The Start Of My New Dining Room (New Dining Table & Buffet)
A few weeks ago (I’m not really sure when exactly — I’m completely losing track of time lately), I decided that I wanted to keep an eye out for either an antique or a vintage buffet to use in my entryway. This was about two weeks before I started contemplating the possibility of turning my front living room into a dining room, but I just knew that a buffet would be beautiful in that spot. My entryway is so large and can appear pretty cavernous, so I decided I wanted a pretty substantial piece of furniture to go on the entryway wall.
So I started searching Craigslist every day, but of course, nothing good ever became available. Finding things actually worthwhile on Waco’s Craigslist is a rare occurrence, at least for me.
About a week after I started my search, my step-sister Cathi texted some photos to our family group text to see if any of us were interested in some furniture she needed out of her house. Their house is currently on the market. They’ve bought a new house and will be getting new furniture for it, so some of their current furniture items won’t have a home in the new house. Among the items needing a new home was this buffet.
I kid you not, this is exactly what I had in mind for this spot in my entryway! I was open to either a vintage or antique buffet, but truth be told, I’m very partial to this vintage style. This one is made by Bassett, and my best guess is that it’s from the 60’s or 70’s. It originally belonged to my step-father’s parents.
So that’s the only piece I had originally intended to get from her. But then a couple of weeks later is when I decided that I definitely wanted to turn my front living room into a dining room, and it just so happened that Cathi also needed to get rid of this dining table.
This table belonged to my step-father’s late wife’s parents, so it’s probably several decades old at least, but I can’t find any information on it.
The table will need to be refinished because the top has some worn places on it, so I’m not really sure what I’ll do with it exactly. I do love the wood grain on the top, and I think it would be beautiful stripped and re-stained. But I was surprised to learn that the bases on the table are actually made of metal. They currently have the original factory finish on them, which is a faux finish to look like wood to match the top. It matches incredibly well, but it’s chipped off on many areas from age and wear, so it’ll need to be refinished as well. I really don’t want to go to the trouble of redoing the faux finish on them, so the bases will just be painted.
I love that it came with a leaf, so it’ll seat eight people comfortably. I’ll probably keep the leaf in it all the time since I have the room for it (once the sofa is moved out of the room, obviously).
And the leaf has some beautiful wood grain on it as well.
So that was my weekend adventure! I borrowed my sister Cathy’s truck, rented an enclosed U-Haul trailer for $42, and my brother Rod and I headed up to Dallas to pick up these treasures from Cathi. (Yes, I have a step-sister named Cathi, and a sister named Cathy. It can get a bit confusing. 🙂 )
Now that I see these pieces in place in my home, I’m getting really excited about working on my new dining room. My father-in-law got here on Friday night, and starting today, we’ll be working on getting all of the ceilings re-drywalled in the house. So at least there will be some progress in the entryway and dining room in the next two week, but I won’t really be able to start on decorating the room and refinishing the table until after the hallway bathroom is completely finished, and the condo is finished and on the market. Those things are my priorities as soon as my father-in-law leaves. Until then, I’ll just be dreaming about the possibilities, and probably spending all of my spare time on Pinterest and Houzz. 🙂
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Kristi, the table and buffet are really lovely, and your living room decor would make a good dining room. Couldn’t you just substitute furniture and leave everything else as is? I mean wall color, light fixture, curtains, fireplace, artwork etc…. Then all you need is to find and refinish some chairs to match!
I love that buffet. I am looking for something similar and I am not having much luck. That is so great you got yours.
Love both pieces. Can’t wait to see what you do with them! Be safe with the dry walling but have fun! I am sure there will be things to laugh about as the two of you start your adventure in drywalling! LOL. I am so glad that you have help for this big project. What a weight (Literally and figuratively) to be lifted from your shoulders. Look forward to pictures!!!!
Sheila F.
Would you mind sharing a photo of your interior Bassett markings? I scored a French Provincial style dresser with mirror and matching nightstands also made by Bassett. It looks identical to the style of your buffet. Mine has the gold raised marking with the covered wagon and lettering in red.
Thank goodness for Habitat Restore! 🙂 I don’t know why it bothers me so much that I can’t target when it was made. But I LOVE it regardless.
I love the “new” pieces, and they look right at home in your living/dining room. What a propitious find and don’t you just love that they are connected to your family as well?!
That buffet looks just like the one my mother had from the ’60s . It was French Provincial made of fruitwood. She had the entire dining room set. It did survive a fire, but no one in the family wanted it so it went to one of my brother’s friends. I have one of my great aunt’s dining room sets made with solid mahogany from the ’20s. It’s interesting to watch how styles go in and out of style over time.
Love your new pieces! Lucky you! Anxious to see what you do to them!
Will your beautiful round table go into the Breakfast room ? Loved that finish on that table! Oh the possibilities for that Buffet……..I’ll be watching!
Janet
Lovely!
I love oval tables – yours is particularly great because of its size! I’m looking forward to your repair work on it as I’ve got something similar and similarly damaged and didn’t dare to do anything to it so far. Be safe with the drywalling and do enjoy some breaks in between so that you two won’t be overworked!
Exciting! Question on timetable, though…I thought you were going to leave the front sitting room until you got the back family room good to go. If you turn the front room into a dining room right away, where are you going to have your living room in the meantime? Maybe it’s just us, but I could live without a dining room but not a living room. 🙂
Oh my! What gorgeous pieces… and free! I can’t wait to see what you do with them. They are perfect for your home!
What a find! They are lovely…what a beautiful home you will have when it is all done.
Nice finds, Kristi. Curious, can your dining table go the opposite way so the majority of the people will be able to see the fireplace? Families can be confusing! I have 5 sisters and one brother. My mother named us all Mary (something), as in Mary Theresa, Mary Anne, Maureen (she is the odd duck, no seriously!), Rosemary, Mary Frances and Mary Patricia. My father could never remember our names so he pretty much called us Miss! We all have nicknames, as in Terri, Mare (that’s me), Queenie, Roe, Fran, and Patti. My brother, Mike married a girl named Patty, so we also have dupes. I always clarify by adding their last names, but then that gets confusing since my sisters maiden name is the same as my sister in laws married name. Like I said, families can be confusing! Blessings
Kristi, give props to FIL from all of us appreciating followers. Beautiful furniture, I an’t wait to see wha you do with it!
Kristi, those are beautiful pieces. I am especially in love with the table and the stunning wood grain.I think renewing and restoring what exists, painting the legs and ultimately placing a rug underneath that will show off the whole piece will make for a rich, eye-stopping piece of furniture!
Lovely! Can hardly wait to see the finished project!
Beth
Kristi, You mentioned Craigs list and I get so annoyed with the “shippers”, etc. scams that I now belong to 12 online sites that are local so I did some research in your area…I assumed that since it is a college town kids dump their stuff and sometimes don’t know what it is…This was the first one I found https://www.facebook.com/ConsignmentFurnitureShowroom..and I am assuming there are LOTS of designer sites in Waco…with a iso…what ever it is bet you could get lots of help with your need for specific finds…I love the look of your furniture…am a vintage drexel fan and that looks so similar…I bought a Thomasville vintage piece for my grand daughter a month ago…awesome…gray with bold yellow accent…she is a trendy 12…Have fun this week with your father in law…The weather should be beautiful for you…Now if we all remember to take our allergy medicine for EVERYTHING blooming…and good lookon the condo…Time to lighten your load…
Great free find and will be perfect in your new dining room. Now what are you going to do with the other round table?
Woohoo, what fabulous finds, and knowing that they were once in the family just makes them that much more special. BTW, did you paint the tiles on the faux fireplace surround???
Score! Can’t wait to see what you do with them 🙂
The buffet and table are beautiful! I think they will look great in their ‘new room’ with that pretty fireplace making a romantic and comfortable setting. Love it and can’t wait to see where you go from here. Good luck on the ceilings and I’m sure that will make a huge difference.
The bases and legs on those tables are metal? I never would have guessed. My mind immediately goes to spray painting them in a metallic finish now instead of painting them. Gorgeous pieces. And now with the table in the front room, the space looks so much smaller and much more appropriate for the dining room than I had envisioned. I can’t wait to see this transformation!
I thought the same about the legs, with some kind of metallic finish.
Take a look at this as an idea for the table base: mixing gold and dark wood. It would carry the gold leaf detail from the kitchen into the dining room and would go so well with the style of the table.
http://www.alpenio.com/wooden-round-foyer-table-design-that-make-the-atmosphere-as-royal/furniture-ancient-round-foyer-table-design-dark-brown-combination-light-brown-varnish-made-of-wooden-shaped-round-table-top-with-dark-brown-the-foot-of-the-pole-there-is-a-gold-colored-paint-so-that/
I have almost the exact same dining room buffet that once belonged to my Mom. I have the table to match as well. I’ve painted the table, but have been holding off on the buffet because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I like the idea of keeping the top wood, although it is marred with wear and tear, so it will have to be refinished. No problem there as I’ve refinished many a vintage piece. However, I’m thinking a colored base but I don’t know what color yet, and I don’t know if it should be “antiqued” or not. All sorts of ideas running through my head, but now I see you have a very similar buffet, I think I’ll wait to see what you come up with. Your ideas are always so unique that I may just want to grab an idea from you. It won’t be the first!
Awesome scores, you deserve it! So very happy that you will have your FIL to help you drywall the ceiling. What a huge relief it will be when it’s all done! Cheering you on from afar!
What luck and timing on the dining room furniture!
My brothers wife is Lisa, My husbands sister is Lisa, and my stop-son’s wife is Lisa.
Are you sure you can’t send that table over here to Idaho? I’ve been looking for one that seats 8 😉
Also, we have two brothers-in-law named Mike, two named Richard, and a sister and niece both named Emmy!
How wonderful for you. I love that you recycle rather than buying new! Hope you wear a mask this week to keep down allergies. So proud of your father-in-law.
OMG!!!!!! Absolutely gorgeous!!! Both pieces!!! What kind of chairs will you put with it, or do you already have something that will work??
Lucky you! That table is gorgeous!
Carol
Hmm, where is my family member giving away wood furniture? That doesn’t happen every day! Lucky you!
SCORE!!!
I just got a buffet similar to yours. I can’t wait to see what you do with it.
How fortunate for you that your step-sister was getting rid of the perfect furniture for your dining room! Very pretty pieces and I can’t believe he beautiful table base is metal! Who would have ever expected that? Have fun with it and I’ll keep loving your posts! Hugs, Leena