Salvaged Furniture

Homeowner Jerry Seilor has added a number of delightful antique accents to his traditional-style home, along with several faux-finished pieces that have been painted to look aged.

• A charming buffet graces the entry of the home, giving the area a warm and whimsical look. The piece features an antique windowpane vertically attached to back edge of the top with old brackets, and the top itself has been painted to have the appearance of oxidized brass. The buffet's front and sides feature a crackle finish, and the front is accented with a handpainted wreath and watering can.

• In the living room, several traditional pieces--striped winged-back chairs and a floral sofa--are beautifully complemented by a hand-painted screen panel, an antique green desk chair with a distinct patina, and a small-scale chest of drawers. Seilor found the screen panel in a neighbor's garage, had it textured with sheetrock mud (to make it look like plaster), then had it painted with a tranquil landscape scene. The small-scale chest of drawers has been treated with a crackle finish that rivals the authenticity of the desk chair's patina.

• To house the television, VCR, and videotapes in the family room, Seilor designed and built a lovely Victorian-style cabinet that resembles the frame of a house. The front of the cabinet features a 120-year-old door attached with its original hinges, and the top, or "roof," of the cabinet is covered with dark green shingles. Across the room, a simple, Mission-style oak side table displays a graceful hand-painted reindeer.

• The kitchen also features several delightful pieces, including a side cabinet that was built from a stock assembly kit purchased in a home improvement store. After the cabinet was assembled, it was handpainted with a trellis and foliage motif and a large watering can and small terra cotta pots with painted ivy accents were placed on the top. On the sides of the cabinet, Seilor hammered nails into the wood to serve as hooks for a variety of gardening tools. On the opposite wall, an old baking cupboard has been enhanced with lattice door inserts, several old architectural accents, and more beautifully handpainted details.