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Monday, January 4, 2010

Hutch Makeover

Thanks for stopping by!




This puppy is 3 years in the making and it's finally done! Well almost...I am still nickel and diming the hardware BUT I only have 5 handles to go!!! I love the almost final result and hope you do too!




This is the only "before" shot I could find, from a few years ago...displaying my Christmas Village during the season ....A typical 70's walnut 2-piece hutch/buffet with gold filigree glass, brass hardware, and closed storage on the bottom. My dear MIL bought this for me soon after we moved into our house. I was thrilled about this...I knew it had potential! Plus we hardly had any furniture!!





(That's not an issue now...:)








It stayed walnut for a while.........................then I painted it black and distressed the edges.(I sometimes struggle with painting perfectly good wood)




Pardon the clutter, I was in the midst of something there....not sure what!?!




It stayed black for a while......................




I really didn't like the gold-patterned glass...I thought I would have the glass replaced, but after testing, I found that I could get the gold off with steel wool...Yeah!





Thank Goodness, that pattern was very distracting! A little elbow grease and I didn't have to spend any money replacing glass!






OK, now stay with me here.....I had an idea.




Because the hutch is a little short and squatty, I wanted to build something to sit on top of the buffet part and allow the hutch part to sit on that to have more height and presence. Did you follow that? :) OK, great idea, how does one do that?



???



Well...you ask your engineering-minded husband, that's how!



Enter: Justin




Justin built me something , with cubbies, for some wooden box/basket things that I had ...Confused? Me too!



I can come up with the ideas, but I can't execute them, I have no carpentry skills whatsoever...



I don't have any pictures, he built it while I was at work....but here is what it looks like:



See the cubbies? I bought those wooden boxes at Walmart a while back. Justin was able to build the add-on based on the size of them...I still don't know how he did it!

He trimmed it out and I painted it black. We took the the apron (?) off the top and added recycled molding.



Can you tell how much taller it is? It's really nice now. I was going to paint the molding, but I thought that it related well with the boxes, and the inside of the hutch, and I like the contrast too. At this point I was pretty happy! The box/baskets are going to hold a lot of stuff!!



It's time to fill it!










I used the infamous Gibson dishes and a lot of my other things too.




I love my green and white!







I began thinking the boxes look plain, they were functioning great, BUT I can't leave anything alone... so this is what we did next...



He attached handles to the boxes!


Looks better!!!






See the handles on the bottom I still have to replace? I'm working on it! :)




Well, that was a big one...thanks for sticking with me during ALL those pictures! I love the result and as soon as I get those handles for the bottom she'll be perfect!





82 comments:

  1. Hello Michelle - one word. FABULOUS! Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful transformation.

    Blessings,
    Marie
    http://emmacallsmemama.com

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  2. Wow- I love the transformation! It looks fantastic!!

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  3. Best metamorphosis ever! You are so blessed to have such a handy husband! Beautiful Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. WOW! I loved it when you made it black, but then it kept getting better and better. The end result is beautiful, and I love your new display inside the transformed piece!

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  5. Love what you did with the baskets! I hadn't seen it since you did that!

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  6. Its just beautiful!
    And you have a knack for display.

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  7. Oh gosh, that looks so great!! I didn't like the gold squiggles either, but that whole piece is really drool-worthy now! Your husband did a great job with that cubby addition.

    Wonderful metamorphosis!

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  8. Stunning! Love those cubbies! You are so clever to think of it! And your hubby is so crafty to be able to create it!

    Amy

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  9. Now, that is definitely sensational. Just stunning. I really love it and all of your gorgeous dishes and baskets are displayed perfectly. Displaying things in such a pleasing manner is a real talent, and yours is certainly perfect. LOVE, LOVE,LOVE it. Hugs, Marty

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  10. Wow! Now that is an amazing transformation! It looks fabulous! What a smart hubby! You did such a terrific job of accessorizing it, too!

    Jane

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  11. Seriously incredible! I LOVE the Black! and I love how green and white pop with the black, love love love it! This is such a HUGE transformation! I would sit and stare at this all day if it were mine, especially if I knew I had made it so pretty, what an awesome job you did on this!

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  12. I don't even know where to begin. What an amazing transformation! Who would have thought that hutch would turn out so beautifully?! Just scrubbing the gold leaf off would have changed the whole feel, but it turns out that was just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak! You should be so proud of your work. Your husband should be proud too. Even if his build has no specific name. ;)
    *Tricia

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  13. What a great piece of furniture - you and your hubby did good.
    Glenda

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  14. That looks really awesome! I am impressed! And what a great hubby you have--good teamwork!

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  15. What an amazing transformation. I need a handyman like that. I love what you did. Thanks for sharing.
    Have a Blessed Week.
    Sherry

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  16. Oh, Michelle! I'm in love with your new olden hutch! It looks awesome! Now your cute hubby was just a genius! What he built looks like it was always there and he painted it too? Oh, how wonderful! I also love how your decked it out with all your pretty dishes and treasures!
    Thanks for popping in to see my guest room and I hope you'll come back for another visit sometimes.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  17. I absolutely love it! That is a great idea and your hubby did a marvelous job! I like how you left the molding piece on the top the same color as the baskets and the handles on the baskets make a big difference. This is a beautiful transformation!

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  18. Thanks for stopping by and your gracious comments about my MM. You asked about the huge mirror I have over the sofa. Our previous home was really huge and we had 16ft. ceilings and very large rooms. Everything looked so dwarfed in there, so I wanted something really big for one of the walls. I saw this at a designer store on sale. It was so big no one wanted it. I got it for about $400 and it was perfect in such a large space. When we retired, we downsized which has proven to be really hard to do. I feel like I'm trying to squeeze the juice back in the grapefruit. lol Anyway the mirror was a way to try to open up such a small room. It does work for me, but it really is an eye catcher. I guess you would either love it or hate it. Without it, the room just seems so small that I feel like I'm in a matchbox. Anyway, thanks for asking. Hugs, Marty

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  19. This one is the winner so far!! You are amazing in the revamping arena. Love love love it!!I do not think that you will be topped ,at least not in my artistic eyes.
    Great job.

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  20. Hello! Thanks for stopping by and all I can say is WOW! You did great! And your husband helped too! (LOL) Together you did an awesome job - I love it!
    Isn't it great when - even when it's hard - they "get" it? and it comes out exactly like you wanted - even though you couldn't quite describe what you wanted in the first place, so he kinda red your mind and he got it right? Mine does that too!!!!!
    Men! Who knew?
    I'll be back! Great job! Karen

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  21. Michelle... It looks FABULOUS!!!! You and Hubby did an awesome job. Love the green and white.. the colors pop with the black. That's amazing on the transformation.. I keep scrolling back up to look at it. You TKO'd Met Monday... Hail Hail to the Champ!
    Hugs,
    Debbie
    oh I almost forgot.. I just sat the target birds up on the side of the birdbath.. the little one is the only permanent one that stayed.
    Have a great week!

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  22. That is awesome! You and your husband are so creative!

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  23. Dont you have such a great hubby!

    He is not only impressing you.. but all of us blogosphere lovelies.

    Great transformation!

    TTFN~~Claudia ♥

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  24. Michelle, I am in shock! That hutch went from very ordinary to magazine cover quality! You may be getting a call from PBarn to copy that! I absolutely love it, and I know you are proud of handy hubby (as I am of mine!). Wow! I'm going back to look again! Linda

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  25. I think it looks great! I love the green and white inside to. I love black hutches! You have really done a great job!

    ~Liz

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  26. I just can't believe the difference in the hutch. It is beyond words. You display inside is just incredible. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful project! Amy :)

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  27. Absolutely fabulous! It looks like it was made that way!

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  28. Stunning transformation! You should send that one in to a magazine! I mean it. Stunning!
    Brenda

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  29. One of the best transformations I've seen. It is amazing!!! Great job!!

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  30. That turned out sooo great! Thanks for sharing!

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  31. You win hands down this week and so does your wonderful husband. Thanks for sharing. Off to beat up my unhandy husband:)
    Joyce

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  32. WOW! What a transformation! You just kept going and going, making it better and better. I'm very impressed! I agree with Joyce... you have a very handy husband and I'm jealous of his skills.

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  33. Okay, that is amazing! I am so serious when I say that that is one of my all time favorite transformations that I have seen here in blogland! I am so glad I stopped by to see it. Your husband did a fabulous job making it taller. The baskets are the perfect touch. I loved them plain, but when I saw them with the handles, I feel in love with the even more! I love all your dishes you have displayed too! I have a hutch I painted black, but it's looking kind of lame compared to yours! I may have to show my husband this post and see what he can do!
    Thanks so much for the inspiration!
    Traci

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  34. Now that is a fantastic makeover. I love how you were able to creatively transform that piece, and add that middle section -- it gave it height and presence, and completely changed its look!
    Fabulous!!!
    Cass

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  35. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment! This is an amazing metamorphosis you've shared here! I love the final result and hope I can have an awesome hutch like that someday!

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  36. Amazing and wonderful transformation. Between you and hubby, you transformed this piece into a work of art. Yep, I can see the visual merchandizer in your work! :O)

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  37. Wow! That's THE best makeover I've seen in a long time! I just love it! It looks sooooo fabulous! Good job Justin and you for having a vision of what this piece could be. Love the dishes too!

    Manuela

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  38. That is WONDERFUL! Thank you for all the photos--it's so much fun to see how this all came together so beautifully.

    Great job!!

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  39. Incredible. No one would ever believe it was the same piece you stated with. Glad you have photos to prove it. What a team you and hubby make!
    Dawn

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  40. Hi Michele,
    Congratulations --- THAT is truly amazing! What a wonderful collaborative effort -- utilizing the skills and talents of you and your husband! Isn't it nice when the end result of a project is better than what any one person could have achieved working alone?

    The way you "propped" the finished product does have a great look that's totally "magazine ready!"

    Thank you for your kind comment on my "new life/old lamp" post. It really made my day!

    Bill

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  41. Michelle...in all the Met Mondays I have ever seen this is the best one so far...BRAVO to you and your hubby to put this all together my friend...just wonderful...not even the same piece looks great!! Thanks so much for sharing this...May you have a great day...hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

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  42. Your makeover on the china cabinet is outstanding. Adding the unit for the boxes really is a great re-design to add height to the piece.

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  43. It looks amazing... You really did a great job. I redid a hutch this year too, and it's still my favorite piece.

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  44. WOW.. that is totally stunning!!! You're right it was a bit squatty at first, the addition you put on was just perfect. Love the contents of the cabinet too. Some things are just worth waiting for!
    Lisa

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  45. Wow, wow, and WOW! I don't even know where to start with how amazing this transformation is. Your intuition was spot-on with adding some height and you are so fortunate to have a brilliant man in your lie who figured it out for you. I love how the wood trim ties in with the baskets and removing that gold detail took away any trace of the 70's/80's design. The white dishes and pops of green make it fresh and chic. I LOVE it! Well done!

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  46. Wow one more time, that is really great looking. What an amazing transformation. Love it!

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  47. Gosh!
    What a fantastic transformation.

    I love the lighter wood crown molding and baskets against the black. That really makes a statement. I think it looks fantastic.

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  48. Ingenious and the hutch is too :) Your hubby did a great job taking your dream and bringing it to life. The piece looks amazing. I wonder what you will transform next? hmmmmm
    tammy

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  49. Michelle,
    Oh my goodness.
    The pictures just kept getting better and better! I think the handles on the baskets are perfect. And, hooray for the Hubs!
    Really fantastic makeover.
    Congrats on it.
    ~Amy

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  50. what patience! it looks like the end result was totally worth the wait! the steel wool was genius!
    thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting on my high chair!

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  51. OMG! It's wonderful!! I love what you two did with it :)

    Happy new Year!

    rue

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  52. WOWZA! I love it! The handles on the baskets are great! I love this!!!!!!

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  53. Handles or not, this is about as near perfect as perfect can be. I knew what you meant, and was following along, but nothing is better than pictures and wow! What a final picture. I know you are just ecstatic about the results. I am sooo happy for you. I am now whizzing with ideas on how I can steal...oh, I mean "borrow" this idea. One major prob - my "Bill" is no "Justin." sigh! Great transformation. Blessings, Barb

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  54. What a magnificent change! That turned out wonderfully! Although I really liked your idea of having your Christmas village inside the original version, I love seeing the contrast of your white dishes with the new black look of the hutch. Isn't it great having a hubby who can create what we can barely explain? I'm fortunate to have one too!

    DD

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  55. Wow! Amazing! Beautiful! from the green and white dishes to the handles on the boxes, I love it!

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  56. WOW!!!
    I love all of it...the paint job, the baskets, the white/green contrast...

    Awesome!!

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  57. Looks great, I love all your dishes!
    ~Michelle

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  58. ~WOW!!!! Michelle this is a gorgeous hutch re-do! Kudos to you and your hubby. Great job!

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  59. Wow this is one fantastic redo!! I love the basket idea! You have done a lovely job filling it with your lovlies!

    blessings
    mary

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  60. Hi Michelle! I'm here from the Before & After Party at Thrifty Decor Chick. Yes, I love the piece your husband built and the handles on the boxes. Love your dishes in it, too ~ I think they really stand out the way you have them displayed. What a great piece!

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  61. Lovely... love the rattan boxes.. they really make the piece for me.

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  62. Gorgeous!!!! Love it! I also have a hutch I am looking at painting. Can you please tell me the type of paint you used to paint the hutch?? Being new to painting furniture, I want to get the right kind...

    Thanks!
    Paige Price

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  63. Beautiful! That add-on is AMAZING! Major props to your hubby!

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  64. Your hutch is featured over at my blog right now. Just an FYI! Very nice work.

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  65. Hopping on from MMS - I couldn't resist seeing ALL the pictures ;-)! That hutch is gorgeous! I love the green and white with the black - I ust re-did my laundry room and used those very same colors - love them!

    Have a great night -

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  66. What a GORGEOUS transformation!

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  67. I see why Miss Mustard Seed brought this to our attention! What a fantastic transformation! You couldn't buy a piece that is so functional and pretty! Bravo and brava!
    ~Nancy

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  68. Can you tell me what black paint you used? I love it, looks fab!!

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  69. FABULOUS TRANSFORMATION!! I am so happy to see the gold can come off with steel wool (I have a china cabinet with the gold on the glass too)!

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  70. HOLIE ~ MOLIE! This is stunning!! I just LOVE it!!! Every single thing about it, I LOVE!!

    Ya'll did an awesome job!! I, too, tel my husband what I want and he has to "figure" out how to do it for me. Isn't it great having a husband who can do that??

    I just found your blog and I am a follower!

    I will be back!

    Lou Cinda

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  71. Michelle, It looks fantastic! Really great job. What a great accomplishment.

    Karen

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  72. Hello Michelle. I just found your blog and I'm so happy I did. Your hutch looks amazing. When I scrolled through your blog your pictures stood out so much to me. You take the clearest pictures. Glad I found your blog!

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  73. The hutch looks FAB you and hubby are a FABTASTIC team! Love the mix of the brown and black and the textures are dreamy!

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  74. So glad I came across this post today! I just made a post last week about a china cabinet that I was considering but wondered if it was too short. I too had the idea that I could possibly add a section between the base and the hutch, and here is your picture of what was in my head! So good to have this for a reference. Yours turned out beautifully!

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  75. I too am new to your blog so I love reading old posts too! I don't know if you ever changed the bottom handles on the hutch but I really liked them as is. Kind of new ideas yet keeping a bit of these fabulously designed well made handles!!!

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  76. Beautiful! What Color/Brand/Sheen Paint did you use? Love it! Thanks

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  77. It's really an informative and well described post. I appreciate your topic for blogging. Thanks for sharing such a useful post.
    Salland Storage a>

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Thank You for taking the time to comment! Because of the insane amount of spam comments, I had to stop anonymous comments-sorry for the inconvenience.
Michelle