When in doubt, do nothing! Or stick it on Craigslist for a ridiculously high price, and then we can all bask in your newfound wealth - and take full credit for it, lol.

Your cabinet is of noticeably higher quality than the white-painted ones above. It makes use of special veneer work, scrollwork and carvings. Many people in the South love this kind of furniture; I saw quite a bit of it during my trip down there last Fall. They have special magazines devoted to just this kind of style. And so, you would not have a hard time selling it.

how about removing the top, new knobs,new glass, and expermenting with ann slones chalk paint ( not chalkboard) no sanding needed. and waxing it.

I agree with the "sell it" comments. Craigslist or EBay. Check what the current Henredon price is for a similar new piece. Ask for half of that price. Then go buy what you really want when it sells and goes to its new home.

Take off the fancy top, fill the shelves with books, and put it in your home office. The drawers in the base are perfect storage for an office.

Okay. I will put it on Craigslist while looking at new furniture more to my new house style and see what happens. :) If no offers then I will look to family members who will appreciate it... if they don't, then I will I will review all suggestions here again. Hahaha.. good suggestions too.

There are upscale resale places in the major cities in Texas where you can probably get a better price than on Craigslist. It would be a SIN to paint this piece of Henredon!

I love this piece! Would remove the pediment and keep it as is.

"If" you are leaning toward rustic, this is anything but rustic....however, it could be made to suit your current taste....I would honestly remove all the fancy stuff....the top part and also I'd have the scroll stuff removed from the doors....and have either clear glass or an opaque glass put in....."if" you chose to paint it you may also want to consider handles that aren't quite so fancy....we "had" a really nice china cabinet which had a "colonial" look to it but I really preferred and wanted something more rustic looking so we unearthed one of my grandmother's cupboards that was always referred to as her "jam" cupboard....when I was a kid, 100 yrs. ago, my mom had it sitting in the basement at home and it was painted turquoise (her fav. colour)....one of our sons stripped it down for us and it was used in a business that we have but when I decided I'd like to paint it, my poor husband and along with the little help that I was lugged it home....I'd just had very major reconstructive surgery done on my rt. hand....the cupboard felt like it was made from concrete but we finally managed to get it into the house and down the hall....and then the transformation began....I painted it white first then sanded through the paint in some areas to make it look "time worn"....after that process, I then antiqued it by using a darker oil based art paint that you wipe on and then rub off wherever you don't want it....I'll include a couple of pics of it....the curved mirror in the picture was one of the original windows in our 168 yr. old home....you could also check out antique stores in your area or go to garage sales if you're afraid to touch it....have fun....post a pic of the finished project or what you end up using....

Great job!! :)

WOW - great transformation, and thanks for posting the update! Interesting you had no takers on CL (or offers from the others here who said it might be worth quite a lot).

Thanks! Sorry to those who thought it was a bad idea to paint it, but it would have clashed horribly with the rest of my house. At least this way I can still find a way to enjoy it instead of selling it for almost nothing for someone to resell.

Don't apologize, it's your furniture to do with as you please. Now it's something you enjoy and that's how it should be

Looks GREAT that color, seriously considering doing that with our hutch when we redecorate!

I was going to say sell it ,but it all depends on how sentimental are you :) Its a beautiful piece though! and you also have a lot of storage for your crystals and dishes . So after looking at all the nice painted ones I almost dislike saying it but yes paint it ,I wouldn't go white though I would go Ivory and add some gold leaf to it ,it will change the look but it will retain its character .

looks great....good choice

Looks beautiful. I have one similar and am now encouraged to do the same

Looks great!!!! Might think about changing out the hardware to something more rustic!!! Loving it in White

I still love it and there many out there that still appreciate this type of furniture! I would sell it... If you are over it let it go. Painting it would be a nightmare.

lin15 , B Tag3 did paint it. See the picture posted after it was painted. It looks beautiful.

I'm glad you did something about the mirror in the back, it looks so much better. But if you replace the glass shelves with solid ones and update the drawer pulls, I think you'll like it even more! It will make the piece just that little bit more casual and striking.

I love it painted! Wish I had this in my kitchen

Well, I would NEVER have painted this piece but it looks terrific! I love it when a risk like this pans out. The white gives it a bit of a Swedish vibe. I love that you are using the base and deck separately. Instead of bun feet on the base, consider something like a simple plinth base or bracket feet or bun feet with some type of minimal base. (4") The reason for this is not style: bun feet will work. (although they are WAY more casual than the style of this piece - possibly your reasoning) It is more about proportion and visual weight. You are going to find that without the base, the deck is visually "top heavy", even without the pediment. Bracket feet or a plinth will help visually balance and ground it by adding weight to the bottom. It is NOT a stand alone piece. Simple, simple construction, even for an unskilled craftsman. Nice job and good luck with the final steps.

Thanks Daniel, good idea! I will have a local carpenter look at it and see what he can do to make it stable and proportional. :) I know of a good one who is very reasonable with his prices and is fun cause he looks like Willie Nelson (does Willie have tats?)

If I were a betting man, I would put money on that. ;-) btw, A piece of marble on top of the deck would also be an amazing finish to the top, which I would wager is NOT finished...

I separated one before and it was sealed. Ideal for me because the bottom was a much better fit in front of low, long bay window. Looks great!! And so does yours and so will yours. DDDesigns is spot on with plinth idea, will make the piece look like "it was always supposed to be that way"

Better fit than a traditional sideboard or buffet, I didn't mean I had china cabinet in front of bay window :)

mforr, we are in your head. We knew that. ;-) The base is almost always sealed, but not always. The deck rarely, or if so, with visible screws, etc. Not really my idea of finished.

Daniel, what on earth are you doing in my head? Don't tell anybody about all the dusty corners and detritus ;)

Great minds... detritus. Good word.

Got some smarts and everything

You guys are funny.

Looking... Shhhh

Look at my picture, I don't even have any facial features.

It turned out great!!! I'd still like to see a different pull and a medal detail around the top but its awesome!!!

I was part of the "don't paint it" crowd, but I think it turned out great! Nice job.

If it is Henredon do not try refinishing it sell it to someone who wants a nice piece of furniture and invest in a new piece that will go with your home. If it is not refinished properly or taken apart correctly you have just destroyed a good piece of furniture. I think it is time to let it go and get some money out of it, think wisely. Matt

I have this same set and I have changed my decorating preferences. Did you have the table and chairs too? What did you do?

She painted it see photo up thread.

You will ruin it if you paint. Sell it.

Did a good job painting the thing. It was a very good piece of furniture in its day, and it is still a very good piece of furniture.

I believe this is a Henkel Harris. It would be a crime to paint it. This is furniture. Sorry I am a furniture snob and I think Mahogany and Cherry are so fab!

Hello People, she painted it 3 years ago. And it looks great.

Not bad. I would have offered her a bid for it. I saw the finished picture and it looks good either way.

Do not paint that beautiful wood! sell it and get a casual or rustic piece if you must. That would have been a prized piece by the Hill Country settlers in my family.

duh why do these old posts still pop up?

I had a similar piece, used it for many years in a more formal house back east. Took off the top and just used the buffet bottom when we moved west, which made it work in the more casual home we had in Arizona. I did not paint mine, but I think yours looks great painted! I understand those who said do not paint it, but I also understand about husbands who cannot see getting rid of a good (and expensive) piece of furniture!

I too have a formal 20 year old cherry dining room set. We are downsizing from a southern plantation style home to cottage style home with an open living space (no more formal dining room). I’ve also tried selling each piece (dining table with 10 chairs, china cabinet, sideboard) on craigslist & offerup. Scammers or lowball offers make me sick so it has helped to read comments & see what you cabinet looks like after painted. One question I had was should I paint the mirrored back of my china cabinet if I decide to keep it & paint it? If so how? I too have transfer ware to display.

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