Vintage Buffet Makeover

2 Materials
$100
3 Days
Medium

This beautiful vintage buffet gets a makeover with a rich, dark gray paint, and a warm wood-stained top to bring it back to life.


Do you remember this vintage buffet that I bought last summer? I finally had time to give it the makeover it’s been waiting for (thanks to Delta canceling our flights and stranding us at home for Spring Break, but that’s another story…)

What attracted me to this beauty in the first place was all the pretty details, especially the curvy spindle legs.

The color was an unattractive orangey maple, and the top had some damage, but I knew I could fix her up.

When Dixie Belle Paint sent me a can of their new Golden Ash No Pain Gel Stain, it was the motivation I needed to get started on giving this vintage buffet her makeover. (And also that I was unexpectedly stuck in Iowa during Spring Break and needed something to take my mind off my sorrows…)


Vintage Buffet Makeover

Look at her now!

It’s a night and day difference, don’t you think?

The combo of Black Sands Silk Mineral Paint, layered with Best Dang Wax in white is stunning!

And, the Golden Ash No Pain Gel Stain transformed that damaged maple top into a showstopper! Just look at that woodgrain.

I am partnering with the Dixie Belle Paint Company for this post. Paint, stain, and supplies were generously provided to me by Dixie Belle, but all ideas and creations are my own.

Prep

I began by giving the whole buffet a good cleaning with Dixie Belle’s Pristine Clean.

Using my favorite Ryobi Corner Cat sander, I scuff-sanded all the flat surfaces of the buffet, including the drawers.

These flexible Rad Pads worked great for sanding around all those curvy legs, and the crevices of the pretty drawer details.

The top of the buffet needed more extensive sanding because of the damage, but my Ryobi Corner Cat made short work of it and soon revealed the beautiful wood grain beneath.

Ready for Paint

After thoroughly wiping down the buffet down with tack cloth to remove all the dust, I was ready to paint.

Black Sands Silk Mineral Paint was my choice for this project. Don’t let the name fool you– this paint isn’t a true black, but more of a rich, deep gray just like the black sand beaches in Hawaii.

I flipped the buffet upside down to access the leg details more easily. My small round Dixie Belle brush was perfect for getting in all the nooks and crannies.

These furniture moving wheels are so helpful when painting a big piece like this. They allowed me to turn the buffet as needed while painting, and easily wheel it in and out of the garage.

The Drawers

I used Duck Clean Release painter’s tape to make sure I had crisp paint lines on the top and sides of each drawer.

Then I applied Dixie Belle’s Howdy-Do Hemp Seed Oil on the inside and outside of both drawers. The hemp oil worked wonders to condition and revive the old wood!

Best Dang Wax

After two coats of Black Sands Silk had dried overnight, I was ready to move on to waxing.

I love the deep, rich gray base color, and wanted to highlight all of those intricate details to make them stand out even more.

Dixie Belle’s Best Dang Wax in White worked perfectly for this. Using a premium chip brush, I worked the white wax into the details on the base of the buffet, the drawers, and into all those spindly legs.

After letting it set for about 20 minutes I buffed it with a lint-free cloth.

It turned out so pretty!

I love how it settled into the details with sort of a hazy, almost oxidized look. It definitely adds some “age” to this piece.

The brass hardware that came with the buffet is lovely, but a little too golden against the new gray color.

I easily fixed that by rubbing just a little Bronze Gilding Wax into them with my finger, and then gently buffing them the next day. It gave them a nice luster, and toned down the yellow to make them work well with the new color of the buffet.

No Pain Gel Stain

Next it was time to accent that beautiful wood grain I had uncovered by sanding.

Using an applicator pad, I applied an even layer of Dixie Belle’s new Golden Ash Gel Stain, allowed it to set for just a couple of minutes, and then wiped back any excess with a shop cloth.

I gave this buffet two coats of stain, allowing several hours of dry time between each coat.

Then, I allowed the second coat to dry for several days before coming back to apply a top coat of Dixie Belle’s Satin Clear using a Blue Sponge Applicator to avoid lines and streaks.

I love the warm brown tones of the Golden Ash No Pain Gel Stain.

The Satin Clear Coat gives just the very slightest sheen that really accentuates the wood grains. It’s my very favorite of all the various DB top coats.

Drawer Liner

Finally, I added this pretty peel & stick wallpaper as drawer liner. I didn’t actually stick it down, but just cut it to size and laid it inside the drawers.

Now the inside of the drawers are just as beautiful as the rest of this piece.

Don’t you love it when your vision for a piece comes to life?

Happy Painting,

You can see more furniture makeovers from The House on Silverado Check out all my Dixie Belle Paint Projects HERE.

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Suggested materials:
  • Dixie Belle Paint   (website)
  • Vintage buffet   (Marketplace)
Niky | The House on Silverado
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  • Debra Debra on Jun 20, 2023

    I usually don’t paint old

    pieces but this is an amazing transformation. I love it.

  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Jun 21, 2023

    The 'old' furniture was so well made, it's heartbreaking to even think about trashing it. Craftsmen from years ago took pride in their work, which is why it held up so well. Nicks and dings give it character! Thank you Niky for saving those oldies but goodies. Love your work.

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