How we transformed a bulky thrifted piece of furniture into a chic modern glam buffet with brass spray paint, hardware, and grasscloth wallpaper.
It always starts the same way. The classic thrifty furniture makeover. The Cinderella story. The underdog.
I think there’s a reason why secondhand furniture makeovers have a special place in my heart. Because I’m a sucker for a good underdog tale.
And this one wasn’t exactly the head of the pack when I found it on Facebook Marketplace a few weeks ago.
It wasn’t terrible; it just wasn’t my style. But it had good bones and was solid as a rock. So we decided it was totally worth busting out the power tools and paint.
Supplies Used:
(Some affiliate links are provided below. Full disclosure here.)
- Circular saw
- Power drill
- Power sander with medium grit sanding pads
- Tack cloth and/or shop vac (if you have one)
- Wood filler
- Spray primer
- Fusion Mineral Paint in Picket Fence
- 2″ angled sash brush (great for getting into corners and tight cabinets)
- Brass & frosted glass pulls
- Brass knobs
- Furniture feet (They work on chairs & sofas too)
- Rustoleum metallic gold spray paint (my favorite modern brass paint ever)
- Removable grasscloth wallpaper
The Steps:
1. Since we wanted to change the silhouette of the buffet while keeping it the same height, we decided to cut off the bottom boards to make the bottom of the buffet look less bulky. So we removed all of the screws in the bottom boards first.
2. Then Robert just ran his circular saw along the seam to cut off the buffet’s base.
3. On the drawers, I used wood filler on the knob holes and sanded it down when dry to have a fresh start for the new pulls I wanted to add.
4. We moved the sanding dust with tack cloth and a shop vac and hauled it outside to prime.
5. I don’t always prime furniture (but when I do… sorry. Dos Equis joke. 😉 ) But whenever I’m painting white onto a dark wood piece of furniture, I apply primer or spray shellac as a stain blocker to prevent any bleed-through causing the white paint to turn pink.
6. While the spray primer was drying on the buffet, I sprayed the furniture legs my favorite brass spray paint since I didn’t love the shiny yellow-y gold finish on the legs before.
7. Once everything was dry, we flipped the buffet on its back and attached the legs in the corners of the base with the drill.
8. Then I gave everything two coats of the Fusion Mineral Paint Picket Fence.
9. For the glass fronts on the doors, I applied the removable grass cloth wallpaper, moving slowly from one side and carefully pressing out any air bubbles with a wallpaper smoother along the way.
10. Once I put the glass back in the doors and attached the doors and drawers with new hardware, voila! Fancy new buffet!
It really does look like a super pricey designer version of another buffet I’d found as inspiration for this one.
And in all, it cost about $350 for the buffet itself + paint + pulls + knobs + feet all together. Not too shabby.
If we ever decide we don’t want the grasscloth anymore, it’s completely removable. So we can always switch it back to glass doors if we want. I love the subtle texture it adds and the fact that it can conceal everything stored inside of the buffet.
I still have to figure out how to style the top.
What would you do? A pair of buffet lamps maybe? Leave it plain? Add just a bowl and/or tray for an accent?
Some days I absolutely love this mirror gallery wall in our dining room, and then some days I crave simplicity.
It stays for now though. And it feels a lot more cozy and grounded with this beaut underneath it. Someone on Instagram said I should name it Betty White, so that’s her name from here on out. 😉
Seems fitting. Spunky and sassy yet always a class act.
If you want more thrifty furniture makeover ideas, you can see them all here.
And if you ever feel intimidated to paint furniture, don’t be! You can start with this Beginner’s Guide to Painting Furniture. Fair warning: it’s totally addicting. Just add coffee and good tunes and it’s instant therapy.
LOVE!!!!!!!
Beautiful job! Did I miss it or can you share the source of the furniture legs? Thanks, Betty
Thanks, Betty! The legs are linked in the supplies list. 🙂
What a fantastic makeover. It looks like a brand new, high end piece of furniture.
I think the whole arrangement of the dark wall, the gold mirrors and the mirrors picking up the gold knobs is absolutely beautiful. It is very, very classy looking. I hope you decide to keep what you have already done. Perhaps just a very low, long bowl would work for something to go on top of the buffet. Lamps would distract from your already gorgeous wall.
Gorgeous! I would do greenery and maybe a low wide bowl or two on top.
Wow, I love the change. So attractive And your photo with your husband is very cute.
Well let me just pull my tongue back in my mouth! That looks fantastic. One of the many things I love about you is that y’all are not afraid of a challenge! Okay, here’s another… all the things you do are fabulous! Y’all make a great team! Love it!
I love it ! I think it really looks great with your mirror wall. Everything picks up from the wall color, the buffet and the gold.
For the mirror ensemble, you might consider going with an odd number of pieces rather than the even number eight that are currently on display. I am never happy with even numbers and lean to either three’s or fives’s for groupings on tabletops or walls.
Another project well done and inspirational! Maybe simplify mirrors, keeping some. They look great, but coming down so low, it may be too busy with the addition of things on top of buffet. I agree with previous reply to add some greenery. Maybe mirrors would all work with low profile items on top of buffet…..I know you will solve the “design dilemma!” Have fun!
O.M.G. Absolutely stunning! I am going to be on the look-out for a buffet on Craigslist now!
I LOVE your Betty White! You have such ‘vision’!
WOW! Amazing! She is beautiful! Great job.
Oh, Just Love Betty!!! I think she needs some greenery to tie the whole wall into life. Gorgeous Betty will steal the show!
Love, love, love this! ❤️
Great makeover! Thanks for the tip on the feet!
Love he leg addition, i takes on a dramatically look, good idea. I will remember that while looking for my rescued piece of furniture. The mirror wall you created, made me do this too my dIning room, get lots of compliments on this. Enjoy your posts!
Where did you get legs?
Oh my I don’t even know what to say except fabulous!!! I’m jealous and want your Betty White. It’s really stunning. Loving the grasscloth. You guys did an amazing job.
That is just darling! So classy.
Oh my gosh, it is beautiful! I love how it turned out!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
It was definitively the right choice to go with the grasscloth Lauren. It looks so smart and sophisticated.
WOW!! Well done, guys!
If you keep the mirrors I’d not put anything on top – except maybe a runner to protect it?
If you simplify the wall then I agree low basket and greenery or low basket with moss balls or something earthy like that.
But that wall needs no competition and looks great still – truly. Don’t add anything else to detract from it.
Wow! That is spectacular! I’ve been putting off painting (from cherry wood to white) an entertainment center that I recently bought second-hand because I’m intimidated by the size (and intricacy). But now I’m inspired. I’ll go read your how-to posts first! Thanks so much!
This looks amazing. I have two pieces of my grandmothers furniture I have to refinish this summer and i am terrified. This post along with your ‘how to’ will be my go-to guide. Thanks so much!!
You both did such a beautiful job on the buffet. I always admire your creativity and definitely your DIYs. I do think there are too many mirrors above this beautiful piece. Maybe just enough mirrors to balance the width of the buffet would look nice. The buffet would look great with two lamps but might be overwhelming with all those mirrors above it. You don’t want anything to detract from this lovely piece. Less is more might be the way to go. Please continue to post DIYs. Everything that you do is always perfectly done and inspiring. I did copy your botanical wall in my dining room and I get so many compliments on it.
You two never fail to amaze me! Y’all have such a fantastic sense of style, and you know just what to do to pull it off. Now I want to paint my buffet white! You’re killing me Lauren! Lol!
Stunning! And I love the mirrors. Add greenery (a faux plant perhaps) and candlesticks. Skip the lamps since the height would be competing with mirrors for attention. Once the top is decorated then play with the mirrors if all still seems “off”. Such a fabulous makeover!
I like your version better than the inspiration. Good jo
Find a pair of sparkly or clear glass base lamps and use wire shades only–no fabric, but make sure the shades are shapely, not plain. Put in vintage style amber bulbs for ambiance. Don’t cover up that beautiful gallery of vintage mirrors! BTW….please tell us where you got those neat furniture legs!
oh Lauren, i like YOURS way better than your inspiration piece – EXCELLENT job!
Please don’t change the mirror wall I think it is wonderful ! Your home is Lovely .
What a beautiful piece of furniture, you did a fantastic job!
Not my style, Lauren, but still stunningly beautiful. And if you ever decide to get rid of that long mirror at the very top, let me know! It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for for ages to put over my piano. I just love it and am a little green w/envy that you have it and I don’t! Just teasing, but still…
Haha! Thank you, Naomi. I found that one on Ebay actually to finish the wall of my collection so maybe try there? Or Etsy?
Since you have a very busy wall, Less is more! This looks great. Actually, even without cutting that base off, I think once you painted it, it would have looked good even with that base on it.
It looks a whole lot better than the inspiration piece. Very classy.
That transformation is amazing! I’m in awe of your ability to see a vision for that piece.
Love it! Vote to keep the top minimally decorated or even bare, since the mirrors are so striking 🤩 less stuff = easy dusting . Ha!
It’s very pretty. I love the mirror gallery but can see how it limits using lamps. I would be leaning toward tall candles and greenery. Your closet door marbled looking glass would have been really pretty in place of the grasscloth but you could always do that later. You and Robert are so talented.
Love it! What an amazing transformation
Well done – it’s lovely! I agree with those who think that ‘less’ may be the way to go as that number of mirrors detracts from the beauty of Betty.
I wouldn’t change anything on that mirror wall! I would add long low greenery and low mercury glass candles on timers. (My new favorite thing). Ha. You did Betty White proud!
Love it! Some type of lighting on top in front of the mirrors would be beautiful. Post like this inspires me to try painting furniture. Thanks for sharing. Happy Spring!
I love it all–the buffet, the mirrors. I think it would be perfection with a flowy plant, like a pathos, ivy or philadendum….real or faux! and simple candle sticks on the opposite end.
OMG, this is stunning! You gave me many ideas on a piece I have, but was not sure what to do to it. Thank you for being your wonderful, talent self. I also have two mirrors like some of the ones you got. I love how you have them arranged.