Karen, I feel like I was there with you. I understand your excitement, it's the same rush I get at garage & yard sales when I find something I was dying to have & there it sits, right in front of me. Man, those little kiddo bunnies sure got dirty before you rescued them, like them alot better all cleaned up, they are perfect with momma in your bay window. You sure did good with all your great finds and all things you loved! Amazing how much pain we can endure for our treasure hunts! LOL Some days are just like that, you come home with the car packed to the roof & other days, it's just a hit & miss so-so day!!!

"modernize"?....You mean with a "modern" rug? Don't think it can be done....and still look right. Why not do that strange thing and buy a solid color rug with a bit of texture...in a color very near...or at least the same tone as the sectional in the den. Not going to add color....but you do that with accessories. And I would forget the drum light fixture....How about lowering the one you have on a chain? It will be right with your house and add another dimension to the room. Curtains...canvas in a color very like the rug....perhaps with a trim stripe of grosgrain... And a BIG solid color vase on the floor....maybe burgundy...or a jade green....perhaps even a Weller sort of brown. A runner in the color of the vase....with a heavy glass "thing" in the center...modern in style and heavy glass.....and brass or silver antique candle sticks...in the style of the table. Here is a link that might be useful: rug

Ah, pmartin, I'm glad that the pic brought you over to 'my' side. I bought my first antique at age 16 - a beautiful spool bed that now resides in my guest room. It's all been vintage and antique since then, when at all possible. My sister works at a high end furniture store, and once a year or less, I'll buy a piece from her (no family discount) when it's marked way down. Even my TV armoire in the LR LOOKS older, even though it's new. I just prefer the warmth that I feel is in the older stuff, and it's so well constructed. Igloo, I'm sorry to have to say that the seller had already polished one of the knobs, and it stood out like a sore thumb, so I am reluctantly doing the others to match. I let out a little gasp when she told me that on the phone, and it was too late to stop her. 900 doilies....gee, as tempting (cough) as that sounds, I'm afraid not. I am not an oak fan, even though I have a few pieces, including an old Hoosier cabinet in my dining room. I hope I can make this beauty work somewhere on the first floor, as I'd hate to have it resigned to a bedroom. I want to see it as much as I can each day.

I get where you are coming from, you want something that looks good right now! And don't want to spend a lot of money on something you don't love or won't want for long. Two ideas. #1. Clear off all the junk on top of your current buffet. Go to Michaels or Bed Bath and Beyond or some home goods store around you and get some low storage baskets, not too tall, like maybe 6". You can put some of the junk in there to hide it if you want, like board games, linens or desk items that you might use on the dining table some of the time. While you are there, get a light colored tablecloth that goes with your desired color scheme. I'm not sure why everyone avoids tablecloths, I can't live without them, and I can't think of an easier way to "lighten up" a dark brown wood table and lessen its dark presence in a room. Later on you can take it off. Also while you are there, get some fun blingy shades for your current chandelier in a light color you like. Maybe even some crystal bling to hang off of it or shades with crystal edging. And while you are at it, get some cheap square frames the size that would suit a calendar art page or old record sleeve. You can then make a quick and dirty inexpensive art montage to go atop your current black buffet. Pick something colorful and bold that you can see from up there. Done for now, and you can wait to find the perfect hutch. Idea #2. Go to IKEA and find a plain jane white hutch set. The one Nosoccermom posted would be perfect. Doll it up with some shelf paper on the back and a fancy set of knobs, or not. Done for now. Once you get your nice things in it, it will look great. That's what I did in my last house. I still have the IKEA stuff in a different iteration in my current home, as bookshelves in the library, so not money wasted. Now I have inherited "Big Bertha" my mom's Rococo revival china cabinet. Suggestion #2 will give you a chance to figure out if you want or need a hutch as opposed to a buffet and also give you time again to find the perfect antique or more expensive piece. Or not, you may find that IKEA is fine for your needs. Since I see you are in NJ, there may be some unpainted furniture stores around you. The one near me was just over the river in Allentown where I used to live. That would be another option, as I mentioned, if you don't want to try and refinish an already finished piece. Edited to add after I saw Beverly's mock up, that is another way to go. Looks perfectly fab that way to me. I'm no Photoshopper, but there are any number of ways to doll up what you currently have and make it work wonderfully.