I bought a really awesome bar cart recently. Now, I’ve been wanting one for ages and I’ve been scouring eBay and one fateful day, I saw my ugly duckling.
Well, actually, it was a swan. Just not quite the swan I imagined.
This particular swan, well, it had siblings. Ok, yeah, this particular metaphor isn’t really working so let’s just talk about the fact that it’s very GOLD. Not the good gold – the really shiny brassy style gold.
Lots and lots of bright shiny gold.
And the legs and the handle of the cart are like a marble-effect green.
“Hello? 1992? Yes, we found your drinks trolley. Mm-hmm. It’s in Red’s Dining Room.”
Oooh but look how pretty my new gold-banded glasses are! My Christmas table is going to look LUSH (in my head only so far but one has to have aspirations in this life).
So, my dear readers. I need some help here. I do really genuinely love this ugly thing. I know deep down in my soul this thing has potential.
But what should I do with it? Is there a way I could perhaps antique the brass (if so, how? I’ve heard good things about Rub N’ Buff but would it work here?). What should I do with the horrible faux-marble handles? I am thinking spray paint but what colour? Or do you think I should just spray the handles and maybe the gold will look better as a result?
Or should I just douse the entire thing in primer and paint it a glossy colour and forget the whole gold fiasco?
I beseech you, my lovely readers… I need your wonderful eye and creativity. What would you do with this ugly duckling?
I'm going to be of zero help to you, but you'll find 1982 in Marks and Spencer right now.
i think i would prob take my time. it's not what you want to hear. but i haven't tackled this sort of surface with paint so i don't want to poorly advise you.<br /><br />remember when i complimented your oven/range? well, again, your photos are so good and make the piece look so cool, it doesn't even look like it needs a modification!<br /><br />have a great rest of the weekend.<
I love the swans!!! Super fab find!!! I agree with Michele….sometimes you have to live with the piece a bit before deciding what changes to make. A diff gold would be lovely. Seems a shame to cover the marble, but it may make you love it even more!<br /><br />I'll see if I can find any inspiration pics and send them to you. :)<br /><br />Xx. Patience
Hmmm, I agree you should live it with it first, but it does sound like you have for a while.<br /><br />If it was for my house, I'd probably give the whole thing a good prime/undercoat and then spraypaint everything an antiqued gold or silver paint. Or maybe, a crazy cool colour, but I'm definately leaning toward the antique metals. Amazing find anyway! :)
I love the swans, they are so sweet. I'm not sure what you should do about the gold and marble, but I'm sure you'll figure out something gorgeous (and then you'll have to share some before and after shots with us!) Melissa x
It looks quite fabulous, but – you're right – needs a bit of updating. I'd leave the gold bits as they are (does it look better on the picture than you describe it?) but try and do something with the faux marble. Since I'm not sure what kind of material it's made of, I'd guess you'll need a primer for plastic/melamine? I'd then gloss it (not the gold bits though) in
It's probably the cough medicine but I'm really trying to come up with a solution for you. The best thing I can think of is to prime and spray paint the gold a more matte antique gold/platinum shade. Even if you spray paint it with a matte gold shade, at least your glasses will stand out more. As for the marble, I've read that's difficult to paint over. It may end up bothering you
Sorry I'm late here, not getting more than 5 minutes at a time on the computer lately! But the weather is so dreadful today I've decided to stay in and do bits and bobs around the house in preparation for weekend entertaining. <br /><br />Anyway, your bar cart is lovely, very unique, but I see what you mean about giving it a little update. I wouldn't know how best to change the gold
perhaps maybe a more matt shade of gold all over, it is a really lovely piece x
Okay, I'm reeeeally late to the game here, but I'm finally catching up on 2 months of blog reading! If it's not too late, my vote is with Mademoiselle Poirot — leave the gold as-is for now, and paint over the marble — either in black or a bright color. Of course, it kindof depends on what you're doing to the faux bamboo chairs. Looking forward to that reveal! (If they're