I would have bought that without hesitation. The only thing I don't like is that insert of ?burlap-y caning, but that would be an easy fix to swap out with a fabulous fabric, contrasting wood, glass, mirror, whatever.

I've been looking for a buffet or dresser or something for storage. Haven't found a thing. Is that Goodwill near me? LOL!

Oh my, that piece has loads of potential and I absolutely love franksmom's suggestions to swap out the burlap with something more glamourous like mirrors. I might swap out the hardware as well, try some Restore-A-Finish on it.

Yes that is exactly what I was thinking about doing with the fabric! The cane front is the only part I don't really like, but I don't want to screw up the piece by messing with it if I can't do it well.

Valinsv-excellent idea to try the RAF. I was thinking about using rub a buff (I think that is what it is called) on the hardware and seeing how that changes it.

So now here is my question. I have a mission-esque dining room table (oak) and a china cabinet that is a darker wood with a iron inlay on the doors . (We are getting hw floors installed and consequently have all our family room furniture piled into the dining room. Otherwise I would snap a quick pic).

This pic looks very similar to what my table looks like:

I don't love it, and it isn't big enough for us anymore. So I would like to replace it, but I don't know how soon that will happen. The buffet is much more stylistically in line with my current taste, as opposed to the table (DH has a crazy love affair with Frank Lloyd Wright and he bought the table!)

Is this piece going to look completely out of place?

Ooh, I am constantly looking for finds like this at my local goodwill and salvation Army but stuff is usually pretty pricey. For example, that would probably sell for $150+ near me So, if I came across that, I would snatch it up and I would paint it, and distress it and maybe change the hardware. There are a lot of great websites out there that show how people refinish/repaint furniture. Go for it!

Oh Franksmom-I was shocked to find this piece at this GW. I was shopping for teacups for my daughter's bday party, and saw it. This particular GW seldom has good furniture.
It's in CT, so if you're close you should get it!

NYMommy-I'm guessing I'm pretty close to you given your screen name. I was also shocked that it was so cheap, b/c they usually price stuff quite high IMO. It's actually $75, but it's half off. I suspect they want to move it b/c it is so big! My CL also has stuff that is outrageously expensive. Like, I swear that people ask more than what they paid for the item originally!

I think I'm going to go back tomorrow and see if it is still there. My husband is going to kill me.

Well, if you ditch the hardware, send it to me, because I love it. I'd bet that you can remove that insert without much trouble. Usually it's just a panel that's screwed or clipped into the back of the door.

I'm in Texas, so I'll have to keep looking. I passed up a really neat vintage buffet with hutch a while back, and suspect I'll be looking for a while before I find anything else.

I check CL occasionally, but find that it's either modern junk, or "RARE" antiques wildly overpriced. My favorite area of thrifts is about 35 miles away, but I make the trip about once a month just to hunt for treasure.

Drybean, that's beyond a good price! Are you planning on painting that piece? Maybe you can either replace the panels with some simple wood, or just paint over the fabric.
I like the hardware, too. Use Decoart No-prep metal paint. Easier than rub n' buff and lasts longer. Spray paint is an option, as well. I'm no tree-hugger, but I don't like to use it.
For the dining room table, can you remove the slats on either end of the table? Along with updating the color, maybe that'll do the trick.
Anyway, the buffet is awesome and I'm in CT. Hmmmmm....

I have a different take on this. If you plan to leave the wood as is and just clean it up, then replacing the caning with fabric or some other material would add a nice spark. But I'd paint that piece in a heartbeat and leave the caning as it - that's the accent I'd want to preserve along with the hardware on the doors - the drawers would need new pulls.

yah, I'd buy the paint on the way home from GW for that puppy. I am totally with dlm- paint, leave cane.

Do you ever watch Sarah's House? When she did the basement guest suit she had a piece that had caning sprayed...and it was wonderful. I've linked the page below---you'll need to choose the "guest suite" episode. Then fast-forward to the last 7 minutes of the episode...you'll see the before picture. Full room reveal is at about 3 1/2 minutes from the end.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sarah's House link

Oh---and if you haven't bought it already you really should!

It would be wonderful painted in a grayish-taupe, caning and all. I agree with above who think the caning would make it even better...if painted. I adore beautiful wood with aged patina, but to my eye this piece would go from dated to fabulous with paint. Just get it....38 bucks? Wow!

Wow, that looks similar to my server, but that one is WAY nicer than mine. The chairs that had come with the set (I got it from a family member a long, long time ago) had caning. I wonder if this server was an option with my set. My server doesn't have any caning. For that price, I would definitely get it and paint it. Don't have much to lose at that price!

By the way, looks like the top slides open to reveal area to set up a bar. That's what mine does, and has that same slit down the middle of the top.

If you get it and paint, please post pictures. I've been thinking about painting mine black for a long time. Not sure DH would go for that, but I know he's not crazy about ours anyway.

I didn't have a chance today to go back to GW. I know it had been there for a couple of days, so I'm going to go tomorrow and if it's there, take it as a sign that it was meant to be! Now that I'm talking about it so much I really want to go back and get it! I have no idea how I'll be able to load it up and get it in the house, but I guess I'll cross that bridge later...

Franksmom-Good luck with your search! My parents always have some good luck at Canton, if that is close to you.

Paintergirl-excellent idea to remove those slats on the end of the table! I checked this morning, and I believe I can do that. I think there will be the holes, which I don't know if I can fill if I'm not going to paint the dresser. How would you suggest I update the color of the table? Thanks for the tip for the Decoart metal paint. I'll look for that instead.

DLM-what color would you paint it? I hadn't really planned on, because I think the wood is actually very pretty. But now I'm second guessing myself...

Cooper-What color would you paint it? I hadn't considered leaving the cane really. But, hmmm...maybe it adds to the 'vintage' feel of the piece.

msjee-ooo-I love me some Sarah! Thank you so much for linking that episode. I ended up watching almost all of them. That dresser was fabulous. The white worked so well in that basement room, but I don't know that white would work as well in my dining room.

leahcate-I'm intrigued by the idea of the grayish paint. I hadn't really considered painting it, because I thought the wood was really pretty. But now, I'm thinking that the cane adds to the 'vintage' look and perhaps I should paint it.

Jill-That top left side opens up to a silver storage, which is lined with mustard yellow velvet, and it has a mirror on the insider too. There were even labels that were on it, and I loved them b/c they reminded me so much of my grandmother's handwriting.
The maker is Daniel Johnson Furnishings, out of NYC. Is that the maker of your set?

At fist I was also going to suggest repainting it, but then I read that it's est. 1888 and I hesitated. Is that the date of the piece or the furniture company? I would be extremely reluctant to paint a piece that old unless the finish was in poor condition, but if it's newer, then I'd paint in a heartbeat!

I doubt the piece is that old. That is the date of the furniture company. I would guess the piece is from the 50s, maybe even the 60s? I really have no idea.

What color would you suggest painting it Val?

That piece is DEFINITELY no earlier than the 50's--I think it's from the 60's. It's got a bit of the "french-provincial" thing going on (look at the hardware)...and I bet if one could go back in time it would be described as either "pecan" or "fruitwood." (Hard to tell from the picture...and monitors can be tricky.)

I wasn't thinking white...but I don't know what color I would paint it. It would be really fun in something bright...(but not school-bus yellow--heh.)

What are the colors in your room?

i would definitely get it for $38!!!
i agree that the finish is very reminiscent of my mother's 'pecan' dining room set which she bought in the late 60's-very early 70's. styling reminds me of 60's.

i would probably try to keep it wood toned---perhaps darken it up abit. i love the idea of replacing the caning with (beveled?) glass pieces-if the interior is nicely finished...don't know degree of difficulty/expense! seeded glass would be nice too.
i would definitely replace the hardware!

Yeah, thinking about it more, it does remind me of the pieces of my grandparents from the 60s or 70s. I bet you guys are right. I loved the smell of the inside of it...lovely woody aroma. That probably sounds bizarre.

It does kind of look like Pecan, but being from NY, I'm not sure that wood is common up here. I was thinking perhaps walnut?

The dining room is a light blue-gray-green, and my dining table is oak. I'll snap a pic today. I'm heading to GW now to look for it!

Busybee--I am *loving* the idea of glass inserts in there! The inside is pristine. I'm going to go (hopefully) pick it up today, so I'll take some more comprehensive photos, along with some pics of my dining room.

Drybean, Did you buy it? By any chance was it the GW in Clinton? I live in Guilford, and if you choose not to take it I am considering it. I was looking for a piece for under my wall mounted TV that didn't look like a TV stand and bought one for about 5x the price at an upscale used furniture place in Madison. After seeing your piece, I don't like mine anymore.

If you think you can use it, you should grab it, even if it sat in the basement or garage until you could decide how you want to refinish it. I think it could be great. Even if you decided just to resell it, you could put it on CL and probably quadruple your money.

I don't know the manufacturer of mine. I'm going to look and see if I can find anything (probably tomorrow). I do know that it was probably bought in the early 70s and bought in NY. My cousin and her DH bought it when they got married (I was a kid). They had it for many years, and when I got my 1st apartment, they gave it to me as they were ready to replace. That was about 30 years ago and I still have it. I got rid of the chairs. The caning on the backs was in terrible shape and too much $$ to replace. Plus I never really liked them. I never really liked any of it, but the price (free) was right at the time, and replacing never seems to make it to the top of my priority list. The server is the one piece that I did like. Clearly, it was well made because other than the caning on the chairs, it's still going strong!

In my humble opinion, it looks very much of the same era as my own inherited dining room set from the 1960's. I would call it French provincial and I believe the color is a fruitwood color. My dining room set is a pecan color which doesn't have the warmer brown look of this piece.

I would grab this piece in a heartbeat!

Helene

I went back today and it was still there!
I purchased it, and will pick it up on Saturday. My poor husband is going to get off a trans-atlantic flight and head straight to GW to help me load this beast.

I'm really excited about it. After inspecting it a bit more closely, there are some surface scratches and a few other minor imperfections. Those don't bother me, but there is one nickel-sized gouge on the front that will need to be fixed.

I'd like to first try to darken the wood, and then if that doesn't work I'll paint it. Painting makes me nervous b/c of all the detail along the bottom. What would I use to try to darken the wood? Not restora-finish, is there something else?

Lynn-It was the GW in Danbury. There is a chance that my DH is going to hate the piece, so if he does it is all yours if you want it! I'm on your side of Danbury.

Jill-The maker is actually Daniel Jones, not Johnson. I'm a dum-dum. I bet it is the same set, it sounds just like it!

Blubird-I think you are right, it does look French Provincal to me. I'm not familiar with fruitwood, I need to google that.

Here is a photo of the open top with the mirror:

The doors conceal drawers:

I really do love the hardware, I decided.

Each one is engraved with a different number on the back:

Picture of gouge that needs to be repaired:

That's a great piece! I would leave the hardware alone, it's beautiful. I guess the color of the table will depend on what you want to do w/the buffet. I would paint the new piece and darken the table. Maybe. If you remove the slats, the holes can easily be filled and camouflaged.
Anyway, I live/work near you. I don't want to sound creepy, but if you need any advice/help with painting, it's what I do for a living. You can e-mail me, or not.
Either way, that's gonna be a fun piece to finish!!

What an interesting piece, wonder if the gouge you mentioned happened in getting it to GW. At first I thought it would be like the Thomasville server I bought at a consignment store about 10 years ago. Think I paid $145 for mine. It is painted ivory with black "speckles" The top is split in the center and opens up to reveal space for casseroles etc. I guess. It has a lined drawer for silver along the top and double doors beneath that. Each end is open and ended up buying toparies to put there for lack of a better idea. DH is not a fan of "old stuff" but after my son-in-law brought it home for me he now shows off that top and thinks it is pretty cool.

drybean, the more I see of the piece, I think you would be foolish not to keep it, especially for that price. Men can be convinced - cry if you have to!!! The piece that I bought sounds like Dorothy9's. It definately is a buffet and the top slides open to increase the size of serving area. It appealed to me because I am always looking for flat areas for display of my little pretties.

Just a thought if you are torn between painting and staining - because my piece "slides" I was concerned that the paint would be compromised every time I opened it. I have decided to leave that top molding (for lack of a better term) to stay stained and I will paint the bottom of the piece.

Without a doubt, I really think you need to use your powers to convince hubby. Maybe give him a day to rest before you hit him with "oh by the way". Good luck.

Drybean, What did you decide to do? I am hoping you took it home and are ready to show us how fabulous it looks painted.

Well -

I just spotted her buffet on Craigslist inn my area. I guess we're neighbors!

I am disappointed to see that she decided not to keep it but she'll make a nice profit if she gets her asking price!

Good luck Drybean!

I was also hoping to see a before and after on this pc.

I just saw a dresser yesterday at Community Forklift. It was a 2 drawer, with 2 top drawers. So a 4-drawer! [LOL]

I think it needed a little work with the drawers, and didn't have hardware, but I almost picked it up. It was $75 and worth it. I have no room for more furniture & want to unload some I already have, so I didn't.

But... if someone's interested and in the DC area, there's one more.....

Christine

dawnp... I tried to pull up her ad but couldn't find it. Looked in the NW CT ads for craigslist. If you can find it I would be interested in seeing the ad. I am considering switching the one I have for hers??? Maybe??? Thanks. Lynn (fr Guilford)

Lynn- Would you please email me. Just click on "My Page". I didn't want to display it publicly -just in case.
I will respond to your email with the link.

Dawn

Dang. I wish I were up there...I'd come rescue that piece in a HEART beat. paintergirl94--go get it! RESCUE IT! And post pictures. ;^)

or lynn r ct--SOMEONE! I'm still regretting not buying that Nasa Conference table. Deeply. I could have found SOMEWHERE to store it until I had the perfect spot...