Trash to Treasure, Part 1

In my curb alert post, I showed you some items that were set out as trash, destined for the landfill. With a little makeover, one of these items is going to be a great addition to my home.

Here is the first look I got at it, on the curb (and without the benefit of a long-range lens):

I snagged the drawer units and that little lamp table/magazine rack

Here's a better look at this project in it's not-too-sorry 'before' state

Basic black metal and formica top. I checked before the project got started and the lamp works - yay! Now to make it a little prettier...

First thing was to take off the wood top:

Actually...I sanded the top first, then realized it was easily removed. Nothing like doing things backwards and making it it harder!

Sanded it smooth-ish

Spray painted it my new favorite - Oil Rubbed Bronze:

Threw it in the yard on top of my recycling bin, with a drop cloth and it was super easy!

This is the difference in finish from oil rubbed bronze and the flat black...much better!

I tried to get a close up of how this ORB paint sparkles in the sun:

Hard to see, but it has a subtle sparkle in the bronze...too bad it won't show up in my basement :( I'll know it's there though.

What to do with the top is a tough decision - it was a generic formica medium-toned damaged wood top. I sanded and primed it and had a decision to make on color to paint...darker? Lighter? Somewhere in between? Our basement is dark and masculine, so a lighter top didn't seem right. A glazed and distressed top wouldn't work, so I went with a dark brown color (knowing I could change it easily.)

Here's the first coat:

It's a little darker in person, but it may get some other kind of treatment. It's only paint, right? A dry-brush of something darker maybe. I thought about spraying it the same ORB, but decided against it. Maybe something really creative like...

That's all for right now while I'm deciding what to do with it next. The bottom part turned out so well, the top should look good too! Any ideas out there?