basement family room makeover | antique cabinet

by | Aug 31, 2021 | All Things Home, Antiques, Decorating, Family Room, Favorite Finds, My House, Room Makeovers | 35 comments

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In case you missed it, I wanted to let you know that the Feels Like Home book launch team is still open if you’re interested in joining!  You can find all of the details HERE, but in a nutshell, it’s free, it’ll be lots of fun, and you have a chance to win lots of goodies!  You can sign up HERE if you’d like to join and help me promote Feels Like Home.  (Just a note to answer a question in the comments.  You do not need to have a public social media account in order to join.  We’d love to have you in the group to get your feedback on the book and there are other ways to support Feels Like Home, like leaving a review.  Please join if you are interested.  You are welcome!)

Feels Like Home Book | Miss Mustard Seed | #feelslikehomebook

Late last week, I made some more progress on the basement family room.  The work has been a little be slow lately just because of life, but….well, that’s life.  It’s a real makeover at a real pace.  We’re just fitting it in when it works.  Something that was exciting was getting the antique cabinet I found at Gold Rush Days into place.  We had several rainy days, so we needed to leave it in the garage until it was dry enough to carry around to the back sliding door.

antique cabinet | gold rush days | miss mustard seed

It is so perfect in this space and certainly fits the English library/gentleman’s club look I’m going for.  I’m going to give it a bit of a wipe-down with Hemp Oil to hydrate the wood, especially around the bottom where it’s a little dry from old water damage.  I’d also like to find some antique cabinet latches that will match the drawer pulls to use on the upper and lower cabinet doors. I found a couple at Gold Rush Days, but they were $20/pair and I thought I could find a better deal online.  Well, I was wrong and now I’m kicking myself for not buying them!

basement family room makeover | antique cabinet | miss mustard seed

So, I’m keeping my eye out for some antique cast iron cabinet latches that are Victorian/East Lake in style.  I know a set of two that are the right size, style, and price will eventually turn up.

 Right now, there are not handles on the cabinet doors, which makes them a little tricky to open.

basement family room makeover | antique cabinet | miss mustard seed

The cabinet is in such great shape, though.  It has a beautiful beadboard back as an added bonus!  I almost want to style it with the doors open, but I’m going to use this piece mostly for board games and puzzles, so it’s likely going to end up closed.

basement family room makeover | antique cabinet | miss mustard seed

basement family room makeover | antique cabinet | miss mustard seed

The drawers will be perfect for cards, dice, and other smaller games…

basement family room makeover | antique cabinet | miss mustard seed

The cabinet comes in two pieces (which is how I was able to take it home in my van) and the top just sits in place on the bottom cabinet.  The floor is a little uneven against that wall, so we wanted to secure the two pieces together.  With teenage boys and pets, it’s a good idea to have tall pieces of furniture secure!

basement family room makeover | antique cabinet | miss mustard seed

Jeff used a couple of old pieces of lathe that I bought in a bundle years ago and have used pieces here and there for projects.  They were just right for securing the two pieces together with some screws.

basement family room makeover | antique cabinet | miss mustard seed

basement family room makeover | antique cabinet | miss mustard seed

We also worked on the chair rail over the weekend and I painted more of the trim.  I can’t wait to get more painting done and see the curtains hung.  I think those curtains will really bring it all together.

You can see a peek at the fireplace in the photo below.  It’s still just primed, but I couldn’t help playing around with some accessories on it.  I hope to get that finished this week.

basement family room makeover | antique cabinet | miss mustard seed

You can find more posts about the basement family room makeover HERE.  I hope I can get it all finished up before the holidays, but I have a lot of painting and sewing to do!

And, there’s really no rush…

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    35 Comments

    1. Corinne

      If you have a hard time finding antique pulls/knobs, Van Dyke’s Restorers and House of Antique Hardware are both wonderful online sources for reproduction hardware.

      • Cindy

        I will agree with Corinne on the Van Dykes & House of Antique Hardware sources. You might also look at Rejuvenation, but I think for more of an authentic style, the first two are the best choices. Beautiful cabinet!

    2. Dianne

      Great find. Perfect piece for your space. Beautiful! Your posts are always inspiring. I’ve been getting out my fall decor boxes and adding a little bit of change here and there. Also, made a firewood box and stained/painted it. I think I am at the end of my building days, but you always encourage us. Thank you! I am really enjoying re-reading your other book again “Inspired You”, while waiting for your new book to arrive.

    3. monique odman

      It is a good piece of furniture with so much storage space, it looks well made and solid, with a beautiful cornice. Will you have to give it a bit of overall sanding before you will apply the hemp oil?

    4. Marylisa

      It’s such a great piece! You must have high ceilings in your basement. It’s going to be a wonderful room!

    5. Julia

      Beautiful! Have you considered hanging your drapes close to the ceiling? I think that would balance your cabinet, fireplace and the other built in. Love it!

      • Marian Parsons

        Yes, I am planning on hanging them higher than the window. 🙂

    6. Laura

      I have a very old sideboard that had a “hutch” on top. I got rid of the upper hutch, and remember the two pieces of wood with handmade screws that joined the two. Like two cast off pieces of wood and those amazing handmade screws to connect the furniture pieces.

      • Marian Parsons

        So cool! I just love these old pieces. Some of the two=piece hutches I have can be used as separate pieces, but this one doesn’t have a complete top on the bottom piece, so they need to stay together as one piece.

    7. Carolyn L Dietrich

      Love how the basement family room makeover is progressing! It’s going to look wonderful as does the rest of your house! When my husband and I moved into my former home (my husband is deceased) we fastened two antique pieces that were from different eras but the same wood and finish to make them into a hutch and my husband did the same as yours did to make them secure.
      Could you possibly store the games in the lower portion behind doors? It sees a shame to hide that beautiful beadboard back.

    8. Laura

      I am DYING to see the finished basement!! It is looking so good! You just inspire me nine ways to Sunday!!!

    9. Sandy

      So glad you found such a beautiful cabinet. It looks perfect in that spot. The rest of the room is looking beautiful.!!!

    10. Kathy S Clark

      Oh my I love this cabinet! Those drawer pulls are absolutely beautiful!!!

    11. JENNIFER WADDELL

      Hey Marian, I’d love to join the launch team. I started filling out all my info when you first asked but hesitated because I don’t do all the social medias and don’t have many followers. Would you still want me? I am so anxious to receive my copy of the new book as I know it will be amazing! Loved your first book too!

      • Marian Parsons

        Yes, yes! You do not need to have a public social media account to be able to join the launch team. There are so many other ways you can support the book (leaving reviews, word of mouth, reading the free e-version of the book and give me feedback on how it encouraged you, etc.) Please join!

        • Diane

          I do want to be a part of the launch team but I don’t have much time to spare. Is that a problem?
          I also wanted to share that my father built a simple two piece cabinet for my mom when they were first married in 1950. It needed a little love so i painted the back of the shelves a creamy white and re-framed vintage family photos and styled it with family treasures. Thanks for the inspiration!

          • Marian Parsons

            It won’t require any kind of commitment. We’ll be doing a lot of things that are just for fun and you can participate if you want to and have the time. We will encourage members to do things to help support and promote the book (like leave reviews or share on social media), but none of it is required. Just join up and participate as much as you want! 🙂

        • Jennifer

          Thank you so much Marian! I’m all signed up! ??
          Now I can let you know how much I LOVE this antique cabinet and how perfect it looks in your “library”, just the right feel I think!
          I have 2 boys too. They are pretty grown but I just now, over the pandemic time, have converted their “playroom” into my “library”! I’m so excited! I also moved my grandmothers table (that is similar to your dining room table) to a corner of the room and have started painting-also with your guidance! Thank you for your free tutorials! And your encouragement!

    12. Kimberly Carnegie Bruhn

      I just noticed your outlet covers…did you paint them with your wall paint? (Sorry, it’s hard to tell on my computer screen)
      Love the way they just blend in…

    13. Paula

      Beautiful piece! Be sure and check eBay for your hardware as well. You can find most anything on there, and if they don’t have it today, save a search for it. Could well show up tomorrow!

    14. Bea

      Love your new cabinet! The cabinet back is wonderful also. Bead board is favorite of mine.

    15. Connie

      Beautiful antique piece & it looks perfect there! And the styling on the mantel does indeed have a gentleman’s library/study vibe going on! Love it all & am enjoying the trip to completion!

    16. nancy

      This is so gorgeous, that beadboard is like beautiful silk lingerie under your working clothes. (For me that would be scrubs;} )
      Why hemp oil, what is the advantage? I am big Briwax fan but always want to learn.

      • Marian Parsons

        Hemp oil is so easy to wipe on, it doesn’t stink, and it does a beautiful job hydrating wood, especially old wood. It also doesn’t create a barrier as wax does.

    17. PJ

      Would you please write a post about painting the trim, especially the window trim? From the photos, it looks as if you left parts white, and I am curious to see how and where you taped off parts to achieve this. Thank you!

      • Marian Parsons

        Yes, I certainly can!

    18. Felicity

      I love the cupboard – especially as I have half the exact same (lower part) which I inherited from my Aunt when she moved into care last year. (I say exact same, but mine is in country Australia). It had been sitting sadly outside in her shed for as long as I can remember (50+ years) and looks fabulous now it’s on my back veranda – wearing it’s splendid new coat of MMS French Enamel + hemp oil and filled with my preserving jars 🙂 🙂 🙂

    19. Cheri Dietzman

      Love seeing the cabinet in the family room! It’s perfect!

    20. Kim

      Growing up my parents had several 2-piece tall antique 1800s cabinets, and they always had a couple of scrap pieces of wood on the backs holding the two parts together! So this is an old joining technique that fits right in with the age of the piece!

    21. Allison Schley

      I went to Gold Rush in Oronoco this year. I was secretly hoping to meet you. I even commented to my mom that I know you come here mostly every year and that maybe I would be able to spot you. I have been following your blogs for years. I actually saw this hutch from afar and wanted it but when I got close I saw your name on it. I said to my mom I wonder if this isn’t Miss Mustard Seed. Funniest thing is that it actually was!!!!! You got a beautiful cabinet. I’m a little jealous!!!!! Gold Rush is a lot of fun.

      • Marian Parsons

        Oh, I wish we ran into each other! So funny that you spotted the cabinet and saw my name already on it. It is a great cabinet. 🙂 Maybe we’ll bump into each other next time.

    22. Debbie Wilson

      Keep those board games in the bottom cabinet. Open the doors and style it ala Miss Mustard Seed style!

    23. Victoria

      You could try 3M plastic hooks as temporary knobs, as they shouldn’t damage the wood when you need to remove them.

    24. Sharon Rexroad

      I never really think this way, but I’m hoping you consider anchoring the hutch to the wall as well. If the doors stick at all (which sometimes happens with old furniture), I wouldn’t want the boys to tug too hard and have the whole thing topple over on them!

      You mentioned in a comment that hemp oil doesn’t create a barrier like wax. Do you think I could gilding size on a hemp oiled piece so I could apply copper leaf? I’d first give the hemp oil several days to totally soak in.

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        Yes, we discussed anchoring it to the wall as well, but it’s bottom-heavy and unlikely to tip. Our boys are also old enough that they aren’t pulling/climbing on the furniture. We have other pieces that are anchored because they are top-heavy. Always a good idea!

        Yes, you can apply a gild sizing over hemp oil, but I would let it fully cure for 30 days before applying.

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