DIY

The Rescued TV Console

11.06.13

There’s a game I like to play. I call it Musical Trash Finds.

It goes like this:

  • Find a piece of abandoned furniture on the curb. Ask boyfriend to help me carry it into the house.
  • Find a better piece of abandoned furniture on the curb. Ask boyfriend to help me swap the two.
  • Repeat.

It’s a fabulously cheap method of decorating. Bonus: I’m rescuing items from the landfill.

Since I am a puny small gal with jelly arms, this game only requires a judicious eye and the ability to delegate the task of lifting. To Alan. Alan does not enjoy Musical Trash Finds as much as I do. But I do the cooking, so it’s a fair exchange.

My latest icky trash haul rescued furniture piece is a TV console I found on a humid evening stroll in August. Alan helped me shove it into the Jetta and lug it back to our garage, where I’ve been slowly slowly agonizing over it meticulously restoring it at exactly the pace I intended. Ta-da!

Rescued TV Console || Jade and Fern

You have to see the before for maximum “oooo!” impact:

Rescued TV Console || Jade and Fern

Yup, I’m in love. Unlike our last TV console, which you can see in my Lavender Living Room, it has shelves! And doors! And cute little inset handles which were just begging to be painted brassy gold!

Rescued TV Console || Jade and Fern

Rescued TV Console || Jade and Fern

Because Wally is convinced that all new pieces of furniture belong to him and him alone, he monitored my photoshoot to make sure I didn’t mistakenly think the console was mine. Cats.

The colors are Casa Blanca and India Ink, both in Ace Hardware’s Clark & Kensington line. But oh my god, you guys, primer is so not a joke. Despite thoroughly sanding and using paint and primer in one, that white just would. not. cover. I kept thinking the next coat would be the last, until I finally surrendered after 6 or so coats, bought a separate white primer, and started over. Sometimes you have to learn by doing.

Taping the stripe and triangle detail on the handles nearly killed me. Look at this mess:

Rescued TV Console || Jade and Fern

But the teeny strips of tape and extra bit of work paid off. The doors needed just a smidge more personality, and the result makes my heart go pitter-patter. The gold is Rustoleum Specialty Metallic spray paint in gold. It’s the best.

Rescued TV Console || Jade and Fern

It’s not the world’s greatest paint job, but I’m happy with it. Here’s one more glimpse:

Rescued TV Console || Jade and Fern

What do you think of my rescued TV console? Do you play Musical Trash Finds too? What’s your best curbside loot?

Author: Marlene @ Idle Hands Awake

Maker, baker, cat momma, total nerd, perpetually covered in glitter/sawdust/paint. Blogging DIY and design for modern creatives.

23 comments on “The Rescued TV Console”

    1. Thank you, Lynet, that is so sweet! It comes from having dragged around many many furniture finds and learning which are worth it. Practice makes perfect! I’m just trying to save Alan some trips to the gym. 😉

  1. Ha! I completely forgot to mention that–it’s a butt mannequin part from when I worked at my dad’s company. They had all these spare mannequin pieces and I snagged this sexy lady butt. She deserves a better spot, but until I find the right one she lives beside the tv. Thanks Jess!

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