DIY Mini Hutch: Saved from the Curb!

Ladies and gentlemen: the big reveal! I am soooo excited about this, and I've been itching to write this blog for weeks. But, I also wanted to do this project right. One of the reasons I am so stoked about this is because I did this entirely by myself. Ok, well, Brad grabbed it from off the curb because I'm a big wuss (you'd think a girl from the Bronx would be all over grabbing free stuff, but alas...), but other than that, I did the entire project solo. So here it goes.

This is what it looked like when we found it. A bit worn, scratches here and there, but overall in pretty good condition. A total find. From this...



To this!



Here's how:
So, I wanted it to match the dining room table that Brad and I had made a few months ago. Check it out, another project I'm super proud of: http://www.opsands.com/2012/11/dining-room-farmhouse-table-18th-price.html>Farmhouse Table



First, I had to sand this baby down. I put on my lovely hospital mask, and spent a few hours sanding it, first with 60-80 (that's what I had available) and then with 120 just to avoid splinters. Whew! Dusty fellow. I was actually uber impressed with how simple this really was. Time consuming, yes, but less complicated than I thought it would be. By far the most difficult part of the entire project. A little bit of wood glue here and there, some hammering, and I had a real beaut. Here's the bottom piece:





I used Rustoleum: Kona to stain. Love this stain. So much dimension. Need to remember to wear gloves, though. I always forget gloves and then go to work looking like I have some rare skin disease. Not cool. Here's the contrast:



And finally:

With a little polyurethane, this piece had some real sparkle:



Then, I added some lovely yellow and blue glass knobs, made in a little shop in Long Branch.



Also added a fabric from Joann's that I cut to fit and glued to the back to give it a pop of color and make it stand out a bit against my gray dining room walls.



And here is the whole thing, all put together:



Added some yellow glitter lampshades to my chandelier to tie in all of the colors:



And voila! I LOVE it! And so cheap! Total curbside appeal.