The Great Wall of China

I called Ryan a couple of weeks ago on a random Wednesday. This how the conversation went:

Me: Hey boo. How's work going?
Ryan: Ahhh, it's fine. Just working. What's up?
Me: Oh nothing. Just ate lunch, wanted to see how you day was going.
Ryan: Nothing special going on.
Me: Well alright. What do you want for supper?
Ryan: It doesn't matter. Whatever you feel like making.
Me: Ok then, I'll let you get back to work.
Ryan: Alright. See you this afternoon you sexy lady*.
Me: Ok. Oh, by the way... I bought a China Cabinet and Buffet today.
Ryan: WHAT?
Me: Alright. Well, your busy I'll see you at home.
Ryan: WHAT IS A BUFFET?
Me: I paid like practically nothing for them. A buffet goes with a china cabinet. You put spoons and stuff in it.
Ryan: Well alright then. See you this afternoon.

(*he didn't really say that. it just sounds better)
And that, my friends, is how I let Ryan know that I purchased a china cabinet and buffet on a whim!

Now, normally if I were making a BIG purchase I would run it by Ryan. However, I got such a good deal I felt like he would understand.

In all honesty, he's more concerned with the fact that we now have to drive 45 minutes to pick it up than the fact that I bought it.

I haven't seen it in real life. I've only see it in pictures.

These are the only picture I've seen:


China Cabinet




Buffet

I bought them from a trustworthy source and she has ensured me that both pieces of furniture are in decent condition.

Now, here is where the great debate begins... Do I paint them both or strip them down and stain them both a deeper color?

I have some ideas I have tossed around in my head. But I decided to go to PINTREST for more inspiration.

Painting them both white seems as though it would make them look so much "fresher" and not so dated.

Via

Via

If I do decide to paint them both white I love the idea of painting the background wall a color so that my china (which is white) can stand out:

Via

 

Via
Not these knobs or color. And no I don't want to paint the front-- just the background wall.


However, a few folks have frowned upon that and have suggested staying more natural with it.  That would mean stripping them down and staining them a deeper color.

via



The stain on this piece of furniture is so pretty.

 And if I do decide to stay with the more natural, darker stain I could still paint the background a color:

I could get really CRAZY and paint them both a wild color:

But at this time I'm not really planning on being crazy.

What should I do? If I lightly sand it and paint them I would always have the option of stripping them down and staining them sometime down the road.

I am not in a huge rush to do either, as our house it on the smaller side and I could never make both pieces of furniture fit without feeling crowded, but in our "one day" house my dinning room will have plenty of room for both pieces.

Please help me decide... comment, email me, gchat me, call me, send me a post card... Just let me know what option you like best!