Red Buffet Table
I’ve always kind of had a thing for red. When I was 14 my parents were building our house (not their current one) and my mom let me pick everything out for my room myself…poor woman. I delightedly chose a color called Candied Apple for my walls (the name might have had something to do with it, which is why 14 year olds should maybe not be making major design decisions), sort of a bright fuchsia/red concoction that makes my eyes bleed just thinking about it now.
I didn’t stop there though – after moving in, I promptly took to the walls with my paints and painted a huge sunflower mural on the wall. I also had the ever present 90’s papasan chair and of course approximately 34 brightly colored throw pillows that I hot glued together myself (not much has changed in that department). Like I said my mom is a saint. Rereading this, I’m realizing my daughter is my clone, as I found her trying to wallpaper the inside of her closet with wet construction paper…my mom is the one laughing now! The teen years should get interesting…
Thank goodness I left my retainer and Seventeen magazine days behind me, but I do still appreciate a good pop of red every now and then.
This is/was my sweet grandmother’s buffet that I inherited after she passed away. I loved the shape of it, but it was a very strange orange wooden color. With my mother’s blessing I painted it white and loved it for a while, but it always had these odd pinkish marble insets in the top that just didn’t fit in with the rest of our house.
Here’s the before:
And the After again:
I felt like it was screaming for a fun color, and I finally painted it red. My grandmother was not a fan of red though, in fact she hardly ever wore red because it “made her feel like a harlot!” Yes, my grandmother apparently thought red should be reserved for Santa and “women of the night.” She was 90 years old, bless her.
If you follow me on Instagram then you saw my little idea all sketched out. This was me trying to convince the Mr. that (A) this wall needed to be paneled (because you know I’m on a mission to panel all the walls); (B) that we needed another white wall in our house (obviously we do); and (C) he was not feeling the red (not sure how my black and white sketch was going to convince him otherwise?)
I decided to move ahead anyways, despite his doubts (knowing if I could get 90 percent of it done before he got home he would have no choice but to be on board ;) )
I have been slowly adding red accents over the years without really even realizing it, and now, I have something red in almost every room in the house. It started with the door in the playroom, then the Carom board on the wall and of course the cute little tool box I use as a planter.
Basically this red buffet is feeling right at home here. The color is Candy Apple by Behr (it’s like it was meant to be!) and I was scaaaaaared when I first opened the can, but I forged ahead. It took 3 coats and I finished it off with some Annie Sloan Dark Wax to tone down the color a bit.
Next, I paneled the back wall. I loved the idea of the red, but thought it needed the white wall to make it pop. You can see my tutorial for this style wall treatment here (and consequently read why the Mr. was perhaps not enthused at the idea of more planking) it took no time at all now that I actually have power tools.
I mentioned before that I wasn’t loving the marble insets, so I pulled them out and used plain whitewood 1×4’s that I cut down. I stained the top in two coats of driftwood grey with a little dark walnut mixed it and nailed the boards to the top.
New hardware and some wire baskets (because I removed the buffet doors) finished it all off. I’m still kind of playing around with what I keep in the baskets and I’ve actually now stuck all my cookbooks in one and pretty table linens in the other. I’ve got my eye out for a new throw pillow (shocking I know) with a bit of red in it to tie everything together in the living room, but I totally love this corner of our house now AND the Mr. does too!
My sweet grandma, I’m not so sure about, but I know she would still love me anyways :)
I don’t know if I like the white best or the red. Both versions are perfect and stunning!
I don’t really like red either,cause when i was little that’s all my mom had me wear.lol I truly love what you did it looks great.My mom would have loved it.
Love the red, but here’s my question….where did you get the blue and white striped carpet?? Been hunting!
Looks great! My wife and I used to build and refinish vintage and antique furniture – it’s hard work, but it was usually worth it. That is what we would call ‘happy red’ – bright, cheery and makes people smile every time they look at it. A great idea with the wood top, looks much better than the marble insets.
Big fan of this – I love a pop of red too and this is perfect place for it!
The red is bright for me too :) I love your enthusiam for changing thing up when you have a vision. I totally would use your buffet for a TV console in my house. The driftwood top looks great & ties in well with the other things in your home :) Using the dark wax was a brilliant idea to “tone down the color”. I’m starting to paint my orange-y wood bookcases white & was also thinking about using the dark wax to soften the color. To funny about your daughter, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…LOL :) Thanks for the ideas & keep up the fun work :)
Your grandma sounds like a cutie… But I also love and respect the old fashioned ways. There is definitely something to say about those days. I also wish our children today could experience the freedoms that I had as a child. Your sideboard is beautiful, I love it. I also love your design ideas. I always enjoy when I get up int mornings, check my email and there’s a post from you. Thank you for sharing your life, family and home with us. Gave a great summer!!
I’m typically not a fan of red but I do have to admit, this looks great! I never wear red but I actually do like seeing pops of it in homes. Very tempted to try it in my own! By the way, where did you get the rustic wood frames? I love the combination of the red against the rustic wood.
Wow, love the red. I am not that bold, but I want to be. I look around my house and want to change, but always hesitate. Maybe its time to take the plunge.
Love the red! You mentioned you used candy apple from Behr … Wondered if it was flat, eggshell , or what? I have a kitchen table ( legs) and chairs I would like to paint. Your help with this choice is greatly appreciated!
Thanks
I believe this is eggshell? I wanted a bit of sheen so it was easy to clean but not too much!
The red for the sideboard is beautiful! The wall changed wall makes all the difference. Lots of things attached to the color red. Will never forget the Christmas season my Dad put a green light in one outside sconce and a red in the other – these flanked the front door. Guess which one burnt out? Yep! The green one.So for a season I lived in a house advertising a red light district! LOL Wearing red was never an issue, but lipstick, fingernail polish? That was a different story growing up. So much symbolism is attached to colors. Oh, and I painted my teen room pumpkin orange while my parents were out shopping. Yep…have fun with the teen years!
It looks great. I love red as an accent color. It’s really pretty with all your blue and white. You really haven’t altered your grandmothers piece that much, it’s just paint, and you’ve made it your own. Perhaps someday your daughter might have it and do the same.
I have a feeling Grandma is smiling and smiling right now. Mostly because she knows you are happy!!!
And I sooooo agree with the forging ahead without the total blessing from the husband….works every time!!!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this Kelly! I am a HUGE fan of red!!! It looks great!
Love, love, love the red! The white wall behind it really helps it to stand out, absolutely gorgeous:)
love your buffet! It looks fab! Can you please tell me the paint brand of the weathered grey? Thank you…want to paint my porch furniture that color.
It turned out perfect!! I love the red and it was a wise idea to take off the doors. Quick story about red– we got an exchange student from Italy. My teenage daughter was sixteen and was very proud of her red manicure. One of the first things the female Italian exchange student said to my daughter — only unsavory ladies wear red nail polish. That set the tone for the rest of the exchange student’s stay — It all went down hill :-(
Kelly, you know I love me some red and I love the way it pops in your home. The doors removed and the added top make it even better. I think your grandmother is smiling.
That’s look really good. I love the pop of color.
Well I just love it! Love the colour, love the wall, love the styling! Gives the room that pop of fun it needs.
The red was a great choice and so was taking off the doors. Your project turned out great.