A Ray of Sunshine

Winter has arrived here in New England and though the ground isn't covered in snow yet, for the most part the days are chilly & dreary.  That doesn't mean that the furniture rehab activity stops - it just moves inside!

I'm still working on reducing the size of my stash and I just finished this ladies dresser.

I chose a color that reminds me of a warmer season and a brighter day - a soft, buttery yellow (SW's Butter Up) that I used for HM chalk paint.  The top was restained with GF's Java Gel and protected with Wipe On Poly to give it a nice, soft sheen.  The body is protected with Americana Decor's Clear Wax.

The hardware is original but it was painted to complement the other details on the dresser - the carved embellishment on the top drawer and the painted corner detail on the bottom drawer.

Here's a better photo of the detail on the bottom drawer -

The drawers are lined and the mirror was missing, so it has been replaced.  This is the dresser  "before" - kinda reminds me of a chilly, dreary winter day!

New Look for an Old Chest

As soon as I saw this old chest of drawers, I knew it was a good candidate for poster decoupage.  I've done decoupage before but I hadn't done a large poster before!

 

So, I watched lots of You Tube videos, and then I procrastinated because I was a little hesitant to start.  I wanted it to make a statement and I had found the perfect poster at Hobby Lobby but the nearest Hobby Lobby is about 90 min. away and I had only had one poster.  If I made a mistake and had to start over, there would be travel involved.

First up was to remove that oval "thingy" on the top drawer.  Turns out it was glued on and since the chest is old and the glue was dry, it didn't take long to pry it off.  Since it's darn cold now here in New England, I couldn't just put the chest outside and take the electric sander to it.  But... I was nervous about that shiny finish.  I wiped it down with a liquid deglosser and then primed it with Glidden Gripper.

The original hardware definitely didn't fit with my vision, so it had to go; which meant there were screw holes in the drawers to fill.

I sometimes make my own chalk paint and I also like to try the other options for chalk paint that are available.  Recently I was sent a free sample of Websters Chalk Powder so mixed it with Valspar's Cocktail Dress.  It covered well using two coats.

It was time to start with the poster - I couldn't put it off any longer.  It took quite a bit of measuring, remeasuring, and then I held my breath and made the first cut.  Here's the final result - 

The entire chest is glazed with Valspar Glazing Medium and the top and sides are protected with Sheer Vax.  The drawers are protected with two coats of GF Satin Urethane.

 

I'm so happy with the way this turned out and yes, it was worth the angst!

Catching Up

I haven't posted in a while but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy!  I've done several small projects and since the process (prep, paint, distress, protect) was basically the same for each, it seemed redundant to write a separate post for each.

Here are the after photos for a few of those - some have sold & some are available.  All are listed on either the "For Sale" or "Gallery" page.

More recently I pulled this lovely writing desk from my stash to work on-

It was in pretty good shape - just needed some tightening, which explains the clamps, and a fresh look.  So, here's what it looks like now -

 I painted the base of the table black (HM chalk paint using BM Twilight Zone) and stained the top and the drawer with Minwax Special Walnut.  I don't even know if you can buy this shade of stain anymore but I've picked up a few cans at yard sales/estate sales so I combined them all and now have a quart.  I like this shade, so I'll be using it for a while!

I wanted to give a little interest to the top so I stenciled a simple black geometric design in each corner, then sanded to soften the look.  The top is protected with two coats of Wipe On Poly and the base is protected with Americana Decor dark wax.

and.... here's a sneak peek at my next project.  I can't wait to get rid of all that shine!

 

A Ladies Dresser

Fall has definitely arrived here in New England and, unfortunately, when fall arrives Old Man Winter can't be far behind.  A few things change in my rehabbing furniture routine as well - except for an occasional "find," I'll begin working my way through the inventory that I've been accumulating all through the spring and summer months.   Also, the location of my "workshop" changes.  Instead of working in my garage and/or driveway, I do most of the work in my kitchen.  Oh, how I envy those that are lucky enough to have a dedicated, year-round work area!

One of my first projects pulled from inventory was this dresser -

I had already done some sanding before I remembered to take the photo, but you get the idea.  It wasn't in horrible shape but definitely needed an update.

I decided to enhance its femininity and here's how it turned out -

Both colors on the body are Behr mistints used in HM chalk paint. It's distressed and antiqued; the top was sanded down and restained with Minwax Fruitwood.  The hardware is vintage but not original to this piece.

The oval design on the top drawer is decoupaged using Mod Podge and scrapbook paper and here's a closeup -

The dresser sold within 24 hrs of being listed.

Farm Dresser

I found this dresser sitting in the cellar at an estate sale.  Despite it's condition, I loved it immediately.  There's nothing fancy about it; it's very old, it's very heavy, the drawers are huge and the hardware is to die for.  Old bin pulls with some extra detail - and, did I mention that the back of the dresser was missing?

I do have the top drawer but I had already started working on it when I remembered to take the "before" photo.

This is one of those rehabs that I was tempted to keep.  Have you every completed a project that you actually hoped didn't sell?

I used Behr's Green Siding to make chalk paint, then glazed it with a custom color (looks like Hershey's chocolate syrup) of Sherwin Williams glaze.  I applied the glaze with a damp sponge and found that I had a lot more control over the glaze.  Up until now I've had a love/hate relationship with various glaze products I've tried but I think I've finally found an application method that works for me.  It's waxed with Fiddes clear wax.

The top is stained with Minwax Special Walnut and protected with three coats of Wipe On Poly.

Here's a closeup of the original hardware that was cleaned and painted with flat black.  Did I mention that I love it??

It's a Small World

I finished up a couple of smaller pieces this week in between steps on a great dresser I've been working on.

Both of them were found at yard sales and were looking very neglected.

and... here they are following their makeover -

A Tale of Two Tables

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times and there were two tables that had only one thing in common - both were yard sale rescues.

No. 1 was a Waterfall-style nightstand from the 40's and table no. 2 had ornate, cabriole legs with two drawers and a "lovely" contact paper doily stuck to the top.  I guess in someone's decorating eye the beautiful legs and the doily complemented each other (or maybe it was to distract from the peeling veneer), so here's a better shot of the top of No. 2. 

Rescuing furniture is always an adventure as you never know what you're going to find and there's an element of, "What were they thinking?"

So, to rehab these beauties and get them ready for a new life, here are the details:

Table No. 1 was cleaned & sanded, then painted with HM chalk paint using BM's Galveston Gray and the drawer & bottom shelf were painted with HM chalk paint using Behr Fresh Pineapple.  It was lightly distressed and protected with black wax made by mixing APC black mica with APC clear wax.  The knob on the original hardware was painted with nickle and the Bakelite back piece on the knob was cleaned and retained. 

Done! and ready for a new home -

Table No. 2 was cleaned & the contact paper was removed from the top, as well as two layers of peeling veneer.  I was able to save the veneer on the two drawer fronts and retain the pretty pattern.  The table was painted with HM chalk paint using BM Twilight Zone.  The top & drawers were stained with Red Devil English Walnut (don't know if they still make this stuff - it was an old can I had hanging around and I liked the color).  Top & drawers were sealed with two coats of Wipe On Poly and the black has a protective coat of Fiddes Rugger Brown wax.  I kept the original hardware - cleaned, sanded, then painted with flat black.

 

Done! and ready to go...

 

 

Carte Postale Desk

This desk with a hutch top was in good shape and solid wood but can you say "b-o-r-i-n-g?" It is a nice size (not too big) and I knew that some paint and a couple of other new details could revive it.

I added some textured wallpaper to that back panel, then painted & antiqued it.  Here's the revival -

The color is actually much deeper than it shows in the photo - it's HM chalk paint made with Glidden's Smoked Turquoise.  The top of the desk & the back panel were also painted with HM chalk paint made with BM Galveston Gray.  It was waxed with Americana Decor's clear wax first, then with Americana Decor's brown wax.  The typography on the desk top is courtesy of The Graphics Fairy.

Mystery Chair

I've been on a mission for several months to learn more about a chair I purchased more than a year ago.

I bought this in two pieces at a flea market for $20.00 and the girl I bought it from had no idea how it went together - I don't think she even knew it was a chair.  Since I was looking for a project, my intention was, of course, to paint it!

After I got it home and figured out how the pieces went together, it was obvious that this was no ordinary chair.  Before I did any rehab, it might be a good idea to learn more about it.

Here's the assembled chair - the seat can be adjusted up or down and the handle at the top of the back swings to the upright position or back down.  There are no other moving parts.  It does not fold up nor can the seat be flipped up or over.

 The 1st photo shows the seat in the highest position and the 2nd photo shows the seat in the lowest position.

I've contacted a couple of antique dealers who weren't able to tell me anything about it and where is the Antiques Roadshow when you need them??  So, I posted a photo online a couple of days ago and it's generated quite a few views and some interesting suggestions on the chair's history.  Check it out if you're curious and leave a comment here (or on Facebook) if you think you know what it is!

Dusty Old Thing

Guess I won't be painting this one anytime soon!

Patriotic Trio

Patriotism wasn't on my mind when I started working on these three tables -

 I started cleaning & repairing, then moved on to deciding what color I wanted to use on each.  Next thing I knew, I had a patriotic trio.  They are not a "set," but they are definitely red, white & blue!

 

Details:

Red table - painted with HM chalk paint using BM's Ruby Red

Stain - Minwax Dark Walnut

Stain protected with Wipe-on Poly

Paint distressed, then protected with American Paint Decor Dark Wax

White table -  painted with APC Limoge

Distressed, then protected with Vax

Typography courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Blue table - painted with HM chalk paint using Behr mistint in blue

Stain - General Finishes Java

Paint protected with Sheer Vax & Hazelnut Revax

A Lovely Gift

Many months ago this vanity, mirror & seat were a gift (found curbside).  I've scored a couple of other items that way but this was by far my best curbside "gift!"

Structurally, it was in very good condition.  The finish was watermarked and the upholstery was a mess but I had plans for it - even though it took me several months to get started.

I like to clean up the top of dressers, vanities, etc. when possible and restain.  I like the look of the wood top with a painted base but I just wasn't comfortable with the way this one looked after sanding.  There were too many watermarks, so I ended up painting.

I used HM chalk paint with Behr's King Arthur & My Savvy Sisters Chalk Paint Dust on the vanity.  Drawers, mirror & seat were also painted with HM chalk paint using My Savvy Sisters Chalk Paint Dust.  Color was a Behr mistint (sorry).

For the top of the vanity I used a HM chalk paint mixture (POP + Calcium Carbonate) that I haven't tried before but after doing some research, it sounded like it would be most durable.

The entire set was protected with Vax - love this stuff! Can I buy it by the gallon?

Here's the reveal - 

One piece of the original hardware was missing so I replaced it all with pewter knobs found at Home Depot.  I've done upholstery jobs before but that little seat was a beast!  The lining in the drawers matches the seat.

Repurposed Dresser

I had been on the lookout for a dresser that I could repurpose as a TV stand for some time.  Size was definitely a consideration and so was storage - in addition to space for those ever-lovin' components that we've acquired.

I finally found one that met all of my specs - and it was $20.00.  It did come with all of the hardware but I had removed it before I remembered to take a photo!

The top was sanded and stained (Valspar Dark Walnut) and the rest was painted with HM chalk paint using Behr Chipotle Paste & My Savvy Sister Chalk Paint Dust.

I opted to remove the first large drawer to make a shelf for TV components and use the rest for storage.  I kept the original hardware, just painted it flat black.

This is what I was looking for over three years ago when I got my first flat screen TV but I couldn't find what I was looking for to repurpose, so I settled for a piece as a temporary solution.  It was Made in China out of pressboard.  It looked "okay" but it really was a piece of junk - so glad it's outta here!

Rehabbing Smalls

I worked on another small piece the last couple of days.  It has three drawers so I think it is more of a small cabinet than a table, though it could be used as an end table or a nightstand.

I've done a couple of colorful pieces lately and this one was already "colorful" when I found it!

But... those "colors" weren't exactly what I had in mind, so after cleaning it, and doing some minor repairs, I painted it!

Ah, much better!

Tables Galore

Yes!  It's another table!!

I think I've mentioned before that I upcycle a lot of small tables - end tables, side tables, accent tables, nightstands.  Candidates are fairly easy to find and even if they need some structural work, they're usually quick projects.  Another big plus is they sell - and that's always a good thing!

This one was in fairly good shape but desperately in need of a facelift.

Ta Da!

The photo doesn't show the true colors well - the legs and shelf are black (BM's Twilight Zone) and the top and apron are what I would call a sage green (Behr's Green Siding).

A Table (or two)

I have an abundance of small side tables in inventory!  Not exactly sure how that happens except that I frequent yard sales and always seem to come home with one or two that needed to be rescued.  Here's one -

Doesn't look too bad, does it?  How do you like the patch job that holds the bottom shelf on?  The paint was a drippy mess...

Here's the second table -

This one is very old & though it may not look too bad from the first angle, the second angle shows that the bottom shelf definitely needed some help and then... there were the two legs that had dry rot on the bottom.  Ugh!  Looked like something had been chewing on them!!

Both tables needed a serious cleaning and some repairs with wood filler, then gluing & clamping before the painting began.

Here's the more colorful, recycled version of the first table:

 Painted with HM chalk paint using Behr Fresh Pineapple & Savvy Sisters Chalk Paint Dust, then distressed and waxed with Fiddes Antique Brown.  The small, detailed inset on the front of the table was stripped of two layers of paint then stained with Minwax Antique Walnut.

and...

since I was in a "colorful" mood this week, here's the recycled second table -

making a statement in red!

This was also painted with HM chalk paint made with BM Ruby Red & Savvy Sisters Chalk Paint Dust, then distressed and waxed with Fiddes Rugger Brown to deepen the color.  (Those irregular dark marks on the top are just the shadow from the tree).  The small drawer is stained with Minwax Puritan Pine and the little wood knob matches the red table.

Now, on to the next project(s)!

A Dose of Retro

I love to tackle a retro piece once in a while.  This one was sturdy but the finish was worn and it was looking very tired.

Here it is in black, which is always current, with a graphic added to each of the shelves.

• Paint is HM chalk using BM's Twilight Zone & Savvy Sisters Chalk Dust
• Waxed with Fiddes Clear mixed with Wrought Iron craft paint

 Great, versatile table!