Remember that question I asked on Facebook about colors for a buffet paint job? That was a couple months ago — and yes, I finally got around to sharing the finished project.
We’ve been neck-deep in full room makeovers with our master bathroom and breakfast area, plus we’ve started on Olivia’s bedroom, so this dining room project had to wait. If you’ve been wondering where this large piece ended up — surprise: it’s the new buffet table in our dining room.
I found a massive, hand-built media stand on Craigslist and managed to haggle it down to $130. It really is a beast — plenty of storage and a perfect candidate to become a buffet table. Our dining room was crying out for color; after removing the red accents it felt flat and beige. While I love a neutral palette, this space needed texture and contrast to come alive, so I decided to be bold with paint.
I chose Valspar’s Sharkfin for the color — a moody, sophisticated shade that adds depth without overpowering the room. To tie in the black details of our rope chandelier, I added matte black hardware. The finish felt immediately cohesive and elevated the whole space.
Picking hardware took longer than the painting. Toddlers and long shopping trips don’t mix — Olivia had other ideas in the store, including testing mommy’s reflexes by reaching for glass ornaments. Still, the right knobs and pulls made a huge difference.
With the paint and hardware in place, the buffet brought instant personality to the room. It’s now the focal point and adds useful storage and surface area. There are still a few tweaks I want to make — longer curtains, a round rug, and some architectural details — but this is a solid start for a room we don’t use daily.
One unexpected discovery: this buffet is deeper than we expected. I suspect the seller may have misstated the dimensions. It fills the space nicely, but the room does feel cramped with more than four people. We’re considering options like reframing the window with chunky molding and adding board and batten to elevate the architecture and balance the scale.
I pulled decor from around the house — borrowing pieces from the foyer and hallway — to style the buffet. I’m tempted to leave it styled and let other areas stay minimal for a while. The biggest practical benefit? This surface can hold an enormous dessert spread for holidays and parties, so it’s perfect if we ever host a sweets table.
Full disclosure: some dust showed up in a few photos — keeping it real here. This room typically becomes a drop zone for things like baby clothes headed to consignment. If you visited us, you might find a few projects half-finished; that’s our usual state of affairs these days.
The dining chairs are finally in place too — you can see the full makeover on our dining chairs project. The cabinet knobs I chose were an inexpensive find at Hobby Lobby — $2.50 each during a 50% off sale — proving small details can make a big impact without breaking the bank.
While I was photographing the room, a clingy little puppy demanded attention — she may look pitiful, but she’s a total diva. We also have several projects underway in Olivia’s room that are each about halfway finished. If you stop by, you’ll likely find a few experiments and craft supplies scattered about.
All that said, we’re happy with how the dining room feels now. It’s livelier, more functional, and ready for gatherings — even if we have to dust it off first. If you come over, we’ll happily serve you a slice of pie from our giant new buffet.
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