Empire style buffet painted in trophy by miss mustard seed’s milk paint
My most recent project is completed and I’m so excited to share it with you! It’s an empire style buffet/server that’s been made over using Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in the color Trophy and sealed with Hemp Oil.

the “before”
I absolutely love empire style furniture! I’ve refinished a few in the past with Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint products. You can click on the photos to visit their corresponding blog posts.



So when I saw this empire style buffet listed on my local Facebook Marketplace, I jumped at the opportunity to snatch it up. I think it was about 4 hours in between the time I contacted the seller and when Marc and I picked it up!

It was structurally sound but the finish on it needed to be spruced up.

When Marc and I pulled up to the seller’s house, he wondered if it was going to fit in the back of Marshmallow 2.0. I reassured him that it would snug in just find and within a few seconds, Marc and I proved that our new car has plenty of room in the back!
Once we got it home, I set it up in our living room. It was too big to carry downstairs into the basement workshop, so I decided to work on it upstairs.
Trophy by miss mustard seed’s milk paint
When it came to picking a color, I opted for Trophy by Miss Mustard Seed.

Trophy is the mid-tone gray in the MMS Milk Paint line. It’s a warm gray that doesn’t lean too blue or purple like some grays do. It doesn’t have the beige undertones of Schloss either. It’s just…perfect!

The “after”
It took two coats of Trophy to cover the buffet. I sealed it with Hemp Oil and was so happy to see it looking fresh once again!



I had this vintage vanity mirror in my stash for a few weeks, and was inspired to use it to stage my empire buffet.
Krista of Deer Run Vintage actually gave me the idea!


My empire buffet has all of the features that I absolutely adore. Clear knobs and extra long drawers.


Let’s take a minute to drink in how pretty these are!




As I was distressing this piece, I mostly stuck to the outline of the piece. Here and there, where the veneer had chipped over time, I rubbed away to highlight that.


These areas make me smile. This is what makes the piece look old, even though it’s wearing a brand new paint finish.


The feet speak for themselves!


Available at homestead studios
This piece will be making its way to Homestead Studios soon. We’re expecting nasty thunderstorms this evening, so my plans to take it over tonight may need to wait until tomorrow. Until then, this empire buffet is hanging out with me at home. If you’re interested, just send me a message!


