Well, here we are, week 7 of the Shelter at Home order, aka, Quarantine! It feels like a lifetime since I wasn't "the worst homeschool teacher ever", and Target runs were just for fun. But on the up side, there's plenty of time for all those home projects that have been on the to-do list for an eternity. I've been working my way down the list and thought I'd share one that has been my list for two years! Yes, two long years. 

*Quick note. I'd like to apologize for my less than stellar iPhone pics. Sometimes it just takes too much effort to bust out my big girl camera! You understand...

Where it started

Introducing my coffee bar, as she was for two years. This lovely antique once belonged to my husband's grandparents. It was eventually passed down to us when we moved to California in 2007. Obviously, over the years, and about a million moves later, it has passed its glory days. The drawers have broken (one even had a bullet hole in it!) and the wood has stained. But she still had potential.

The process

To take this from drab to fab, a few things had to happen. First up, a little demo. Take out the top frame to make room for a larger shelf. Then, a whole lot of sanding!

Once she was sanded, I cut a piece of wood to fit on the remaining frame. A little piece of trim completes the edge. 

Finished product!

It took 4 days total, and only because the heat was over 90º outside and unbearable to work for more than 30 minutes at a time. But I'm pretty happy with the end result. There's a shelf for displays and storage for our extra coffee maker. I managed to salvage the bottom drawer for additional hidden storage. Even the copper knobs got a good polishing. Didn't she come out cute?

One last thing

Pro tip time! I love the look of table runners on the coffee bar. They help ground (pun intended) the whole look. The problem is, especially with the type of single serve brewer I have, is that the coffee splashes everywhere. To save my table runners (and sanity!), I put a clear placemat under the splash zone. A quick wipe down keeps the look and the table runner fresh. You're welcome!