Monday, August 1, 2011

Stumped!?

I am in need of some creative ideas!  I found this great "thing" at Class and Trash this weekend and am at a complete and total loss with what to do!?  I'm really not sure exactly what it is so if anyone knows...that would be great.  Secondly, I have no clue what to do with it!  All I know is I love it and I wanted it the second I saw it.  Anything that looks old and has more than two drawers you can be pretty sure I'm going to fall in love with it!




So what do y'all think?  It's a pretty good size and quite heavy.  Looks like it may have survived a flood or some kind of water damage.  I don't think I want to know where it lived it's former life! I need some inspiration!  HELP!
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23 comments:

  1. LindaAugust 1, 2011 at 6:41 PM

    I'll bet this thing has some Richmond history ... do those drawers go all the way back to the back? Shew! That thing is long! But it has those tag frame things. Used to be a lot of factories in Shockoe Slip back in the day .... could've been tagged and used for patterns, or fabric, or something? Just guessing because my grandmother worked down there sewing hassocks .... and that whole area was flooded. Pretty neat piece. Can't wait to see what you do with it!

    Linda

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  2. EmilyAugust 1, 2011 at 7:00 PM

    I love it. And this is going to sound weird, but my first thought was that it would be a great HUGE bedside table or headboard. Or end table next to the couch. Is Maybe refinished wood, maybe painted something wild like silver. It's really pretty - I love all the drawers!

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  3. EmilyAugust 1, 2011 at 7:01 PM

    Bahhhhh or linens/silverware. I saw a flat file used for that recently, and those drawers are so similar in depth and length as far as I can tell, it reminds me of that.

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  4. AmyAugust 1, 2011 at 7:15 PM

    I wonder if it was used to hold maps back in the day? Looks super cool!

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  5. Sarah DAugust 1, 2011 at 7:40 PM

    My first thought was add legs and make it a jewelry dresser. You could line the drawers with pretty fabric or felt and label them. I would probably stencil something really pretty on it like chevrons or damask or white wash it.

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  6. Erin // Studio336August 1, 2011 at 7:48 PM

    Of course you would find basically what I'm looking for. I've been searching craigslist and thrift stores for a flat file for a while now, to no avail. My boyfriend would think I was nuts if I brought that one home(not that I'd care..). What did your husband say about this one?? Haha.

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  7. HelenAugust 1, 2011 at 8:24 PM

    I with the map idea. Mount it on a frame that has legs, add casters (our customers love them) and call it a coffee table. Of course, you will have to clean it up a bit. Perhaps just restaining it would add wonders. Anything that looks that old would be a great addition to someone's room. Now, as to use, old maps again, linens (if it doesn't smell), blueprints, artist's drawers. Lots of ideas floating around over here.

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  8. EvieAugust 1, 2011 at 8:24 PM

    My thoughts: paint it white, distress it, paint the drawers a different color (all different colors?) place some cool labels in those label holders....you have your work cut out for you! I would totally have snagged it too though...it would kind of make for a neat coffee table...with some legs or wheels or something?

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  9. ShannaAugust 1, 2011 at 8:36 PM

    wow! it is really cool! can't wait to see what you do with it!

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  10. Elle & EmAugust 1, 2011 at 9:07 PM

    This is so cool - I love the drawer labels. I can't tell if it would be large enough, but I would paint it and place it at the foot of a bed. You could always add a seat cushion and store flat scarves in it... Great find!

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  11. Amy TaylorAugust 1, 2011 at 9:22 PM

    Do you follow the blog "better after"? She has a lot of stuff you could use to go off of. It's a neat piece!

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  12. Lisa-AnnAugust 1, 2011 at 9:30 PM

    I say paint it black and distress it so some of the brown shows through....Also I love the bronzed hardware, maybe just clean it up some. Nice side table in any room!

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  13. Cassie BustamanteAugust 1, 2011 at 10:15 PM

    i think this is one of those pieces that would look good kept simple- just some white paint with light distressing and keep original hardware!

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  14. KLSAugust 1, 2011 at 11:19 PM

    I'm gonna step outside of the box and say put it on legs and put a butcher block on top and turn it into a kitchen island. If you need something like that. :)

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  15. UnknownAugust 2, 2011 at 4:57 AM

    OMGish!!! I've been dying for something like this! I seen some smaller ones at Hobby Lobby this weekend. Maybe they held library cards? I don't know, just a guess. I'd look it up for sure. I hope you share with all of us, if you find out :o)

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  16. Richmond ThrifterAugust 2, 2011 at 8:13 AM

    OMG you guys are the BEST!!! Im LOVING all your ideas!!! How will I choose just one!??!?!

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  17. AnonymousAugust 2, 2011 at 10:30 AM

    I almost bought the blue mirror on Saturday that is to the right of your treasure!

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  18. AnonymousAugust 2, 2011 at 10:30 AM

    Wait, that looks like a table, not the blue mirror I almost bought, but picture the side of the table being a mirror, and THAT is what I almost bought. HA!

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  19. TylerAugust 2, 2011 at 10:56 AM

    They look like flat files to me. I work for an engineering firm and we have them all over, used for blueprints, plans or other over sized documents. Similar to this:

    http://www.draftingfurniture.com/listings/usedflat.html#2

    Yours just looks like and old, homemade version.

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  20. Jessicab72August 2, 2011 at 11:11 AM

    As a couple others have mentioned, it looks like an old map chest to me. I love it!

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  21. KarenAugust 2, 2011 at 11:41 AM

    That reminds me of the files we have in our office that we store old maps in.

    Which instantly made me think that it would look great if you painted it and decoupaged a map onto it.

    Something like this...

    http://www.thenateshow.com/tipsandtools/detail/decorating-with-maps

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  22. ChristinaAugust 2, 2011 at 12:38 PM

    Not sure if this was said above, because i didnt read all the comments. But my 1st thought was a craft table. If the draws dont go all the way back you could probably cut out a spot to for a chair, use the draws as a place to store crafts,Paints, canvas, scrap booking paper, etc. not sure what the size of it is.

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  23. Petits OiseauxAugust 2, 2011 at 2:37 PM

    Honestly, I like it exactly as it is, I would do nothing to it. Putting it in a room with other many finished pieces adds character because this one would be "raw".

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