Ebony & Brass Buffet Makeover

So several months ago, a woman in my neighborhood contacted me about buying some furniture from her.  I am always in the market for furniture especially when it finds me...and is only a mile away.  A dining set that includes a buffet, china cabinet, dining table and 6 chairs was part of the purchase.  Originally I thought about keeping the buffet for me and using it as storage/dresser in our bedroom but it isn't the right piece for that.  Fast forward a few months and my mom expressed some interest in it.  She is currently trying to furnish their apartment in Houston and rearrange/change the furniture in their Mid-County home.

After some discussion, measuring, planning and trips to the storage unit, she decided to take the entire set!

Just a little note about the furniture:  The set has Max Barnett stamped on them.  Max Barnett was a well known furniture store in New Orleans that occupied the Art Deco building at 600 Carondelet until the 1970s.  The building was recently purchased and is currently being renovated into a hotel.  The licensing info I can find on Max Barnett says it started in 1908 but after the 1970s I am not sure what happened.


The furniture is great quality, heavy and well built.  It has been neglected a little over the years but I am hopeful all the pieces can be beautiful again.

The buffet had its makeover first and the result is stunning.  This is definitely one of the best before and afters of Fisherman's Wife Furniture.  I love that my mom wanted it stained (I didn't really give her a choice) and the wood was preserved.

Here are the before pictures.

Obviously the piece is in decent shape and is a pretty design but up close you can see the wear and tear its had over the years.

The pulls are brass so they were polished back to their bright, clean finish.  (See my How to Polish Brass Tutorial here.)

The entire piece was stripped and sanded before stain could go on.  Almost all the imperfections were fixed with sanding and I only had to fill a few places where the veneer damage was extreme.  Thankfully my mom helped out on this project!  Thanks, Mom.

She loves to paint furniture black.  Its a thing.  We don't even ask anymore what color she plans to paint stuff so I wasn't shocked when she said she wanted the piece stained ebony.  HAHA.  Of course.  The thing I love about Minwax Ebony stain is the rich, dark color still shows the grain.  The ebony stain and the mahogany wood are a perfect pair.  It took two coats of stain to get the rich color then I did 3 coats of clear coat.  

Pictures do not capture how beautiful this finish is.   

Here are the after shots.

Gorgeous! It has been given new life.

I mentioned before she bought the entire set.  So guess what I am working on this week?!

This guy was stripped and sanded today.  I am so excited to see its transformation.

SHARING AT:

Monday - Inspire Me Monday (Sand & Sisal,  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Domestically Speaking, Sweet C’s Designs)  Made by you Monday (Skip To My Lou)

Tuesday -  Show and Share (Coastal Charm)

Wednesday:Wow Us Wednesday (Savvy Southern Style), Inspire Me Wednesday (Seven Thirty Three, Happiness is Homemade) Be You tiful (Art is Beauty)  Wednesday Before and After (The Dedicated House)

Thursday: What To Do Weekends (Crafts ala Mode ),  The Best DIY Party at the Handmade Hangout (A Glimpse Inside, Christina’s Adventures, From Gardners to Bergers, Redoux Interiors, Too Much Time on My Hands), Creativity Unleashed (Practically Functional, Shaken Together, One Project Closer, The Bold Abode, and The DIY Village)

Friday:  The Party Bunch (The Idea Room, 30 Handmade Days, Whipperberry, The 36th Avenue),  Anything Goes (Bacon Time),  Be. You. Tiful Link Party (Chic California), Creativity Unleashed (Practically Functional, Shaken Together, One Project Closer, The Bold Abode)  Fabulously Creative Friday (Jennifer Rizzo Blog)