old buffet : breakfast bar

the only thing i really liked about my old buffet was the amount of storage it had.
so i really didn't want to get rid of it, but i needed it to function in a different way.

 so i swung it out from the wall and repositioned it to act like a peninsula in my kitchen. 
and then i thought, if it had an overhang, it could double as a breakfast bar.

 i had my home depot cut down a 4x8 sheet of oak plywood to the size i needed 3x5. purchased some trim to go around the edge, some stain and headed home.  i had the brackets in my stash, they were purchased at a garage sale this past summer for a buck each. 

i also wrapped the back with bead board so that it looks pretty from all sides. 

then i painted it white and just spray painted the existing handles.  

 but my favorite part of the entire project has got to be the top.  you've seen this french chocolate label all over blog land.  so i found an online source to make me a stencil.  personalized it with our last name and the year we were married 1995.
melissa & bill at http://www.mulberrycreakonline.com/ were awesome to work with.  a few email conversations and my stencil was off in the mail to me. 

 the stencil was so easy to place and i love the result.

use what you've got!  simple enhancements to make it new and unique and now we've got a great family piece that also doubles as a conversation starter.  i love multi functional furniture.  sooo cool!

linking up to faded charm for white wednesday. check out all the other fabulous whites!