One of my favorite parts about furniture flipping is finding something that could be cool - even if I don't know how exactly. I've mentioned it before, but I often run through a checklist when I'm debating a new potential project at the thrift store: 1) Is it cheap? 2) Does it have good bones? and 3) Can I make it cute? When I found this chrome and laminate table, it hit points 1 & 2, but I was a little fuzzy on 3.

I thought at first it should be transformed into a glamorous marble and gold console table. But it was a little too short to be a suitable console and I wasn't really loving the cost of two custom-cut marble slabs. But this is where it's handy having a partner in the biz. I bounced some ideas off of Chelsea and was inspired to start simple and see if I liked where the project was heading before investing an exorbitant amount of time, money, and energy into it.

I took a long look at it again and realized this petite table might not be the best height for and entryway piece, but the unique gaps between the chrome trim and the flat surface of the top shelf made for some handy handles...

I replaced the bowing fake parquet with white melamine for a more modern look.

The porcelain pyramids are a Sweet Clover Barn find from their May sale weekend. Chelsea and I braved the rain and mud and were rewarded with all the goodies. Guys, if you're anywhere REMOTELY near the DC area, you should plan a day out to Frederick, MD for one of their sale weekends and capitalize on the best barn deals around my friends.

You heard it here first ;)

I've been a little obsessed with brass lately, but something about the bright reflection of the chrome [can you spot me??] made me reconsider applying a faux gold finish. Chelsea advised me to finish the table without painting the chrome to see if I liked it as-is. And BOY am I glad I listened to her. I never thought I would like to look of chrome so much!

This time of year Chelsea and I have a lot to celebrate: my birthday falls and the end of May with Chelsea's bday and anniversary right behind in early June. Being the party people that we are, we thought we'd extend the invitation to you all and invite you to also

Treat. Yo. Self.

To a StyleMutt Giveaway that is!!! In the spirit of celebration, we are giving this wall hanging to one lucky winner. Handmade by yours truly, this wall art is made from a swatch of Milton & King wallpaper, some vinyl letters, and white spray paint. Their array of patterns is so diverse and downright juicy that it was difficult to pick just one. But I stumbled on a sinful yet playful pattern named Gluttony and thought the Parks & Rec quote was too perfect. [That little framed art print is also a swatch of the same wall paper].

To enter, comment below with what you would most like to treat yourself to today and find us on Instagram [@chelsea_stylemutthome and @cate_stylemutthome] for more ways to enter. US/ Canada residents only. Winner will be announced next week!

And if you're in the DC Metro area, this smashing bar table is now available for sale ;)

Modern Chrome Bar Table
41"W x 17"D x 26.5"H
SOLD
$145

If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, please contact me at cate@stylemutthome.com.

Happy Friday, folks! I'm excited to kick the weekend off with a couple of entertaining pieces - a matching buffet and bar cart! I've actually never done a bar cart before - the ones I see while out thrifting are glass and brass/gold and don't need any of my attempts at improvement. But, when I saw an all wood bar cart in perfect condition on old casters, I grabbed it with not the faintest idea of what to do!

Fortunately, I also snatched up this buffet on the same day which gave me a great jumping off point for creating a set! (I'm gonna go ahead and apologize now for the quality of the pictures - I had a tight window to get them done and it was during our darkest, rainy day this week while my kiddos ate lunch. These pictures were the least of our disasters this week, however, and I'm already looking forward to starting fresh come Monday! Just don't stare at my blurry pictures too long, I'd hate to awaken your vertigo.)

BEFORE

AFTER

I really wanted to maintain the traditional integrity of the buffet and decided to go with a classic color - a very soft, creamy grey. One of my favorite custom color mixes is Paris Grey and Old White, (both by Annie Sloan Chalk Paint), about equal parts of both. Rather than do any deep distressing, I just painted on two solid coats, applied the clear wax with a brush, and then buffed with a clean cloth. When buffing, I pressed a little harder with my cloth along the edges and details to pull some of the paint away, but it's nothing harsh.

Seems a typical, lightly distressed grey buffet, right? But wait! There's more...

I'm not a totally traditional gal - I appreciate traditional pieces and design, but I personally prefer to put soft, unexpected 'twists' on such classic styles. Nothing that screams "whoa there, big fella!", (name that Seinfeld episode), but enough to give such sophisticated pieces a more casual, edgy look. I am in debt to Cate for helping me with this one - I knew I wanted to do something a little different with this piece, but I really didn't want to cross the crazy line. Cate's fresh eyes were so helpful and when she suggested leaving the inset panels in their natural wood state, I knew she'd hit the nail on the head. It was just enough of a twist without going overboard, maintaining the classic integrity of the piece.

And with a matching bar cart to boot, we're quite classy, indeed, today!

For a touch of glam I added aged brass pulls which I had removed from another piece last month. It was one of the easiest updates considering the impact they add to the simple cart. (NEVER throw out old hardware...unless you feel it's truly quite hideous!)