two have any plans at the end of this month? We are coming for Parents Weekend which I think is Halloween weekend and I would love to set up a dinner for all of us in Westwood. My favorite restaurant is Native Foods. Have you heard of it?
It's vegetarian. I first discovered it in Palm Springs. I crave it!!
Anyway, I just want you to know you and Hannah are never far from my thoughts and I cannot wait to see you both in person.
Have a wonderful week and let's make a plan to meet up later this month is possible.
Lots of Love always,
Terri
oh, in love!!! its all soooo gorgeous, left an impression on me!!!!
..wow! ...great piece!
So perfect. You really do such a fabulous job. I love the wire baskets underneath and the naturescape on top. All so lovely! Fiona
Dore, I was just reading about Rene's new camera from Miss Gracie's House. She just got a Canon SX Powershot 30. I have a Canon digital powershot straight and shoot(in turqoise!) but someday I want a bigger camera. My son bought his sweetheart the Canon Rebel and she loves it. I definetly would go with Canon. Though I've heard many praise their Nixon's too. I've favored Canon's ever since my H.S photo class. Good luck! ox
This is stunning! I love the wire baskets underneath, so beautiful! Your transformations are always such a delight to see!
Take care
Kristin
Hi Dore,
Thank you so kindly for offering to do a guest post. I would like to know if I could use your Gypsy Tassel Post from April and use it as my guest post! Hope you are having a wonderful Holiday Season!
Blessings,
Lisa
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