I would leave the bamboo details white or off white and paint the rest a soft gray or other neutral, unless you have a specific color scheme in mind. You could always paint it in a soft coral somewhat like it was originally, but with white bamboo trim. Replace knobs with simple, white, dull silver or find ones that have a bamboo look in silver metal. Have the top replaced with a paintable wood surface, but make sure to leave the bamboo trim so your piece won't look "repaired". Try to keep the original details intact to make it a stand-alone vintage piece. Good for an entry or maybe a bedroom, as already suggested. A fun project and wonderful way to honor your grandmother!

I have a remarkably similar piece from about the same era. Coincidentally, the top of mine is also in bad shape. I solved the problem the easy way: I ran a long scarf over the top. Mine is a double ikat which I purchased in Bali, but it doesn't have to be anything that exotic. A long scarf in an Indonesian batik or a Mexican blanket would work, and those are fairly easy to find. Good luck!

I have seen pieces where they installed mirrors behind the detail work. personally I think they look pretty sharp that way, but that's just personal prefrence. I have seen bamboo types like this done in a bright color, which could work fantastic as a focal point for your entry. spray paint is pretty easy to get the hang of, just always err on the side of more coats the better, and make sure your piece has no dust or grime on it before painting or it will make the texture feel rough.

HI -- Do not take the bamboo inserts out . Anyone saying that is probably younger , so they don't know . The bamboo feature was very popular in the late 50's to the 70's and yours is probably from the early 60's and it should stay as the feature .That is the charm of the piece . It would be the best to just re-store rather than change .

Yes, I'm actually thinking of adding a Chinese red to my piece, but I think I'd rather work with brush-on enamel. I use spray paint a lot, but not on anything valuable.

I wouldn't make it something it's not---since it is a 1960s piece, I'd keep it as close in looks to that era as you could, taking into consideration that it's already been painted and the top is damaged. Cutting off the legs and painting it some wacky color (as others have suggested) would ruin it. I would, however, since the top is damaged, replace the formica/laminate top with a solid wood top (sanded and primed first), then paint the entire piece . It looks as though the bamboo trim across the front/top edge, could be removed and then tacked back on once the new wood top was in place. The new wood top could be easily painted with a no-nap foam roller brush (a 4" roller brush would do it). One to two coats of primer, sanded after each application with 600-grit sandpaper, and two coats of final paint color, sanded after each application with 600-grit sandpaper would give a very smooth, durable finish. Might be pretty with a neutral gray color on the wood behind the bamboo lattice fronts if you paint the entire piece in white or another light-to-medium color.

You can choose any color since grannie already changed it once. Keep the bamboo, do something with the insert behind - mirror, a contrasting color, whatever works for your space (and you can change it anytime changing the piece entirely. Don't mess w/repairing the top, measure it and put a replacement top on - marble, slate, colored glass, or wood. I did smoky glass on a top of an old piece and put a tray over the injury under it. Yes, auto shops do good paint jobs on furniture and kitchen appliances. My dad bought white appliances in the 50's and had them sprayed hot cocoa, everyone else had harvest gold, avocado, burnt red or white. He was light years ahead. Whatever you do enjoy the memories of grannie no doubt she'll love it.

i would cut the legs off; would modernize the look; keep the bamboo and replace the formica with a piece of stone; the top isn't that large and the investment will be well worth it.

I'd get it professionally painted and put some glass or wallpaper (metallic) behind the bamboo inserts. It's a lovely piece:)

Formica isn't hard to work with. If you can glue the crack down so the top is flat, you can either purchase a cut piece from a countertop store or cut your own from a 4x8 sheet, and glue a new piece right on top. Bevel the edge with a file and it will look great.

I have an idea for the top: what about bamboo flooring?

I like it as is!! Maybe a hardware change, but that's it!!

Can the wood behind the bamboo be removed? Since it's going to be in your entry way, perhaps think about removing that wood and painting the inside of those cabinets a color that coordinates with your decor. Then, put pretty decorative items (like a beautiful glass bowl or vase) inside those openings with the doors being bamboo-only. Not sure that would work with your piece. You could get light strips from somewhere like IKEA to put inside those now-mostly-open cabinets to spotlight your decorative pieces.

As for the top, I would personally remove the old laminate, sand off the excess glue and replace it with wood. To prevent having 3 colors on your cabinet, if you don't do the door-thing I mentioned above, you might consider staining the wood a light color and finishing it with wax or linseed oil and leave it looking like wood. Would be a nice contrast, and laminate looks kind of cheapy IMHO. (though I have a lot of laminate in MY house...LOL!)

Oh, and a change of drawer/door handles would make a BIG difference in the overall look.; something you LOVE!

I like the mirror look behind the bamboo doors. I would do as little to change the piece as possible because you said looking at it brought back memories of your grandmother's house. If you change it too much, it may not have the same value for you. How long have you had it? Maybe you should live with it a short while. Glue down the Formica and refresh it with white paint, than see how you feel about changing it.

Mirrors behind the bamboo doors, and a mirror for the top with nice rounded edges. Then a beautiful, creamy white. It will be gorgeous.

Yes to mirror behind the bamboo - no to a marble/granite top. And at least think about painting it black. Not too glossy.

For a quick fix to see if the black works, try covering the top in a stick-on film, which would also fix the damaged top. I covered the top of a piece with leftover blackboard film to see if I liked the look. Two years later, it is still there, easy to clean and looks really sharp. If it's in your hallway, you could even use it as a message board!

The trick to revamping is not to take the piece to seriously, or spend too much. Approach it with a light hand, do things you can undo (eg the blackboard film, or paint) but if you are going to change it, have some fun with it.

you could use it for your tv if you removed the wood from behind the bamboo. You'd have to drill holes for the wires but you could keep your cable and dvd player behind the bamboo and the tv on top. For a quick fix the crack could be covered by a lovely tray.

It sounds like you are planning to keep this piece for awhile. My daughter is a furniture designer and I was thinking that if you lived in a town that had a design school, you could ask them for help or suggestions. These are my 2 cents. First, the top if not functional with the crack so you are going to have to replace the top. Have you thought about removing the wood behind the bamboo door and putting in glass? It looks like the bamboo is broken in the middle, at the bottom. That will need to be redone or replaced. I'm not fond of the bottom, but I understand that you may not want to do a lot to change the appearance because of sentimental feelings. If you like it white, keep it white, otherwise, enjoy the piece and make it yours by either repainting it or staining it to give it a Tommy Bahama look.

Keep it!
Change hardware to update...paint whatever color to match decor....but Formica needs to be replaced with updated Formica or whatever you can afford. Nice piece, just needs some updating.. Enjoy it, ver much in style.

I have been doing repairs and finishes for 30 years. Laminate replacement is not difficult, however you do need to have the right equipment in order to perform the replacement. The best advise would be to contact an experienced counter top fabricator, most cabinet shops have their own fabricators. As far as changing the color or "spicing it up", talk to the custom cabinet shop. They have the equipment, knowledge and experience.

I would leave it as it is and if you are going to use it in your dining room, have a mirror or a piece of granite or marble cut to fit the top. I would either leave it the color it is, or paint it black for the entry. It could also be used in a bedroom for extra storage.

Martha Stewart Vintage Decor Paint is easy to use, and no stripping before you paint! look up chalk paint on Pinterest

What a great piece!!! I would paint it a fun funky color to make it pop...or even black and then because the formica is damaged, find a fun wallpaper in a coordinating color, lay it over the top and then have a piece of glass cut to protect it. Voila'

So cool! I would cover over the formica with a wood or plexiglass top. The piece doesn't look sturdy enough to support a marble top. I'd also remove the legs and wicker underneath and replace it with more substantial boxy legs or a rectangular base. I'd love to see it when you're done.

I discovered bamboo furniture is very desirable when I inherited a bamboo coffee table and two Demi-lune end tables from my Great Aunt Agnes. They were custom made in Miami in 1920. As you can see, they definitely did not "go" with my style of decorating, but they are precious to me so I didn't mind. Regardless of how you fix it up your piece, I hope it brings back as many happy memories as my bamboo furniture brings me.

I would like to say that taking the bamboo off would alter the pieces style which is embedded in the edge style. This wood work great in a bedroom, TV room(console) or a breezy style dining room. I have bedroom furniture woth the bamboo edging with formica and it has lasted several households , many moves and a small fire caused by a sun lamp. Enjoy re-purposing your new old piece! M

Get it professionally painted, and then just get the top Formica replaced. Pretty simple really, and good for many years to come.

Your home is beautiful! I love it that you have chosen to keep pieces with meaning to you instead of being a furniture snob where everything has to be exact! LOVED seeing the photo of you and your great aunt! Very sweet photo!

Take up the old laminate using a hair dryer to release the contact cement and a taping knife to lift the laminate. Using chemicals like acetone, remove the residual contact cement. Then replace with new laminate.

For the paint job, car shops will spray new paint and sometimes it's not too expensive, especially if you've done the sanding. It's hard to get a professional-looking paint job if you're an amateur.

Why do you want to paint it? Is it chipped. I love the bamboo. It has a real Miami vibe. Where do you live? A unique piece. You could cover the top with a grass cloth wall paper to keep the look going.

Any color BUT white! I understand how white is "timeless" and classic but I think it's the equivalent of slapping on some sloppy blue/grey flat paint on a piece and calling it "Shabby Chic". It's almost Hollywood Baroque but more Aunt Edna Boca! Have fun with it! But then again, I could be wrong.

I would absolutely love it with the 'rattan' at the bottom gone. Use some Old English lightly over any paint color & it will look less "I painted this" & 'vintage' new! I have never found a car shop that will agree to paint furniture, I have begun to think that is an old wives' tale. You could just have a piece of glass made to cover the top. That's what I do when I 'paint' a laminate top.

Talk about 'vintage' keepsakes! My mother in law had several family heirloom quilts. She gave my husband 2 'quilts' she purchased from WalMart & told him she wanted 'us' to have two of the family quilts & gave the real ones away. She always was a sweetheart.

have a glass top cut to fit the to and paint the underside black. Remove the hardware and the panels behind the bamboo. Paint the entire piece high gloss black lacquer. Replace with brass hardware and use gold leaf to highlight the "rings" on the bamboo. I would paint the inside a daring color like Chinese red lacquer, hang a gold mirror over it and use it as a bar. You could showcase bottles, glasses and retro 1960s era barware underneath, set the top with an elegant lamp, an exotic colorful plant in a brass pot and maybe an animal print entry rug. Instant Hollywood glam!

WOW. Lots of tips and ideas. Don't know what you are thinking but you have great options. If you have no need for a buffet consider mounting it on something sturdier. It would be a beautiful feature island for a kitchen. If you have an entryway large enough, it would be beautiful there with a plant, key tray and maybe a lamp. Is there a spot behind your couch for it to show off itself and some of your favorite photos? Do you have a guest room in need of something classy to dress it up for guests? Do you need an entertainment center for that big screen TV in the family room (or guest room)? It may not fir your decor right now.....but use your imagination and it will fit somewhere. I have an old 50's version of a recliner that belonged to my Grandmother. I made a place for it to fit. I read there.

This piece would look great with a little added glam. Think Old Hollywood! First, get the top repaired or replaced; have the piece painted a glossy black. Show off the door details by placing mirrors behind the bamboo. Change the hardware to sparkly glass knobs. To protect the top, have glass cut to fit over it.

i would colour it dark blue and the bamboo parts in gold or silver. for the top you can think about cutting it and replace it with a new wooden top or adding a mirror top like someone else suggested. it certainly more difficult than paint it white but it would look outstanding and elegant.

Get a piece of glass cut for the top an decoupage either a white fabric or a print fabric that coordinates with your room.

love it,leave it. but if u must.use high gloss. any color u need for room.

e, last comment 3 months ago?

keep it, its an awesome piece

It is a great piece, it would look good in pink, orange, red, black or white. Send it out to be sanded, prepped and sprayed. It won't cost that much and you'll get a better result unless you are a pro and know what you are doing :-)

I would like to paint all bamboo in black and the rest in white. Gold hardware.Some inspiration on pictures below .You can do it yourself. Check The Beginner's Guide to Painting Furniture.

http://www.livelovediy.com/2012/02/50-craigslist-dresser-makeover.html

I don't know what you decided about this, if anything. But I love the idea of going a little Hollywood/Miami with it. Maybe a soft coral color with silver or gold reflective panels (not mirror, just kind of gild-y) behind the bamboo? Pretty piece, lots of options.

If it were me, I'd try fixing/painting the top and if that didn't work, either cover it or replace it with a new formica top. (Marble or granite seem too pricey to me: I'm cheap!)

I had my Bombay chest done with Annie Sloan chalk paint and topped with her waxes to help it blend with my buffet. Love how it turned out. But I wouldn’t attempt to do myself. I leave the painting to the professionals. I don’t have that talent. Lol. I think that could look really good with your piece.

2015 post!

Just realized this

im actially looking for a bamboo piece for my 1960 home to show u how hot they are.so keep it.id keave it or oaint ot to the color of a detail in fabric in room.but white is good.not afraid of bold.i didnt notice broken until u pointed it out.can it not be hidden? im sure if oarticle boatd van be pressed and glued.no value to replace because only sentimental value to you..formica not expensive to replace..bamboo keep!!!!!!look ebay prices and see inventory to convince you.

I had several old wood buffets. Cut the legs off and set them in front of a window.....one for plants and the other with a pad on top for a window seat. You retain storeage space and somewhere to put those unused flower pots.