What a wonderful heirloom for your children! My father was not a woodworker. He made two clocks from kits. It gave him great joy to assemble and finish those clocks. When he died, my sister and I each got one. We cherish those clocks because Daddy made them. I think having a piece in the kitchen that your husband has created is an opportunity that shouldn't be missed.

It's probably more functiontal, and will look fine.

Get the shaker piece for all of the reasons you mentioned. I love antiques but functionally the drawers may stick and that might be a hassle in a kitchen.
Besides the shaker buffet is quite handsome - much more so than the other options.

1. You have already determined it will work there.
2. DH *wants* to make it!
3. Pal said it will look fine there (I agree, but trust his opinion more than mine, LOL!)
4. as bbstx said this piece could become a treasured piece for your family - tomorrow's heirloom, potentially

I think you are crazy if you don't get it because it sure sounds to me like you found a perfect solution!

I love both Shaker pieces.

Just to be confusing, your table reminds me of the cherry dining table I have from Circle Furniture, a small Boston area chain specializing in American (mostly New England) made, transitional furniture. I also have their Windsor chairs, which are true classics. Everything is very well made and beautiful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Buffets

I love it, it is a brilliant match for your table and it will be wonderful to have something with a personal investment. The only thing I would worry about is the sturdiness of the drawers....whether they are well made enough to survive the opening and closing. Those drawers are much wider than what you'd normally see in a kitchen. Usually the larger the drawer, the lighter the contents (clothes in something that big, perhaps). If the drawers have or can be fitted with metal runners, I'd say don't hesitate to use it. Otherwise, I would use the drawers for only paper goods or linen storage or something similarly light.

Mtn, your Shaker table is featured in this month's House Beautiful. Love it!

And I love the new Shaker piece too!

I think that the current fashion for chippy old furniture pieces that were originally not particularly stylish when they were new will pass, eventually. These are the items whose main claim to fame, at present, is merely their chippiness.

Something made by your DH (assuming he'd be pleased to do so), even from a kit and even being a copy of something from a well-known resource would be preferable, I think.

I do understand the antiquarian interest in un-messed-wth finishes, even if now in somewhat battered condition. This seems to me to apply more to things with some inherent value based on age, documented provenance (for instance chippy stuff that was actually made for the Sabbath Day Lake Shaker's own use even if in the 1920s) or authentic periodness which have aquired some patina. Chippiness, in and of itself, doesn't elevate ordinary battered old junk to higher value.

Householders who orginally owned the stuff wouldn't have valued chippiness: they would have thought it needed to be repainted! (Same goes triple for cabs with faux fly specks and applied grubby hand smudges around handles. Boil some water and get out the lye soap and stop being such a slattern would, I think, have been their own view on many a modern cabinet-shop display model.)

Your proposed kitchen table is very lovely. I'm not so keen on the duck-pin shaped legs on the cabinet, though.

L.

I like both pieces -- have always loved Shaker Workshops furniture. We have a rocking chair that DH made from one of their kits when I was pregnant with DS #1. He is not a furniture maker by any stretch of the imagination, but the chair hasn't fallen apart yet and it's been 21+ years! (Granted, it's not used much.)

My only hesitation would be in painting the nice wood. Is it cherry? I know why you want a painted piece, but just wonder if there's a lesser-grade wood piece that you might paint instead, like from an unfinished furniture store.

P.S. sonicmom, I was just in Circle Furniture today!

I don't know how the size of this compares to the one from Shaker WS...

Here is a link that might be useful: Mill Stores

Wow, Sue that Mills piece is a bargain. What a sweet story about the rocker, aww.

The table (which I won't paint) is cherry, the sideboard is maple. You don't want to make me post the before picture of this kitchen again, trust me. But it is overwooded, trust me! It needs a forest fire.

Thanks, Lirio. I like chippy (as long as it's not faux) but I don't think it fits the space, plus, BTDT. Yeah, the legs on the sideboard strike an odd note, don't they?

Mamorella, cool, I will go look!

Good points KSWL, I do think I can find lots of light things (paper goods, wraps, baggies, linens etc) to store in there. The smaller drawers maybe some utensils. I will have to mention to DH that we should upgrade drawer operation if possible. (BTW, wasn't it you who first posted the Mousehole kitchen photo above for me?)

Sonic, I think the "made by DH" stamp will trump other choices unless they are really spot-on compelling. Like if someone took out an ad saying "buffet from Mousehole rental cottage for sale"

Eandhl, thank you

Jreuter, thank you. And ditto in re Pal! I've been here a few years, and I am hard pressed to think of someone more helpful, knowledgable, practical and more unfailingly polite.

Thanks, Pal

Thanks, PBBenn

BBStx, aww, that is such a sweet story. My Dad made me a jewelry box years ago, and I treasure it too.

Sue- so funny! Did you find anything wonderful? Circle furniture first came onto my radar when I bought their tapered leg dining table and four Windsor chairs on Craigslist. It seems to be one of the best local sources for USA made furniture. Very happy with my beautiful dining set.