Midcentury French Painted Buffet, meet Maude

Have you had a project that you started out blissfully in love with?  The honeymoon wore off and you realized your project was not the Prince Charming you thought it was. It may have been an ugly Toad that was destined to be an ugly Toad.   You made a commitment and invested too much to turn back.    Suddenly, the magic comes back.  Your vision of what you thought your piece could be begins to emerge. You fall in love all over again.  This time, you love it so much, you are going to set it free… As in FOR SALE.  Meet Maude Goes to Paris It was love at first sight when I met Maude at a thrift store.  Her date stamp on her price tag said  she had been around a while.  Did you know, most thrift stores put a date on their prices?   Always look for the pieces that have been in the shop at least two weeks.  Then negotiate a lower price. Offer cash, and be ready to haul it away right then.  Sometimes they lower the price even more. Here is Maude in her pre Redoux stage: I decided those panels had to go, and Maude was a free spirit. She needed wheels.  I chiseled off those faux panels and added brass casters I bought for cheap on Amazon.  Maude had been around the block and was a little rough around the edges.  My chiseling effects did not leave her any prettier.  Poor Maude, she needed a lot of resurfacing.  She got the belt sander and the palm sander treatment, but it really cleared up her unsightly complexion. I used DIY Paint Two gorgeous color combos.  DIY Paints are highly pigmented.  I only needed two coats in most areas.  When the paint was dry, I sanded the entire piece with a 320 grit sandpaper until the finish was smooth like glass.  You can get the finish with this paint so smooth.  Maude needed Frenchifying.  I used the graphic from The Graphics Fairy and did the transfer old school.  Here is a great link to show you how with a pencil and printer. Maude was beginning to open up, now that she felt so beautiful, and so French!  Maude got her drawers lined too. Next, she needed something to protect her gorgeous new look and give her a soft glow. I used DIY Big Top , it is like a non yellowing Polyurethane, it is perfect for pieces that will get lots of wear and tear. Big Top is amazing.  Super hard finish, low gloss, easiest finish to apply.  Maude is ready to roll now. She will be on display at Paris Flea Market in Livermore, CA  this weekend, where she will proudly be for sale.