Drop door cabinet makeover....

Enough about my entry makeover FOR NOW! I'll get there eventually but I'm at the "wait" and "hum" stage...waiting on tile and stair treads and not quite sure what I want to do about trim and lighting...hum....

So in the meantime I thought I would share one of the wash stands I rehabbed. I went to an awesome auction several weeks ago and brought home 5 potentially beautiful dressers and wash stands. One just needed to be cleaned and oiled but the others needed some serious work.

On these older pieces I just can't bring myself to slather them entirely in paint. I always have to restore a little bit of the original wood. I know in today's world of home decor, paint is all the rage, but I need a good balance of paint and the "warmth" of wood. So no matter the condition of the top, if it is solid wood, I am going to strip it and refinish it.

This little cabinet was originally a "wash stand." It wan't in terrible shape but it had seen better days!

It had a little mirror on the back, which when removed left a "gap" along the back edge.

If I was going to paint the top, I could have filled it in with a strip of poplar and been done with it. But I knew I wanted to refinish the top so I added a piece of oak...

...just routed the edge, then attached it with glue and trim nails. I stripped the top with this process, applied a little walnut stain and sealed with poly!

I chalk painted and distressed the base and sealed with poly. The little drop front REALLY distressed, but sometimes I just let furniture do what it wants to do! A little update on the hardware and it is good to go!

The drawers on most antique pieces have some issues....remember GLUE AND CLAMP when repairing drawers! Not nails and screws! And since the drawers were pretty ratty and stained, I gave them a little KSTP treatment! (sorry, no pictures!) They look and smell much better if you will take the time to paint the inside of the drawers of these older pieces!

I think this would make an awesome bedside table or entry piece! Or even a tv cabinet!

I tried to "stage" this little piece with some of my auction finds....

....an old cheese box, some awesome scales and a wood duck decoy. But again, I am not the best photographer and I am definitely more about doing and less "froo-frooing."

I have several dressers and another wash stand to share, so stay tuned!

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A few new storage solutions!

In my quest to make my kitchen a tad more "user friendly" I stumbled upon a nifty little storage gadget at Lowes that will help me manage my casserole dishes and mixing bowls a bit better.

As I have mentioned, in my "dream kitchen" I have nothing but big deep drawers in my lower cabinets. Unfortunately that is a "dream" so I have to work with what I have and digging around in a lower cabinet for heavy casserole dishes and keeping all my mixing bowls organized has become an issue.

Again, and I can not stress this enough, the number one key to getting organized is PURGING!

Pull it ALL out and ask yourself...DO I REALLY NEED THIS?! In my kitchen cabinet, I had several casserole dishes that were duplicates of what I have but they didn't have lids. Do not need! I had 5 large 9x13 casserole pans...do not need them all! I had 3 stainless bowls the same size, which made stacking them a impossible...do not need! I have FIVE crock pots...two smaller ones just for dips and such. I DO need those but only once or twice a year so there is no need for them to take up valuable kitchen real estate. So off to the hall pantry they went!

I contemplated building and installing either 4 drawers or 2 large drawers in this cabinet base. Lots of work! So when I found these nifty little metal storage drawers at Lowe's I knew I had found a relatively easy solution.

The problem with these metal drawers is they are not custom sized so I was going to end up with a lot of "dead space." I decided to only install one for my bowls and casserole dishes since those are things I use almost every time I cook. I left the other side shelf space for crock pots and dishes I only use occasionally.

The drawer component lets me easily get to my bowls and casseroles dishes without wallering around on the floor and pulling everything out to get to the stuff in the back.

A perfect, and simple, solution for organizing a tough space.

When Brian and I went scrounging around the flea market out in Tontitown last weekend, I found this neat little wall decor. A framed chalkboard with two "distressed" wire baskets. I knew it would be perfect for organizing magazines that tend to get piled up in the coffee table, which in turn means they get ignored!

I'm pretty sure it is probably something one could pick up at Hobby Lobby, or something I could easily make with an old frame and paper storage racks from an office supply store. But it was there, and it was done...the only thing I did not like was the original finish on the frame...kind of a "white-wash" natural wood looking thing. I immediately painted it with some chalk paint and distressed and sealed it. Great for magazines or mail. Remodelaholics featured a bathroom with a similar one.

I like it in the bathroom but I am of the opinion that if you are in the bathroom long enough to read an article, you probably ought to seek treatment. Just saying....

Last fall I bought this awesome antique sewing machine at an auction. The "lid" flips back to reveal the machine

I immediately fell in love with the little wood box that covered the machine. After a little research I discovered they are called coffins....most often in mahogany or walnut. BEAUTIFUL! I immediately jumped on Ebay and found a few of these amazing little boxes.

Naturally they needed to be refinished, but a little magic mixture and a few coats of tung oil and they are amazing!

My original plan was to use them in the "kitchen reset," but there really was no good place for them so I have them scattered around the house for storage. In the den, I use them to store some of my photo albums. They would be darling with little castors for "rolling" storage. l absolutely love them!

When I reset my kitchen, I dug around in my flea booths looking for "functional decor." In other words, pretty with a purpose! A few things caught my eye.

The first was a little glass pumpkin...perfect for this time of the year! I usually keep my coffee in a crystal decanter, but this little pumpkin is perfect for the fall season.

Now I am going to be on the look out for one I can use for the Christmas season!

I also found this little sterling silver piece. I THINK it might have originally been for sugar since it has a little notch in the lid where a spoon may have rested but most sugar jars are smaller. Regardless, it is the perfect size for my coffee filters.

And of course the need to store 1/2 of my dishes when I built my floating shelves...seriously, who needs 20 plates! I purchased this little basket from Kaufmann Merchantile with a gift certificate from my son but I also found some on Amazon and have ordered 3 for my holiday wrapping station! (I'll share that little project when I get it set up!)

I have mentioned time and again that I really don't decorate much with "pretty" without "function" or purpose...unless something has sentimental meaning.

I am learning that these little touches are what really give a home "character." No need to use boring old plastic containers or cardboard boxes if you can "think outside the box" and find interesting pieces that are "pretty" but can also serve a useful function!

Anything that can make my life more organized is great...the fact that it is pretty or interesting is a huge plus!

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A marvelous mid century lamp!

Week three of waiting on the trim for the kitchen. Now I think I may just wait until I get the new doors with glass inserts installed before I do a full reveal...at the rate I am going with the trim, the doors will be here about the same time! Curses...

SOOOOO, in the meantime, I want to share a darling little lamp I picked up at an auction for next to nothing. I probably would have paid a little more for it since I knew the minute I saw it, I wanted it.

Why you ask? Let's be honest, it wasn't much to behold in it's "before" state. But what 50-60 year old piece ever really is! That is the great thing about learning to DIY anything...you can always take a $1 find and give it a good little makeover.

What drew me to this piece originally was the style. TOTALLY different than anything I had ever seen and definitely leaning towards the "mid century" style. My true love. I tried to find one similar...I Googled "mid century wood brass lamp"...."walnut brass lamp"..."atomic lamp." I found a few "similar" but nothing close enough to consider a hit.

Less the dreaded "oops," this little lamp didn't take a lot of work. I stripped the wood with the 1/2 acetone-1/2 lacquer thinner...that took all of about 5 minutes! I taped off the wood, cord and the sockets, gave the old copper base, finial and sockets a coat of metal primer, light sanding with steel wool, tack cloth, and a couple of coats of gold metallic spray paint! (The "oops" was my impatience which resulted in the need to completely strip the base and reprime and paint the entire thing!)

Did you know you can easily paint brass...yep...just prime it with metal primer and then paint it any color you want. Have an old brass lamp your mom gave you or you picked up at the thrift store. PAINT IT!!!!

I am slowly coming to terms with gold metallic accents and honestly, I'm kind of digging it! I even painted some ceramic pumpkins with gold metallic for my fall decor!

After the paint dried I applied a couple of coats of tung oil finish to the wood. New lamp shade from Hobby Lobby (40% off...yeah!!!!) and it is ready for another lifetime of use!!!

What is that blue "dish" you asked? I found it in one of the cabinets when I was purging my kitchen...a true gem! (My son would have been 12 when he made this!)

As I mentioned here, I think it is important to decorate with things you love and with things your children have created!

Fortunately, the wiring and sockets were in great shape, but seriously no biggy if an old lamp needs a little rewiring. Here I created a new light fixture out of industrial-type fans, but the general steps for rewiring a lamp would pretty much be the same!

If you are tired of your old boring lamp, paddle fan, or light fixture, check out these posts for just about any lighting project. Fairly simple projects that help you update ANY fixture or "lighten" a room without breaking the bank...because let's be honest...brand new lamps, light fixtures and paddle fans can be expensive.

Installing a new light fixture

New outdoor lighting

Painting designs on light or lamp shades

Painting light fixtures and paddle fans

Adding under counter lighting to the kitchen

Painting a brass lamp

Rewiring a fan or appliance

There are so many ways to change and update lighting! And super simple! Give it a shot...again, what's the worst that can happen. You still hate it and you still won't get more than a couple of bucks at a garage sale for it!

Also...a quick reminder! I have mentioned before that if you aren't sure what to do with something, take it down to "base neutral." In my case I have a garage full of projects I haven't decided what to do with yet. But I know one thing for certain...it all has to be repaired, primed and sanded. So yesterday, that is exactly what I did with a wood stool, 2 chests, 1 dresser, a ratan shelf, a few frame shelves and a set of ratan chairs. THIS is "base nuetral".....

Now that it is all prepped and ready for a new look, I am ready whenever the "creative bug" hits!!! If a piece of furniture has got a bad case of the "uglies" and you just don't know what to do with it, just remove the hardware, prime it, sand it, and eventually inspiration will come!

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Antique mahogany dresser makeover....

AGAIN, no kitchen reveal. I know...disappointing! But I am still waiting on the trim I ordered to finish out the little details and when I get that done, I will share. Course now I mulling over the idea of putting in glass doors...maybe a little more paint...maybe a little more lighting. See, it never ends!

So while I impatiently wait I am going to share a pathetic little dresser that came to me by way of my neighbor. It had a few more repairs than he was willing to tackle...for me, no biggy!

Chipped drawer fronts, damaged veneer top, and a pretty sketch wiring job on the back legs that was evidently keeping the entire thing from exploding...because when I removed it, the cabinet pretty much fell apart!

The veneer really wasn't in that bad of shape when I got it. Naturally, I forgot to take a picture BEFORE I started ripping into it!

Like many old pieces, it had a beautiful mahogany veneer on the top, but time had taken it's toll on this one and the veneer had lifted and chipped. Course the edges came right off with little effort...it was the rest of it that took a lot of work!

On these older pieces, the beautiful veneer is usually laid over a pretty decent piece of wood. Like this oak library table my daughter and I refinished, removing the veneer just entails a good steam iron, a scraper and a lot of elbow grease! Always be VERY careful when removing old veneer...scrape WITH the grain and make sure you don't gouge the substructure. And if you are using an iron for a heat source, make sure you put an old rag between the iron and the veneer!

When you remove the veneer, you are going to reveal all the "warts." While the wood is solid and often beautiful, it will probably have a prominent grain and a few knots here and there...embrace it! If you ask me, that is what makes wood beautiful...it's "character."

The back of the cabinet required glue and clamps. Again, ALWAYS make sure your pieces are properly repaired before you start "refinishing." Or honestly, you are wasting your time! In this case, I didn't have much choice since it really did fall apart when I removed the wire that was "clamping" the back two legs together, which was basically holding the entire back in place.

The next chore was repairing the two damaged drawers. Not only was the mahogany veneer chipped and missing, but the "substructure" it was adhered to was missing.

This may seem like a daunting task, and is probably what frightened my neighbor the most, but it is just a little "puzzle." Just recreate a new base by glueing a scrap piece in place and then use wood filler to "sculpt" a new corner...lots of patience and some careful sanding! This may take 2-3 shots to get it right, but it is doable! Since I planned on painting the drawer fronts, it worked perfectly!

After all the repairs were completed and the veneer top was completely removed, I chalk painted and distressed the cabinet and the drawers and applied a walnut stain to the top. I sealed the top with three coats of tung oil finish and the chalk paint with a few coats of spray on poly!

The inside of the top drawers were a bit worn and stained so I gave them a little KTSP treatment with a bright teal!

New porcelain knobs...and OH MY! Beautiful again!

Don't turn your noise up at old, damaged pieces. This piece had three strikes against it, but it was hardly down and out. Yes, it took a little work, but in the end it was well worth the time and effort!

This piece would be perfect for one of those precious French graphics from "The Graphics Fairy," but I think I will let the new owner add their own creative touches!

Another piece ready for another lifetime of use!

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Rewiring an old fan and my home's 15 seconds of fame....

The trim pieces for the kitchen still have not come in so as much as I would love the share my kitchen "reset" I am going to hold off until it is ALL done. I did share the construction and addition of the floating shelves last week, and you can check that out here.

This week I want to share an easy little project that I incorporated into my kitchen.

I have always wanted a fan in my kitchen...especially now that I am at the age when sudden bursts of "heat" wash over me (some call them hot flashes...but those are for old women!) A paddle fan isn't really a good idea in the kitchen, especially if you have a gas range like I do.

Over the years I have bought several "vintage" and "antique" fans at auctions. My favorite was a teal fan I had in my room for months...but as with a lot of things, it eventually went to the flea market and was sold...darn it! NOW I have the perfect place for it!

A month or so ago I picked up two antique fans at an auction...one a Westinghouse and the other an Emerson. I did a little research and found that both were from the 1930s. One had a decent, intact cord on it so I tested it and it worked beautifully after it was cleaned up and oiled. The other had a pretty ratty cord and there was NO WAY I was plugging that sucker in!

I took the working fan to my booth and kept the one that had the ratty cord. Since it had the "least value" and was a tad smaller and lighter, I decided to keep it and replace the cord!

The first thing I had to do was give it a good scrubbing. Most of the fans I have bought have been pretty nasty. Straight ammonia and steel wool! Not fun but necessary. Then I spritz all the insides with WD40.

Replacing the cord on any appliance, especially these old fans, is not difficult. If you can open it up and find the electrical connections, its pretty simple. These old fans have a few screws holding the baseplate onto the base of the fan...just remove the screws and remove the base plate.

Make sure you note where the old connections are....you want to make sure you hook up the new wiring properly. Occasionally, I will use painter's tape to actually "label" the posts or wiring so I don't forget...or better yet take a picture of it.

(Disclaimer...I actually used an old extension cord I had stripped to make sure the fan actually worked before I invested in a new cord! No sense in replacing the cord, only to discover that the fan motor wasn't working!)

Once I opened it up and got a look at the connections (and cleaned it up a bit...ewww), I purchased a new cord and electrical connectors at Lowe's.

The replacement cords have two bare wires on one end and a plug on the other. Just "crimp" the connectors on each wire and then attach the new wiring to the fan (or appliance) like the original wiring was connected. In my case, one wire went on one bolt and the other wire went on another bolt...then just tightened with a nut and washer...simple simon!

Then reassemble the fan. On this fan, it was just a matter of putting the base back on!

This fan is a little "vintagey" for my decor tastes, but I like that it adds just a touch of "eclectic" to this space. And as with everything, it will serve a great purpose when those heat waves hit!

COMMERCIAL SHOOT!

A few weeks ago, an old classmate of my son posted on Facebook that a producer he works for needed a fireplace to use in a photo shoot. Hey, I have TWO fireplaces...sweet!

I thought "photo shoot" meant they wanted to come take a few pictures. Um, no. Verge Videos is currently shooting a commercial for Dayspring Greeting Cards in my den. And since it is a Christmas commercial, we had to haul a bunch of Christmas decorations down out of the attic to "stage" the shots!

I know several bloggers who have had to decorate their house for Christmas in JUNE for magazine shoots! Pish-posh...not happening...and now it is!

Truth is, it is fun to watch all the work (and mess) that goes into making a simple little commercial! Lighting, props, hair and makeup...the whole shabang! Super cool process!

I have no idea if this is a local or national commercial. Doesn't matter...my house is officially a "pro" and will get it's 15 seconds of fame.

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"Blah" to "BAM" cheap furniture makeovers...YOU CAN DO IT!!!

This past week I have been working on my kitchen (I told you the "small" projects wouldn't squash the urge!) I still have a few little trim details to hunt down and then I will try to do a feature next week. I had to construct three different types of open shelving and I rewired an 80 year old Westinghouse fan...AND IT WORKS!!! I'll share all that as well!

This week I want to share a few little projects that YOU can do! Do you have a piece of furniture (or two or ten) that is just "blah?" A cheap little shelving unit you picked up at the big box store and put together with the little allen wrench that came with the screws. Maybe a few ancient bedside tables you inherited from your mom. A particle board table that has seen it's better days.

I know I have harped on this before, but seriously it bares repeating! If you are just starting out, are on a tight budget, feel the need to keep furniture given to you by family, or just want to change things up a bit, you NEED to be able to do simple makeovers!

Before you toss a piece of furniture to the curb, think about "updating" it a tad. Even the cheapest, most basic piece can be saved with just a tiny bit of time and effort! As I have said time and again, the worst that can happen is you still hate it and it still only brings $1 at your next garage sale.

I find pieces like this all the time at my apartments. I drag them home, clean them up with ammonia (stinky but gets the old gunk off!) and then give them a little facelift!

This was one haul out of one unit....

The little bedside tables are the old orange maple...ugly as sin but super sturdy and solid wood! The little coffee table is one of those inexpensive "fake" wood things that comes with the little allen wrench tool for the bolts! And the spindle shelf had particle board shelving. All in all, pretty dated stuff!

This little shelf came out of another unit...

It was missing a drawer and it had a few loose bolts, but whatever...still salvageable!

I find these things in my apartments, but you can find them at thrift stores and garage sales for next to nothing!

All I did to the little shelf with reeded drawers was give it a little KSTP treatment (Kilz, sand, tack cloth and paint!

Perfect for added storage in a bathroom, kitchen or kid's room!

I decided to do something a little fancier on the coffee table and bedside tables. I striped the tops with the acetone/lacquer thinner mixture, added a little java gel stain, then sealed them with spray on poly (if stripping and staining is beyond your skill level, just paint the tops!)

The bases are simple KSTP treatment. New hardware on the bedside tables and these pieces are perfect for updating any space!

The spindle corner shelf got a simple KSTP treatment!

I don't have a "before" picture of the little chalkboard shelf. Basically it was a stained wood frame with an ugly picture of a teddy bear! Ewwwww. Gave the frame a chalkpaint and distress treatment (spray paint would work too!) and I painted the board backing with chalkboard paint. Super simple "upcycle!"

Years ago I scrapbooked all the boys athletic pictures. A chore considering they both played football and baseball their entire childhood! (I strongly suggest you do this every year rather than try to find time to do all 15 years at once!)

The square frames were a perfect fit for a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper and would be perfect for someone who wanted an easy way to display their kid's sports pictures. I applied the scrapbook paper onto the foam backing with a spritz of spray adhesive, used a glue stick to attach pictures and KSTP the frames. This would be the perfect way to "scrapbook" photos...then you can take them out of the frame and just slip them into an album when it is time to change out the pictures next year!

Before you paint a piece, make sure all the "bolts and joints" are tight and the piece is sturdy. If tightening a screw or bolt doesn't solve the wobbles, take time to GLUE AND CLAMP whatever ails the piece. No sense in making it pretty if it is going to collapse the first time one of the kids leans on it!

All these projects have one thing in common. Spray paint. Seriously...a little primer, a little sanding and a little spray paint...and you have changed the entire look!

I have shared many of these simple little makeovers in the past! A few dressers here, here here and here. Several coffee tables here, here and here and Lord knows how many frame makeovers (here, here, and here!)

Challenge yourself. Pick out ONE piece of furniture or a frame in your house you really don't like. Go to Lowes and pick up a can of Kilz, a little sandpaper, a package of tack cloth and a can of your favorite color spray paint (total under $15) and give it a go! YOU CAN DO IT!

I promise!

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It is time to scale down!!!!

I have made some hard decisions regarding the direction of my "rehab for resale" projecting. For years I have tackled anything and everything...large buffets and china hutches and major upholstery projects Pieces like this that I didn't even take decent pictures of and share!

I made little chalkboards out of the doors!!!

These pieces are big and bulky and take a lot of time and muscle.

Upholstery pieces (like this precious barrel chair) take a lot of time and material. On major upholstery projects, I barely get my money back on the materials, let alone my time. (If the cost of having something reupholstered knocks your breath out, try it sometime!)

And while I love doing what I do, I can't keep GIVING things away when I have so much time and money invested! (Ask my neighbors...if they say they love something, I usually give it to them!)

So...the big decision. From now on I am only going to do "smaller" pieces...little tables, wooden chairs, a few stools here and there...maybe a few dressers and such. And of course my first love, mid century pieces...big or small!

This table was a tad bigger....my neighbor bought it at a garage sale and wanted to know if I wanted to tackle it!

I love the old mahogany furniture and I love pieces that allow me to preserve some of the natural wood and still update with a little paint.

I removed the sides of the top that fold down and filled the screw holes with toothpicks and wood glue so the screws would reset tight. I STRONGLY suggest you do this EVERY time you remove old screws (it is also a great tip if you have a door hinge screw that is loose or stripped!) Takes very little time and will save you a thousand frustrations!

I stripped the top with 1/2 acetone and 1/2 lacquer thinner (see a full tutorial here!) and then applied 3 coats of tung oil finish. No stain...that is mahogany it all it's naked glory! Just breath-taking!!!

I cleaned the base with ammonia and water and then mixed up a batch of "plaster paint" with a "sample" paint from my den makeover. A little distressing and then sealed with spray poly.

This table is perfect for a small space but can easily be expanded if you need a bigger table!

Again, not really "my style" but the color is all the rage right now....evident by the fact that it didn't last a week. And while it was a "hot mess" when I got it, I loved bringing it back to life. It was a very enjoyable piece to work on!

And THAT is why I do what I do. "Finding the treasures" lurking under years of neglect and abuse.

It really is what I love to do! So I will continue to do what I love to do but I am going to FORCE myself to stick with the smaller pieces that allow me to enjoy my work without breaking my back!

We'll see how long this lasts!!!

Since I have posted a recipe in a while, I thought I would share a new roast recipe that is. to. die. for! Check it out here!

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June 2015...and MORE chairs!

June 2015 will go down as an eventual month for me.

For the first time in 34 years, I have no minor children. Katie turned 18 this week and it is official...ALL my children are old enough to vote, be drafted and be sentenced to an adult correctional facility.

We finally had to put our wonderful lab, Ginger, to sleep. She was 13. It was time but that didn't make it any easier. This is the second precious pet we have lost this year. Heart breaking.

And for the first time in years I really felt the sting of Father's Day. My dad has been gone for 20 years but this year was, for some reason, tougher than normal. He died exactly one week before Father's Day so this time of the year is always kind of a "double whammy."

Then there is the accidental "new member" of the family....and may explain some weird typos in my posts.

I keep a trailer at my apartments for abandoned furniture. A mama cat set up household in the furniture with her 4 babies. A few weeks ago, we THOUGHT we made sure all the kitties were off the trailer before we took it to the dump....only to find two of them still on the trailer when we got there. I managed to grab one and throw it in the truck, but the other ran under the truck. We spent 30 minutes crawling around on the nasty red clay/garbage ground trying to get that stupid kitten, only to have it bolt. Gone. I was heart broken. But to make matters worse, I could not find the other kitten ANYWHERE in my truck. Both Matt and Katie helped me darn near dismantle the interior of the truck...it was not there. I left the windows down the entire day and even put out some food just in case.

THREE VERY HOT DAYS LATER I went to the truck in the evening...and there was that silly kitten sitting on the back of the seat. It had been in a hot truck, with no food or water, for THREE DAYS! I couldn't believe it survived and neither could the vet.

Soooooo....we have a new "miracle kitty." And being the softy that I am, I can't bring myself to take it to the shelter. Especially with all the guilt I feel for losing her sibling and in spite of my puffy, itchy eyes.

Yes, she is a she. About 8 weeks, according to the vet, but if that is the case, she is a tiny kitty.

Cleo thinks it is hers and tries desperately to carry it around in her mouth...which means the poor kitten is constantly soaked in dog slobber. It is pathetic, but she tolerates it for some reason. And typing on the computer is like a game to her...hence the typos. She's a funny kitty!

We haven't named her yet...I keep hoping someone will want her and take her so I will quit itching and sneezing. Why bother...if the three other cats haven't killed me by now, this little half pint won't either! I like Mimi...Katie does not. Mitchell suggested Kitty, but we have a Ms. Kitty because she was another "rescue" that was only suppose to be here until I had time to take her to the shelter...around 9 years ago. So he suggested Little Kitty...so maybe "Litty."

ANYWHO!!!!! When I am having "emotional turmoil" my tolerance for some things is darn near nil. So when I went up to my booth last week, I was annoyed by a few things that have been sitting in there for MONTHS...specifically two chairs. So I threw them in the back of the truck, brought them home and gave them a quick makeover!

The first is a little folding chair I chalk painted eons ago...I had two and sold one, but this one has hung around far too long. I gave it a little KSTP (Kilz/sand/tack/paint) treatment with white spray paint...then I covered the seat with some leftover fabric from this chair makeover!

The other is a walnut mid-century chair. It is really difficult for me to paint over walnut...but the chair has been in my booth for months as is, and if I am going to sell it, I have to give it a little "pow treatment." Again, a KSTP treatment and new upholstery...someone is going to love it!

I know I make these little chair makeovers sound easy. And usually they are! Chairs are one of the easiest pieces of furniture to "update"...especially ones that just need a little paint and fabric on the seat.

But OCCASIONALLY I bring home a real kicker. One I KNOW is going to take a LOT of time and attention! This chair is a prime example!

I know...it is a HOT MESS!!! I have NO doubt that several people at the auction where thinking "What the heck?" (Including Brian...but again, I think he now trusts my judgment!) But I was so excited I couldn't stand it!

I was pretty sure, from a quick inspection on a broken piece (that was there, thank God!), that it was most likely mahogany. At this point, after just a tiny bit of research, I THINK it is a Victorian Eastlake arm chair. But I honestly don't know because so far I haven't found anything just like it...only similar. Castors on the front legs and not on the back and hand carvings and stamps on the wood.

And of course the BILLIONS of little nails that were used for the upholstery! ALL of which had to be removed!

I knew the finish was masking some beautiful wood so I couldn't wait to start stripping it! In this picture you can see where I applied the stripper (used in this tutorial) on the left....

Here is the "before" and "after" of the side...

The intricate carvings require some real work, but as I have said before, the very best tool for stripping old finish out of carvings and corners is a good ole' toothbrush! I still have a lot of stripping and scrubbing to do but after two afternoons, I have all 100,398,365,003 nails out and a tiny bit of the frame stripped!

The fabric is in such bad shape, I honestly don't know what it is...and I wonder if it didn't originally have another fabric on it since there are SOOO many nail holes. Many of the Victorian chairs I have seen have a velvet fabric....what to do, what to do!

My point...not all chairs are easy...some require a little more time and attention. I am going to take my time with this one and there is a good chance I won't sell it. At least not until the next little treasure comes along!

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Antique china hutch before and after....

I have had this china hutch in my booth at Midtown for several months.

Sadly, I probably paid WAY to much for it...first auction of the season and everything was going for WAY more than what they normally do. I bought it because I think it is beautiful, but truth be told, it really isn't the "style" people look for these days, as is.

I have debated for some time whether I should bring it home and paint it. I just wasn't sure that would be the answer.

Just this weekend I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet but I was still uncertain. Until I saw this....

Marian at MissMustardSeed featured this beautiful piece she painted. You can see the "before and after" on her site!

Sometimes when we see what others do, it is all we need to find our own inspiration and relieve any fears we might have of doing what needs to be done to enhance a piece!

I love the grey against the mahogany, but right now everyone around here seems drawn to the "whites" so that is what I went with!

I used my favorite off-white, Swiss Coffee, for the "plaster paint." I did not sand or prime before painting it with the plaster paint...no need unless the piece you are working on is really rough! I distressed it just a bit (220 grit sand paper) to bring out the detailing and sprayed the exterior with poly to seal it!

I had originally planned to leave the inside stained...but it still seemed a bit dark so I removed the shelves and painted the inside a soft "teal." I taped and papered off the exterior and primed the interior with Kilz, sanded, tacked and then applied two coats of spray paint! I left the shelving the original stain finish.

I absolutely adore the original hardware so I left it!

One thing Marian does is beautifully style her pieces for photos. I rarely have the energy (or back!) to haul a piece inside and "pretty it up" before I take pictures. As I have said before I am more about the process than the pretty. HOPEFULLY someone else can envision the piece in their home and can find their own inspiration for staging it! Someday I may have the energy and space to make a pretty "backdrop" in my shop (okay, so it is really my garage!) Until then, the best you are going to get is a halfway decent "before and after" shot and maybe a little bit of instruction.

The two top shelves are a little "bowed." They are thin enough that I think I can lay them out with some weights on them to flatten them!

The debate raging right now is whether to reinstall the door (I did not paint it!) or leave it open.

Hum....

If this gives you a little inspiration to "makeover" a piece in your own home you have fallen out of love with, I have accomplished my goal!

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Walnut MCM dresser makeover...Part 2!

You can see "Part 1" of this makeover here...a tutorial on stripping and oiling these amazing pieces!

Okay, I have to admit...EVERY time I work on one of these walnut pieces, two things happen...I fall madly in love with it and I am reminded of how much I LOVE walnut!

This little table is a prime example!

Solid walnut and an absolute true treasure! It certainly didn't LOOK like a treasure when I brought it home, but with a little time and effort, these pieces can become breathtaking additions to any home decor.

I know painted furniture is ALL the rage right now and I agree whole-heartedly that there is indeed a time and a place for painted furniture. My decorating motto...if you can ENHANCE the piece by painting it, go for it!

Some people aren't real keen on stained furniture...and that is okay. But I believe every decor needs the warmth and beauty of a quality natural wood piece...whether it is a table or chair or whatever! Not every piece needs to be painted and no decor should have ONLY painted furniture. Of course, no decor should have ONLY stained furniture either...even I throw in painted pieces here and there...probably not enough for some people's taste, but I do like to "lighten and brighten" occasionally. I painted my bedroom furniture and my office desk and even the little side table in my den. But you may note one common element on all these pieces...I left a little bit of natural wood! (Wow, looking at these old posts I realize my photography skills have come a long way! Still a ways to go, but definitely better!)

I decided to go with both paint and natural wood finish on this dresser. I like the way the painted "box" seems to frame the wood drawers! In my opinion, the results are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!

So get ready for a BUNCH of pictures...because I am loving this piece!!!!

As I mention in the first post, the top had some pretty serious ink stains...

With a little "chemical" magic, gone!! When you find yourself faced with wood stains, hit the internet and search for a chemical solution. Trust me, sanding is NOT the answer, especially if you are working with veneer.

Can you even believe that this.....

...could become this. No stain...just a simple strip job and 4 coats of tung oil finish! Walnut in all it's natural glory!

I put this dresser in my oldest son's room. He doesn't actually LIVE here, but he still has a lot of stuff here. His room serves as a guest room and a place to keep all his "stuff." The other kids call it the "museum"...trophies, jerseys, plaques, certificates..high school and college mementos covering pretty much every square inch of the wall space.

Sooooo...it was time. Time for a fresh coat of paint. Time to box up most of the "stuff." Just time.

So later this week I will share his room makeover.

Want to know a little secret? For the first time ever I didn't stress over paint chips trying to pick the perfect paint color. I chose a color that everyone has been raving about on Pinterest and decor blogs. I literally called the paint store and told them to mix up 2 gallons, sight unseen...and I LOVE it!

I can't wait to share!

I am sharing this project with Christine at MustLoveHome.com as well as all my favorite Link Parties!

You can see the full room makeover here!