I had been looking for a new piece of furniture to put in the kitchen dining area. When I switched our round dining table with the farm table, it left more room for a narrow “something”. The “something” I found was very smelly and the hardware needed a little makeover. Today I am going to share how I spruced up a new buffet for the kitchen.
Here is the buffet I found on marketplace. It is perfectly stripped and a bit rough, just the way I like it. There really isn’t much to do for this makeover (for once), but if you could smell it, oh boy!
The first thing I always do is assess the situation and come up with a plan of action. Cleaning and a little hardware makeover was all this piece needed. Addressing the smell was my first priority. You can see another smelly antique I cleaned here.
How To Clean Smelly Antique Furniture
It was smelly, but not the kind that I worried wouldn’t come out. My first step for cleaning is Dawn and warm water. Because of the smell, I added vinegar to the water as well.
I quickly realized this piece was “hose worthy”, meaning I didn’t feel it would ever get clean any other way. You always want to be cautious when you use the hose. I didn’t use it on the drawers that had a laminate layer on them, just to be safe. I sprayed it all down, scrubbed with the Dawn mixture, and sprayed it down again.
A final washing with Murphy’s oil soap completed the process. I waited to wash the exterior with the Murphy’s until I decided whether or not I was going to put a finish on the buffet.
Creating An Antique Brass Finish On The Hardware
The original hardware had a bright shiny finish (much more so than in the photo). Funny, it had probably been cleaned and refinished. And I know, it’s pretty! It just wouldn’t look that way on an aged piece of furniture, and really didn’t create the look I was trying to achieve.
To give the hardware an antique brass finish, I first sprayed it with oil rubbed bronze spray paint.
Next, I gave it an uneven spritz of gold, letting the bronze show through.
Finally, I dabbed on dark wax with a paper towel.
Perfect! Much more appropriate for the age and worn state of this piece.
Finishing the Buffet and Future Plans
I decided to the leave the buffet in its stripped state and wash with the oil soap. The wood on this buffet was really dry. The oil soap adds a bit of moisture, but I will probably use Feed-N-Wax on the inside, just to give it more protection. I also need to add magnetic closures to help hold the doors shut. Very typical issue with old furniture.
I also have plans to rebuild a hutch to put on top of the buffet. If it works out, I’ll be sharing that soon!
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Thanks for stopping by,
Janet