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!
:)

46 comments:

Gale said...

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.

Mary Anne said...

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

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

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

chasing lightning bugs said...

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....

Cottage and Broome said...

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.

The Polka Dot Closet said...

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

Nelly said...

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

Amy Kinser said...

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

north pal said...

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

Rustique Gal said...

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

lilybets said...

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

web design said...

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.

Missy said...

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!

Tiffany said...

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/

Janette - The2Seasons said...

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.

Homeroad said...

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

Vagabonds Mercantile said...

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.

Paula Parrish said...

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

Gracie's Cottage said...

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

Jan

Mélanie A. said...

Beautiful display

Loretta Castorini said...

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

Arda

La Dolfina said...

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

Sea Witch said...

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

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

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

Michelle Palmer said...

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

Recycled Rita said...

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

licha20 said...

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

Andy's Attic said...

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

Zita - Mlle Magpie said...

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)

Anonymous said...

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

SHUG IN BOOTS {Beth} said...

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

me and alice said...

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

Evi said...

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

joanne said...

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.....

Jamie said...

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

JunkStuffTreasures said...

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

Terri Gordon said...

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

offset printing said...

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.

JDConwell said...

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.

jacklynn4 said...

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

Judy said...

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!

okcamp said...

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.

Vintage Rose said...

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

Anonymous said...

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!

Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage said...

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/

Brenda BE said...

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.