Sunday, July 31, 2011

The Glass Display Box


Last year, while hunting at my favorite Connecticut flea
 with a friend, I found this old oak and glass display box.


I brought it up to the lake and asked Dad
 to tighten up a joint which was a little loose on one side.
He's very handy at fixing things
 and has been so good about tackling my many projects!


Next, we will replace the two glass shelves that are missing.


I couldn't wait though...now that it was functional...
 and played with a few vignettes...
  ...then took it outside for an impromptu photo shoot.

I considered painting it white
 but decided to leave it in its original state.
  

What do you think? Would you paint it?

We have had a great weekend here at the lake...
...and enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the boat this evening.

I hope your weekend was a good one
 and that the week ahead brings all good things!
:)
at

46 comments:

  1. GaleJuly 31, 2011 at 10:32 PM

    I think I'd leave it in it's original finish. It reminds me of something you'd find in an paneled library in an old English country estate.

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  2. Mary AnneJuly 31, 2011 at 10:55 PM

    Love your simplicity. . . always interesting and inspiring!

    I would love to have you stop by at http://alwaysrobinseggblue.blogspot.com/
    Glad your weekend was so full of memories with your dad.

    Mary Anne

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  3. Ceekay-THINKIN of HOMEJuly 31, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    Here I go....I would not paint it. I like the original finish....and it is a fantastic piece! I love it.

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  4. chasing lightning bugsJuly 31, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    vignettes and little collections always grab me. what a perfect way to keep the dust off!
    i like it's original state. you can't re-create the patina of old wood....

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  5. Cottage and BroomeJuly 31, 2011 at 11:40 PM

    The display case is lovely! I like the wood but I'm never afraid to paint something if it does not work with where you want to put it. You can always sand thru the paint and let some of the wood peak out.

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  6. The Polka Dot ClosetJuly 31, 2011 at 11:52 PM

    How sweet of your Dad to help your. I am a white loving girl, but somethings just have to stay in there original state, I think you made a good call on leaving this piece unpainted, this is quite a treasure

    Carol

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  7. NellyAugust 1, 2011 at 12:12 AM

    Oh you must leave it as it is.I would love to find something like that.

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  8. Amy KinserAugust 1, 2011 at 12:24 AM

    Love the way it looks as is! Such a great piece.

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  9. north palAugust 1, 2011 at 12:32 AM

    just leave as is for awhile and live with it. maybe down the road you will decide to paint. by the way it is a dream and so is the bottle. Bestest,Denise

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  10. Rustique Gal August 1, 2011 at 12:32 AM

    Laura,
    This is such a lovely piece, I'd not paint it. I love little vignettes under glass. This is great.
    Hope you have a great week!
    Hugs,
    Sherry

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  11. lilybetsAugust 1, 2011 at 1:27 AM

    Yes,I would see it painted in white,it could be gorgeus!.

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  12. web designAugust 1, 2011 at 2:38 AM

    Furniture with the glass is awesome. Now a days this type of furniture is very much popular in market. Also stone pieces is very beautiful.

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  13. MissyAugust 1, 2011 at 3:28 AM

    Hi, I'm new to your blog and I love it!
    The little display cabinet is gorgeous. I don't think I would paint it. It's lovely how it is.
    Thanks for a very pretty blog!

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  14. TiffanyAugust 1, 2011 at 5:32 AM

    OMG! Please leave it natural! The depth of the wood color is AMAZING! If you ever decide it needs a new home; I already have a list of places it could live! :-) So beautiful!

    http://inspiredantiquity.blogspot.com/

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  15. Janette - The2SeasonsAugust 1, 2011 at 7:22 AM

    I would not paint it. I think that only one piece in a room should be painted. It makes that piece an exclamation point! I see bloggers out there painting everything but their dogs, and I am just not a fan.

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  16. HomeroadAugust 1, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    I love it and it would make an awesome greenhouse!
    Susan

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  17. Vagabonds MercantileAugust 1, 2011 at 7:48 AM

    Somethings actually do need to be left alone. I have a table that would look great white but the patina on the wood is just too pretty to paint over.

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  18. Paula ParrishAugust 1, 2011 at 7:59 AM

    My vote is to keep the display cabinet with it’s original finish. The cabinet is so lovely after a little TLC. Smiles, Paula

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  19. Gracie's CottageAugust 1, 2011 at 8:03 AM

    Well rats... I recently sold a similar piece and you've got me wishing I'd kept it!

    Jan

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  20. Mélanie A.August 1, 2011 at 9:02 AM

    Beautiful display

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  21. Loretta CastoriniAugust 1, 2011 at 9:02 AM

    keep it as is, its got loads of character :)

    Arda

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  22. La DolfinaAugust 1, 2011 at 9:19 AM

    I love it Laura!
    I'd leave it's original finish.
    I'm so envious, in a good way, that you have your father as a kindred spirit and repairman at your side! What a pair the two of you make :)
    I'm smitten with that bottle

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  23. Sea WitchAugust 1, 2011 at 9:49 AM

    So glad you left it in its original state. Use Howard Wood Restorer if you want to bring up the patina and remove the age/dirt buildup. Easy to use and instant restoration without sacrificing the original finishes. Love your display case. Sea Witch

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  24. Susan McShannon-MonteithAugust 1, 2011 at 10:16 AM

    Like the treasured pieces that lie within (that will change when the mood strikes) the little cupboard is best left as is... worn where the trembling hand caressed the door panel, lovingly removing, dusting and rotating the pieces tucked safely inside...
    Susan x

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  25. Michelle PalmerAugust 1, 2011 at 10:45 AM

    Your treasures (and photographs of them) are always so beautiful~ I like it natural... warm and shows the years of loving use :)

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  26. Recycled RitaAugust 1, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    It is perfect the way it is! what a great find!
    karen...

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  27. licha20August 1, 2011 at 11:34 AM

    OH gosh NO!!! Leave it in its original glory!!

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  28. Andy's AtticAugust 1, 2011 at 12:48 PM

    I guess I'm with the majority. Leave it as is. It could be an antique and painting would decrease the value. It looks so loved and you have added some great touches with your display.
    Annette

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  29. Zita - Mlle MagpieAugust 1, 2011 at 1:07 PM

    Ooohh, I love this display box! Great find, Laura! I don't think you should paint it - it's very Sibella Court :) (I was so thrilled to find her book, "etc" while I was in London)

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  30. AnonymousAugust 1, 2011 at 1:09 PM

    I don't know if I would paint it or not, tough choice, because it has so much beauty right now =) Have a lovely week! Xoxoxo

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  31. SHUG IN BOOTS {Beth}August 1, 2011 at 2:33 PM

    That thing is GORGEOUS! I wouldn't touch a thing! I love it in its original state! Delicious! What an awesome find!

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  32. me and aliceAugust 1, 2011 at 3:03 PM

    Hello Laura!
    Thank you so much for your beautiful comment!
    What a beautiful box you found and how good with a handy father! ;)
    I would also keep it in it's original state.

    Have a lovely evening!
    xoxo Susanne

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  33. EviAugust 1, 2011 at 4:21 PM

    Laura, I love the cabinet but would love it even more painted off-white with patina.
    But it was a great find. I see you are keeping your Dad busy. It's good to have a man around who can fix things.
    Love, Evi

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  34. joanneAugust 1, 2011 at 4:44 PM

    i would not paint it...leave it in the original finish...looks great....so glad your dad is able to help me...my dad passed away in 1994...how i miss him...he was good at that stuff too....

    what a great find you have there...the box and your dad.....

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  35. JamieAugust 1, 2011 at 5:18 PM

    I usually say paint everything - but this would I might leave as it, so a beautiful color

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  36. JunkStuffTreasuresAugust 1, 2011 at 8:00 PM

    I say "no" to painting it. The aged wood has so much character, goes well with your arrangement. It looks great!

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  37. Terri GordonAugust 1, 2011 at 8:12 PM

    Hello, Oh what a beautiful display box, I would not paint it, it is beautiful just the way it is. Thank you for sharing, your photo's are always so beautiful. I hope you are having a wonderful summer. Hugs, Terri

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  38. offset printingAugust 1, 2011 at 9:11 PM

    Hey there. I think this is a great find and I am glad that you're dad's very handy. It looks lovely and very vintage. It's a great decoration and you did an awesome job in putting stuff inside.

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  39. JDConwellAugust 2, 2011 at 7:00 AM

    Wow...as I post my comment there are already 36 ahead of me, and I think the majority have said Leave it as is! :~) Hard choice, but I'd have to agree.

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  40. jacklynn4August 2, 2011 at 7:13 AM

    Paint it! Chalk paint...light-like white...with a summery light blue interior!

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  41. JudyAugust 2, 2011 at 3:21 PM

    Leave it alone! It is so wonderful as is! I particularly like the white pieces against the darker wood. You would lose that if you paint it.

    Also loved the little white flower -- Queen Anne's lace. When I lived back east, I often went out into the fields and picked it for bouquets in the house! Beautiful!

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  42. okcampAugust 3, 2011 at 11:04 AM

    It's lovely the way it is. I realize that painting is all the rage and improves the look of some pieces that if left in their "as found" condition, look too drab and tired. However, I also fear that in ten or twenty years, we'll come to regret painting all the older furniture much like we regret the antiquing phase that was so prevalent in the late 60s and early 70s. My parents had several nice oak pieces that they 'antiqued' because they didn't fit in with their furnishings. Of course, it didn't take too many years before the antiqued furniture didn't fit in either. Hope I'm not getting too philosophical (LOL). I love your stuff. It has character, flaws and all.

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  43. Vintage RoseAugust 3, 2011 at 5:02 PM

    Beautiful box. hmmm - for me - I would resist the temptation to paint. The aged wood gives it so much character.

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  44. AnonymousAugust 3, 2011 at 7:41 PM

    I don't think I could ever paint anything made of oak! Among all the old things I love are the wonderful oak pieces that fill my home. I also like to read old books, and found one about logging written in 1904, "The Blazed Trail" by Stewart Edward White. It was a real eye-opener for me, and gave me a whole new respect for antique furniture that was manufactured in the days before chain saws and all the modern methods of logging - it was dangerous work with great loss of life and limb under the most horrific working conditions. When you think of how it came to be in your hands, you won't ever want to paint it!

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  45. Liz @ the Brambleberry CottageAugust 5, 2011 at 12:29 PM

    The patina of age is more often, than not, what draws me to a piece. I, too, sometimes struggle with whether or not to paint something of a vintage or antique pedigree.

    So, here is how I approach it. I imagine seeing the piece for the first time, but in my mind, it's painted. Would I STILL have the same attraction to it? Would I want to call it my own? If not, the piece remains UNpainted and continues to wear its original finish - just usually cleaner than found. ;)

    Hugs,
    Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
    http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

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  46. Brenda BEAugust 21, 2011 at 3:18 AM

    I have the same style of cabinet but will only one glass shelf in it. I have left it in its wood originality and have owned it for many years. Found a garage sale for $1.75, yes, I paid the full asking price. I too, had to fix the front door.
    Don't paint it, leave it with the original wood stained finish.

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