Curbside Transformation is Cozy!

by Leslie Patson | 3rd November 2010

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Over a week ago Marc and I were walking and came across this on a lane kind of off the main neighborhood street. We were like, wow, this stuff is so cool, could it work in our kitchen? how would we get it there etc etc. We decided both pieces were too big and just forgot about it. Gavin was out of town so we didn’t even bother asking him what he thought and a week passed and we just forgot about it. But yesterday Gavin stopped by and we were talking about still needing a kitchen storage solution this armoire came up Gavin said “lets just go and see if it’s still there. I mean it is literally minutes away. So we jumped into his SUV and off we went…
Could it possibly still be there???

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It was! Both pieces were DIRTY but super cool and the hutch even had flour bin drawers but it was definitelytoo wide for our kitchen and really needed some fixing. Dang! If only somebody would find this they are really gonna score! But the other piece, well…. minutes later Marc and Gavin loaded it up onto Gavin’s car roof! Maybe we would be the ones to score on this curbside freebie?

Nothing comes without some kind of a price and I would say getting this into our house and up the stairs would be it. Poor Marc and Gavin! I just got to stand by and watch…

This is actually not what our stairs look like but I think this is what they felt like….
grand staircases « Roxxn

And when it was determined that fate had taken it’s toll as the piece fit PERFECTLY into the space I got out my bucket, rags and disinfectant and began to scrub the thing down being very careful not to chip the already perfectly chipping paint!
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I decided to remove the two top cabinet doors to open it up and God knows how Gavin managed to get the paint encrusted nails out of there but of course, he did! Upon further inspection of the piece we found a bit of old newspaper that had been used to plug a hole that is dated 1953! A clue to how old our new acquisition might be!

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And now it is in our kitchen and it is so beautiful!!! Also the perfect storage solution we have been looking for!
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Gotta go fill the bottom with “practical” stuff – you know, like food! Finally, a place to store my garlic!
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4 Responses to “Curbside Transformation is Cozy!”

  1. Lu Apple

    Nov 4th, 2010 :

    Curbside cozy, totally gives new meaning to how one can recycle someone elses discards. All it takes is the ability to see what these treasures can become. Great piece of furniture. GREAT ARTICLE!!!!!!!

  2. Gavin

    Nov 4th, 2010 :

    2 things:

    1. The staircase you’ve featured here would have been WAAAYYYY easier than your staircase to get the beast up. Way easier. Way.

    B. I spoke with the owner of the house and the cabinets and he explained what your cabinet originally was. It was a refrigerator! A block of ice was placed on the metal shelf at the bottom and the circular holes in the back wall at the bottom and top of the unit let air in and pulled it through. The vents at the ends of end shelf (the ones with the 1953 book pages stuffed in them) allowed cold air to circulate up through the shelves. Pretty cool. The house was built in 1905 and this piece was probably an original built-in. Dig that!

  3. Lisa

    Nov 4th, 2010 :

    Great job of re-purposing! Sounds like you owe Gavin a massage? :)

  4. Miriam Burke

    Nov 17th, 2010 :

    seattle kicks la’s butt for recycled furniture. so jealous.

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