Farmhouse Hutch

I bought this classic Ethan Allen hutch from my friend Tamara. She is the owner of Encore, the sweetest boutique ever. New and vintage clothing, furniture and home decor... a little bit of everything. Tamara wears sparkly eye liner. every. day. Cause she's cool like that.

When I went to pick up my treasure, Tamara told me somewhat sheepishly, she had just noticed that it had AMBER glass. As if amber glass might cause me to unbuy it. I don't know if you have ever had glass replaced, but it's cheap. Like, this might have cost $10 to replace kind of cheap. But really. Who ever thought that amber glass was a good idea? Did they not have eyes in 1973?

Turns out, I did not need to replace the glass. When I was working on my family room last week, I watched every single episode of Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines, maybe more than once. Maybe four times. As a result, I want to move to Waco, TX and make them be my friends. It could happen. At the very least, I want a farmhouse. Or maybe I could just try to make this hutch Gaines-worthy. That may be more realistic. Darn it.

I started by removing the jail bars on the hutch top, just pried them out with a hammer and wood filled the holes. I hate those things. Jail bars and amber glass are the braces and acne of furniture. 

I used my upholstery stapler to replace the amber glass with chicken wire, which, come to find out, really hurts when it pokes you in the eye! I would not recommend trying to prove me wrong. 

It is painted with Amy Howard One Step Paint in a mix of Bauhaus Buff and Linen and the top is stained with Minwax dark walnut. The cup pulls are from Hobby Lobby, because I live there.

If you are in the Kansas City area, this is available at Restoration Emporium. If you happen to live in Waco, TX ~ I might deliver.

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Painting The Wood Paneling....Finally!

Hey! How ya doing?

It has been, like, 700,000 years since I last blogged, so I may be a little rusty ~ but let's give her a whirl!

We have lived in our current home for almost 2 years. And, I don't like it. I don't like the low ceilings and the walls. There are a LOT of walls. And jail bars. This house was built in 1969, long before the term "open concept" meant anything. The family room has dark paneled walls and is dungeon like with our very comfortable, dark leather furniture. So, here's the thing. I CAN FIX THIS!! I just hadn't.

My husband (bless his heart) does not enjoy the process of fixing things. The mess and chaos is just not his thing. This may be some kind of psychiatric issue for me, but, I could care less. Like, I don't even notice it. I could step over cords and furniture and mess like it wasn't even there. As long as there is an end in sight, a reason for the disarray, I am happy to adjust. Him, not so much.

I do my projects when he is not home. Thankfully (is that even okay to say?), he travels a bit for work so I have some free time. I knew a few months ago that he would be gone this week for a family wedding and that I would not be going. Kids going back to school, two vacations already this summer yada, yada yah~just couldn't do it. So I have been secretly shopping and pinning and collecting in preparation for this week.

When we moved into this house, the main wall in the family room looked like this. My only picture, I hated it so much.

A friend of mine had removed some of her built in shelving and asked if I wanted it.

I altered it and added it to the giant rock wall and made a mantle from cheap wood and I liked it a little more, but the dark walls...ugggh.

So when Lloyd left this time, operation "Get Your Crap Together Chrystal" began. I didn't tell him anything about it and had hoped to surprise him when he came home but, he found out because he Facebook stalks me. I should have known.

First to go was the jail bars between the kitchen and family room. Better already. Then, filling and sanding at least a million knot holes in the wood. Then paint. Thank you Tiny Baby Jesus for paint. For reals, I love paint. And Jesus. Not in that order.

Here is where I started

This is the end of day one. See the mess? I am glad you do. I do not see it :-)

After a few days of this "disorganization" let's call it, it's done. Now, why on earth did I wait so long?  

The wall color is a Lowe's color called Stone Mason Gray mixed in Benjamin Moore Advance paint. The trim is White Cloud also mixed in BM Advance. A quick word about this paint, I love it!! The guys at the BM store I use know that I paint furniture and that I don't use their paint to do it. They are forever trying to get me to use their Advance line on my furniture, its a waterborne alkyd paint which means it acts like an oil base paint but cleans up with water. It is amazing. Self leveling and HARD! I have already made a trip back to the store to thank them!!

Thanks for all of the kind words on my Shabbiest Chick facebook page! Facebook seems to be easier for me than blogging regularly but I am going to try to do better! I promise, I am!! 

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