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!
You have to see the before for maximum “oooo!” impact:
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!
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:
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.
It’s not the world’s greatest paint job, but I’m happy with it. Here’s one more glimpse:
What do you think of my rescued TV console? Do you play Musical Trash Finds too? What’s your best curbside loot?
Lady, this looks great! You do good work! My cats also have a couple of pieces of furniture they’ve claimed. Goofballs.
-Becca
Ladyface Blog
Thank you Becca! Too funny, we are on each other’s blogs at the same time again. 🙂 Cats are universally goofballs.
REALLY good job, Marlene!
Thank you so much!
Looks great, Marlene! Love the gold detail. xoxo
Thanks, Jess!! I could paint everything black and white and gold. I’m so chic and classy like that. xoxo
Gorgeous!
Thank you!! 🙂
Wow! You are such a visionary because I would have just driven past it. And that gold detail? Just perfect. Great job.
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. 😉
GREAT job! And you’re so considerate to help augment Alan’s work-out routine, too.
Precisely! And thank you. 🙂
This looks so awesome. But, I keep getting distracted by the butt side table?! Where on earth do you find these things!
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!
P.S. I can never decide whether to paint the butt or leave it as-is. I’ve had it for years and I still go back and forth! What do you think?
nicely done, Marlene! the before and after pics speak for themselves 🙂
Thank you, Daria! 🙂
Oh wow, you did a beautiful job sprucing up that TV console! I love the gold stripes. =)
Thank you! I love the stripes too! I keep staring at them instead of the TV…
Beautiful! I learned the hard way too that paint and primer mixes are no bueno for tough jobs. I feel for you!! But it is great!!
Thank you Laurel! Now I know about primer. Though I think I will take a break from painting any furniture for a while. 🙂