Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Drexel China Cabinet Makeover

Happy Wednesday!

Oh my, it's been cold!  This Texas girl can not handle it.  Lows in the 20s and only getting to the low 40s for a high is unbearable to me.  When I am cold my body gets tense and starts to hurt.  My friends give me a hard time for carrying a jacket with me everywhere I go, even in the summer.  I grew up in Southeast Texas (Beaumont area) and now live near Galveston and that is as far north as I can go.  My friends and I joke that we will never live north of I-10...silly Texans.  But seriously, for those of you who are enduring crazy low temps and just unbelievable wind chills, I hope y'all are staying warm and safe.

So because of my cold (illness) last week and the cold (weather) over the weekend and on Monday, I have been playing catch up the last few days trying to get some big projects finished up.  Remember a few months ago, I found 3 amazing Drexel bow front pieces.  If you don't remember, you can read about it here.  Today, I am going to show you the Drexel China Cabinet!




Some before shots to remind you of how sad it was when I brought it home.








This thing was in pitiful shape when I found it.  The veneer was chipping all over, there were huge greasy stains on the shelves and inside, the drawers and doors did not work properly, the brass handles had layers of tarnish and dirt, and 2 of the 3 glass pieces were gone.

All 3 Drexel pieces were available for custom finishes and the china cabinet client wanted to go with a rustic feel to match her home decor.  We decided on a slightly distressed, glazed finish with the handles polished to their natural brass and chicken wire instead of glass.  Love the final look!


Enjoy!  Sorry for the bad lighting.  This thing is too big to bring up into the house to take pictures so I had to stay in the shop.  Taking better photos is on my goal list for the new year.







What do you mean get out of the shot?  Isn't the camera out for me?













Isn't it great!?  I wish I had a picture of where this thing was a few months ago.  My eyeballs almost fell out when I realized what I was looking at.  It makes my heart happy that it is now looking refreshed and is going to a great home.





Check back tomorrow to see the Drexel dressers.  They were purchased as a set and this client had a great idea for them.


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Life in VelvetThrifty Decor ChickHome Coming , House on the Way, A Stroll Thru Life, A Dedicated House, The Blissful Bee, Coastal Charm, Savvy Southern Style, One Project Closer, Remodelaholics Anonymous Link Party

24 comments:

  1. This is GORGEOUS! You are so talented! Every project you complete ends up looking out of this world :) Thanks so much for linking up at Thursday STYLE. I always enjoy checking out your latest work!

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  2. Great makeover! The before shots were really sad...how did the piece get in such rough shape I wonder. You did a lovely job refinishing it!

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  3. This piece is gorgeous! I can't believe the transformation. I love how you used chicken wire instead of glass to give it a rustic touch. I'm featuring it tomorrow night for this week's Thursday S.T.Y.L.E. Link Party. Thanks for linking up and we hope to see you again this week!

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    1. Thank you! And yes, I will definitely be linking up this week. Thanks for co-hosting a party!

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  4. Wow! I know that was a ton of work in the cold with a cold ;) ! How did you repair the chipping veneer? I've got a hope chest on my redo list and pieces of the veneer are popping off.

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    1. Hi Ashley. Since the piece was being painted, I took the bad veneer along the base off. I used a wet rag and an iron. The heat and moisture helps the glue release and the veneer usually peels off easily. On the sides of the cabinet there were just small chips so I filled them and sanded smooth. I hope that helps. Thanks for visiting.

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  5. Hi - Just discovered your blog through Savvy Southern Style. Love your makeover. Just wondering what you used to get those brass pulls looking so clean?

    Mary @ Orphans With Makeup

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    1. Hi Mary. I use Brasso. You can find it at Lowes or HD on the cleaning supplies aisle. I have a detailed description of how I polish handles in my Custom Dresser B&A post which you can read here---> http://fishermanswifefurniture.blogspot.com/2013/04/custom-dresser-b.html

      Thanks for visiting!

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  6. I love that. I have the same cabinet but it is in pristine condition.

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    1. I wouldn't even know what to do with myself if I found on in pristine condition. This one was in rough shape but I was happy to rescue it and give it a new life.

      Thanks for visiting.

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  7. I have a Drexel French china hutch out in my garage waiting on Spring to paint. It already has the wire front and this is exactly how I have planned on painting it. This is great inspiration and your job was well done! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Good luck with your makeover. Thanks for visiting.

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  8. Wonderful!
    Is that wire you put in?? How did you attach it inside??
    Love what you did....glad to meet you through Savy Southern Style
    Nancy

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    1. It is the square grid wire you get in the garden section at Lowes. I chose it because it is sturdier than chicken wire and the client preferred the look. It is attached using the small wooden pieces that used to hold in the glass.

      Thanks for visiting.

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  9. GORGEOUS!!!

    The china cabinet turned out so well!!! The BEFORE and AFTER picture is AMAZING!!!

    I know what you mean by the cold weather. I use to live in Montreal, then Calgary and now Vancouver. I wouldn't move East of Vancouver because of the cold that the rest of Canada gets. Calgary had snow in August once. No, not for this beach lover. In Vancouver we get maybe two days of snow and then it's gone. It may be cool outside, but, not cold.

    Keep warm thought of the beach close at hand when you do feel cold.

    Enjoy the rest of the week!!!

    Pam

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    1. Thanks, Pam. And thanks for visiting. I hope you stay safe and warm this weekend with all this cold weather. We have winter weather advisory for Galveston so I know the rest of y'all have to be super cold!!

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  10. Oh, I just love what you did with this piece..can you share how you re-finished it....the paint, etc? Thanks a million!!

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  11. I have this exact china cabinet and buffet to match. Maybe I will try this. They need a new look.

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