i've been obsessed

I am in love with a piece of furniture. Isn't she a beauty?  It's my new kitchen island, and it's been taking up all my "free" time for about 2 weeks straight. Here's how it looked when I bought it at the flea market:

 
 

Since this photo, my Dad has rebuilt the base for me, (upon arrival home the base fell off as did a wheel), and then I scrubbed and bleached the entire thing, (especially the yucky inside), stripped the paint off the glass fronts of 15 of the drawers (three are wood), primed, sanded and painted inside the drawers, removed hardware, (about here I started to question whether it was going to end up the treasure I imagined it to be when purchasing it), went to Restoration Hardware for paint (pale silver) and bought hardware. Realized how ridiculous their hardware prices were, made plans to return hardware (in other words, it's on my to do list). Went to Lowe's and bought the perfect handles for .99¢ a piece; came home with those to discover they won't work. I have to find hardware that screws in from the front, unless I want to completely take the cabinet apart and rebuild (uh, no thanks-not that I even could).  Then painted the front, top and one side of the outside, sanded, repainted and glazed those sides. Applied vintage wallpaper to the back, bleached, painted, sanded wallpaper. Ordered this beauty to span the entire back of the island (as the back will face the sink) Yes, it was quite pricey, but it's the only 4 foot towel bar I could find. Went on a fruitless internet search for pulls that you screw in from the front that are thin enough for the one centimeter edge. I'm sure they're out there, but I was getting cranky googling/ebaying etc.... began the second round of wondering if all this work was even going to pan out...Went to Muff's antique hardware in Orange Circle and after almost giving up even there, found 18 pulls that I hoped would work perfectly:

I think they do, don't you?!? Here's a view of the drawers before and after:

And then I started to  believe that it was really going to be as good as I'd originally hoped. There's still a bit to be done: I think I'll fill and paint a few of the holes from the old hardware, I've got to get a pane of glass to replace the one I broke while working on it, I think I'm going to have a remnant of carrera marble cut for the top so I can roll out pie crust on it,  and my favorite part: filling the drawers and putting it into use, and admiring the result of all that obsessing! I think it'd be a fortune if found this way at a cool furniture store.

{oh, and yes, that middle drawer is a mirror, I'm going to leave it that way}

After getting home from the grocery store it was great to have a big open counter to put all the bags on!

What got me all fired up to do something cool for the house was this show: oh! their kitchen table, their giant painting, their antique lanterns in the master bedroom, their basketball dome, their clever, clever ideas are soooo inspiring. Another inspiration: this cutie here, that I'm doing this alongside. I love people that love homes and share the tales of making their home what it is.

Now that that's out of my system, hopefully the regularly scheduled crafting can now resume!

Comments

[Lorelei Lane]

Phew!! What a relief! I thought you were down and out, eating bon-bons and doing nothing with your creative prowess. Good to have you back. That island is big and gorgeous. You are so lucky to have a handy-daddy help you. Can't wait to see what spills over into your journal.

[donna!ee]

AWESOME TREASURE! thanks so much for sharing your home, your art & your adventures! :)

[alicia]

That is AMAZING! Thanks for sharing! I love the glass fronted drawers, and I agree, it would cost a fortune in a store in it's fixed up state.

[Janie Husband]

it is a fabulous piece.....

[Cindy Pestka]

Can't wait to see what you fill the little drawers with. Are you thinking functional, decorative or a happy mixture of both?

[Francesca Di Leo]

you've got a good eye for seeing the beauty that could be... it's an awesome piece. great job.

francesca

[Michelle]

What a great find! It makes a perfect island! Love all those glass drawers so you can see what's inside!
Michelle

[My Life Under the Bus]

Oh it's awesome ! I have been sitting here completely disgruntled about my house and want to change the whole color palette and my husband is pretending I've lost my mind ! How nice when what's in your head comes together on the outside !

[Juanita]

Gorgeous! How persistent you are, I admire that. I have too many projects that I stopped too early on, but none this cool! Enjoy the drawer filling!

[Courtney Walsh]

Wow!! That is an awesome transformation! You did an amazing job!! :)

[Beth Perry]

that is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Janet Ghio]

Oh my goodness--I am so impressed!! That is a ton of hard work! What a great job you have done!!

[Dianne]

Wow! I so love that piece! I just don't have the guts to tackle something that big! You rock!

[kelly rae]

pam, you are freakin creative genius. i want your brain AND that kitchen island

[Heather Bailey]

What a find!

[Laura]

Fabulous island! Great job...I'm exhausted just reading about all the work you put into it! But, it was worth it...a terrific and oh so unique piece! Glad you're keeping that mirror on the one drawer front...love a little quirkiness!

[DesertNana]

Scream!! the vision you have to see the potential in that old piece
Absolutely Brilliant and Beautiful!
Anthropologie would be so envious =)
Thank You for sharing this with us

[gabrielle]

Oh, I can't wait to see what you put inside! What a great piece you made it into!

[Pamela Holderman]

I love it -so inspiring. You are creative in all you do!

[Andria]

That's so incredible! What a lovely thing to spend your time and money on, really.

[Meg]

Oh, look at what a lot of patience and work can achieve! Almost too fabulous for words!

[Tracie Hanson]

what a beauty! it's so lucky to have found you to rescue it! if you ever want to sell it i'm your gal!

[jackie]

LOVE the new piece of furniture Pam! You are a brave soul to take that from shabby to very chic. You did an amazing job. Be sure to snap a picture when you have the drawers all filled with goodies.

[donnadowney]

OMG i covet that piece of amazing furniture!
well done pam!

[Jason Thompson]

That looks great. Ok, you've inspired me to take up a few home projects myself. They're always big projects, but it feels so great when you're done, right! Fabulous job!

[lorraine lewis]

Wow- such a wonderful piece of furniture. I Love what you did with it and I think it will be perfect for a kitchen and you are right if you had found that in a furniture store you would have had to pay BIG bucks for it. Great job.

[Suzy]

Looks great, Pam! Nice work.

[Kathy]

I SO understand the obsessing. I have rescued many pieces of furniture over the years and they are my very favorite pieces I own. Maybe it's that 'sweat equity' - LOL! Your island turned out beautiful. Enjoy!

[Layla Palmer]

Wow! Wow! Wow!
I am in love with that piece of furniture too!
What a great find!

:-)
Layla

PS...Thanks for linking to us too!

[Romeo and "her"]

OMG! I am so loving that piece!! I too would have bought it in a heartbeat and also wondered about the sanity of such a purchase....but OMG how "to die for" is this piece?!?! You scored in a big way - CONGRATS! Looking forward to seeing some "traditional" crafting, but this counts - look what you've created out of almost nothing!!!!

[Lisa]

Obsessed in a good way! Turned out so lovely. You definitely perservered...I am refinishing a little night stand and can't bring my self to sand it again!

[Rochelle Gaukel]

What a fantastic find! It's a wonder what we can do with someone else's rejected stuff - you did a great job restoring it to some beauty!
Cheers
Rochelle

[susan gilman]

good grief that is one amazing piece! You have the eye...thanks for sharing the story and the photos. What a find and what a fabulous make-over...

[Orly]

Oh it's AWESOME!!! Totally worth the hard work and dedication you put into it!..
XOXOrly

[Susiebelle]

Pam, that is completley fab and I read and feel your enthusiasm! That towel bar is going to look perfect, as do the handles. Love.

[Sharon Rohloff]

Fabulous! I love how the glossy silver paint contrasts with your stylish kitchen. You are inspiring!

[maryann]

it is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! you did a great job! soooooo glad you found hardware that would work!!

[paulette]

This is a treasure!
( As is your beautiful imagination )
Great job rescuing this piece and giving it star status.
Man shops globe would be pea green with envy!

[Marsha]

Great piece! Next time you are looking for a long towel rack look at drapery rods. They are longer and could be less expensive. We had an extra black iron rod and used it in the spa room as a 6 foot towel bar.

[Vicki]

Love it! I am in the middle of a similar Adventure an old yarn display,tons of cubbies that need the treatment you are in the middle of! Something rewarding when Vision goes beyond what is actually seen...rewarding not only being creative,but for the wallet too!

[jules]

amazing...when your done there can you come help me with a couple projects...your a pro!!!! might I add, we own a glass business, so I can bribe you with all the glass you need:)

[Brigitte Tuchman]

Hi Pam, I visit your blog often and find it so inspiring. Thanks for sharing your ideas and stile. I´m an arts and crafts teacher and live in Munich Germany and very much enjoy looking at your art. It´s reassuring to see people like you following their heart and trying to be creative every day.

[Andrea]

That's so incredible.
Fabulous job!

[Elizabeth]

What a fabulous unique piece you have upcycled. I am so glad to see I am not the only crazy out there...when I took an old harvest table complete with graffeti and turned it into my kitchen island my family thought I was nuts.

[Furniture Stores]

Love the island. Turned out great!

[steph brockway]

I LOVE 9 by design. I have all the episodes tivoed and just bought the book!
steph b

[stacey]

Incredible peice. I am so glad that you saw the potential and took the time and effort to make it yours.

[Elizabeth]

Love it!! I obsess allot too:) LizlovesVintage

[Mitzi Curi]

I love your new island. That would work wonderfully in my craft room.....I can see why you were obsessed by it for two weeks!

[beth]

Giving old things a new life is a passion of mine. The satisfaction it gives me to complete a project and find another treasure in the rough is an exhilerating feeling. The hunt is always on for others just waiting to be found.

[Gypsy Purple-Chamara]

Please see my blog for a mention and a link XX Gypsy Purple

[Sue@MyArtsDesire]

When this beauty first scrolled across the pages of my google reader I fell in love! Oozing with character...Not sure if you ever found the perfect towel bar but I happened to see some interesting vintage, clear glass towel bars on Ebay. For what it's worth, thought I'd mention it!

[Cindy Roehrich]

just discovered your blog and will be adding it to my blog favorites!
love, love, love all your journals and art and this island is to die for. i will be back often!

you are an inspiration ~ xo

[Kathrine]

I love that color, but it looks pink. I love pink and love that piece!!