Before and After Buffet Makeover

Another year has flown by, and we’re back to share the best painted furniture ideas from the talented artists in our Furniture Fixer Upper group! This time, our theme is before and after buffet makeover, and we can’t wait for you to see the stunning transformations.

From traditional to modern styles, these will inspire you to give your own furniture a fresh new look! Keep reading to learn about my favorite buffet makeover as well as my friends’ top picks from their furniture makeovers, starting with me working on this vintage piece that I got for free!

Can you believe it’s already time for another round of amazing painted furniture ideas? Our talented group of DIYers has taken on the challenge of transforming furniture from drab to fab, and these functional and stylish pieces did not disappoint!

But don’t just take my word for it – I’m not the only one who loves these transformations. My fellow Furniture Fixer Upper friends have also chosen their favorite before and after furniture makeovers, so you’ll get to see a variety of styles and techniques in this post.

There are so many versatile pieces of furniture out there, and I always love seeing how others add their own personal touch to their projects. So lets start with my vintage buffet makeover and then continue on to see the rest of the amazing furniture makeover projects!

Vintage Buffet Makeover

This vintage buffet makeover is definitely one of my favorite projects this year! What started as a free antique piece turned into a gorgeous statement piece, especially after we removed the outdated trim and filled in the bow details, then added some new trim.

Plus, the pale blue/green paint color we chose added the perfect touch of vintage charm to this buffet. This light shade is also versatile enough to work with any decor style, so it was super easy to fit into our home.

Supplies Used for Vintage Buffet Makeover

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I also may earn from other qualifying purchases with other companies or get free product to review and use. All opinions are my own.

• Hammer
• Flathead Screwdriver
• Crowbar
• Electric Screwdriver
• Krud Kutter
• Damp Rag
• Metal Scraper
• Bondo Wood Filler
• Festool Rotex Sander
• 120 Grit Sanding Screens
• SurfPrep 3×4 Sander (Use code RAY10 to get 10% off your order)
• Medium Grit Foam Pads (Use code RAY10 to get 10% off your order)
• 100 Grit Sanding Screens (Use code RAY10 to get 10% off your order)
• 80 Grit Sandpaper
• Tack Cloth
• BIN Shellac Primer
• Roller
• Clear Shellac
• Pre-Taped Plastic
• Painters Tape
• Heirloom Traditions Paint
• Paint Filter
• Vonforn Paint Sprayer
• Caulking
• Varathane Water Based Tintable Wood Stain
• Minwax Oil Based Stain
• Lint Free Rag
• Brush
• Minwax Polycrylic Spray
• Crystal Knobs

Removing Trim and Filling In Details

As we mentioned above, we took care of the ugly trim on the buffet first. We decided to remove it completely since it was outdated and didn’t match our vision for the piece. Using a hammer, flathead screwdriver, crowbar, and some elbow grease, we were able to carefully remove the trim without causing any damage to the buffet itself.

After removing the trim, we moved on to cleaning the buffet like we always do when starting a furniture project. We used Krud Kutter, which is our go to cleaner for removing any dirt, grime, or buildup on furniture surfaces.

This buffet also had some bow details in front, along with some damage, that we filled in with Bondo. This filler not only smoothed out the surface but also changed the look of the buffet. Check out our Bondo Wood Filler review for more on what this product can do.

Sanding and Priming Buffet

Of course, we wouldn’t skip sanding and priming our buffet before painting it. We sanded down the top of the buffet to bare wood and also sanded the Bondo flush with the rest of the surface while giving the rest of the buffet a good scuff sanding. Learn more sanding furniture tips in this post!

After cleaning up the dust from sanding, we primed the piece with shellac primer so that we wouldn’t have any issues with adhesion and bleedthrough. Here’s priming wood for painting to learn more about the benefits of using a primer, as well as a list of the best primers for painting furniture (and how to choose the right one).

Reattaching Old Trim to Buffet

With the outdated trim off, we decided to reattach a couple small pieces of trim on each side that came off when we removed the trim that we didn’t want. We just used both nails and screws to secure this decorative molding back into place. If you have existing trim you still want but need some fixing, check out our guide on how to repair broken trim on furniture here.

Here’s how to fix dog chewed wood trim if your furry friend at home has been getting a little too curious and gnawing on your furniture.

Painting Buffet and Staining Top

We mixed our beautiful green/blue paint and filtered it before loading it into our paint sprayer. We’re big fans of using a sprayer because it always gives such smooth, professional looking results. If you’re new to using a sprayer, here’s how to use a paint sprayer!

Next, we got to work staining the top. The combo of the stained wood top and the light colored buffet created a contrast we absolutely loved! We have guides here on how to stain wood furniture and how to stain wood furniture darker you can easily follow.

We used Heirloom Traditions all in one paint on our buffet, so we didn’t need to topcoat it. Read all about how to use all in one paint in this post! We did seal the stained top, though, to not only protect the stain but also give it a nice, smooth finish. And that’s how this vintage buffet came to be!

Before and After Makeovers from Furniture Fixer Uppers

And now, I’ll be sharing some of our favorite before and after makeover ideas from the talented bloggers of Furniture Fixer Uppers! It was honestly difficult to narrow it down to just four, but these makeovers really stood out to us for a bunch of reasons. We hope they inspire you and give you some cool ideas for transforming your furniture!

1. Thrift Store Painted Octagon Tables
2. Updated Vintage Cabinet with Glass Doors
3. MCM Step End Table Makeover
4. Cedar Chest Makeover: Trendy Two Tone Paint And Stain Finish

Our friends from Furniture Fixer Uppers have also shared their own lists of their favorite furniture transformations from this year, so be sure to check them out for even more inspiration. There’s so much creativity and talent in these projects that we can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next!

1. Glass Door Cabinet Makeover
2. Colorful Hand-painted Furniture Makeovers
3. Rattan Mesh Thrift Tables
4. Exceptional Painted Furniture Makeovers

And that’s a wrap on this year’s Furniture Fixer Upper makeovers! We hope you enjoyed the walkthrough of our vintage before and after buffet makeover, as well as the other awesome projects from our DIYer friends.

More Buffet Makeovers

• Antique Blue Sideboard Buffet
• Painting an Antique Buffet
• $5 Yard Sale Buffet Makeover
• Painting A Buffet

Follow us on YouTube to get more tips for painting furniture. Or share your project with us on our Facebook Group and be part of our community. See you there!