"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 (herehere, 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!

How to install a window in an interior door!

I told you...when I am trying to avoid ripping into a MAJOR project, I start little ones.

I haven't had a lot of time to "project" around the house. Between the apartments and the furniture makeovers for the flea market, I've been a bit swamped. But I keep walking into my kitchen with a tape measure and graph paper and that is dangerous!!! 

So I decided to tackle a small project I have been mulling over for some time. I checked Pinterest and there weren't any tutorials for this project so I had to make it up as I went!

I wanted to add a window to my laundry door. It is a small room and while I am RARELY in there with the door shut, I thought it might open up this hallway a bit. And honestly, if I really like it, I may do all the doors. (I painted my interior doors black and shared that project here. It has been over two years and I STILL love them!)

As with many projects, I mull and plan and think and draw. I finally just took the door into the garage and cut a big ole' hole in it with my skill saw and jig saw. Solved the big problem...procrastination. Now I kinda had to do something with it...lol! 

I did make one critical error on this project. I neglected to get an estimate for the reeded glass I had fallen in love with. When I did call (AFTER I cut the hole!) I found out the glass was going to cost me THREE TIMES more than I "guestimated." To the tune of $160. Lesson learned...before you fall in love with an "idea," FIRST make a plan and get estimates! I could have gone with a cheaper decorative glass, but I wanted THIS glass.

Reeded glass!

My interior doors are typical "builder grade" six-panel, hollow core doors. When you cut into them you will find they are exactly what they say they are...hollow. Truth is, the only real wood bracing is around the edges and where the hardware attaches. 

So after cutting a big ole' hole in the door, I had to install wood bracing for my window frame. 

The bracing needed to be 1 1/8" thick to fit between the "skins." If you are familiar with wood cuts, you know that is not a standard cut. I could have stopped in the local door shop and asked for some wood strips to use for bracing around the cutout but I decided to use some wood I had on hand and rip it down to the width I needed.

Therein lies one of the problems I have when DIYing. I don't own a table saw...and never will. My father (who grew up in construction!) had 3 brothers and a brother-in-law...and he was the only one of the 5 who managed to get through his life with all his fingers intact. And someone once told me that if the wood got bound up in the saw, it would kick back and hit you in the face. Now I have never been on the cover of People Magazine's "most beautiful woman" issue, but I kind of like my face. One time I stupidly tried to use a utility knife to cut through vinyl siding...the knife slipped and the blade whacked me square in the nose. At the time my daughter was in diapers so I drove to the ER with a diaper on my face and demanded to see a plastic surgeon. After inspection in the bathroom mirror, I determined that it was a fairly superficial cut (dang, noses can bleed a lot!) and quietly left the ER without ever seeing a doctor (I do still have a scar!)

So I won't use a table saw. When I build cabinets or shelving, I have the awesome guys at Lowe's cut my plywood. But I have found a way to cut fairly straight lines for most projects.

I drilled little holes in a large metal yard stick. I measure for my cut and mark the line on the board, then I secure the yard stick with screws 1 1/2" from the cut line...this basically creates a "guide" to run my skill saw along and allows me to cut a straight line. 

Problem solved! Now if I could just figure out a way to get a flat tire changed since my father is no longer around and my favorite tire shop closed. Thank God I haven't had a flat in 20 years! Cuz I don't do that either!

Anywho, after cutting 1 1/8" bracing strips, I cut four pieces the length I needed for the four sides of the opening. I applied wood glue and slipped the strips between the door "skins." A little trick...set a screw on each end of the board before putting it in the door...that way if it slips to far into the door, you can use the screws to make adjustments. Then just back the screw out when you have finished clamping.

I measured from the inside edge of my strips to the outside edge of the door...all the way around....and adjusted the bracing strip so that I had the same distance from edge to edge.  My cutout was NOT the exact distance from the edges, but the strips need to be since I would be attaching my "frame" to it. I also measured the opening to make sure it was the same width and height all the way around.

After making adjustments to each strip and making sure each was in the proper position, I clamped them and let the glue dry.  

No need for nails...wood glue will do the trick if you let it dry well!

After the glue dried, it was time to add the "inside" framing. Fortunately the width of the strip and the skins combined was 1 1/2". That worked out perfectly for  1/4" x 2 (really 1 1/2") craft board (available at Lowe's) as my frame! 

I measured and cut them with my chop saw. I pre-primed my trim pieces with Kilz and sanded and then I installed them with glue and trim nails. 

Yes, I noticed the bottom frame piece was a tad off...my bad. I ended up "lifting" it, removing the nails and repositioning it so it was flush with the side piece!!! One of the many stupid frustrations of DIYing...the dreaded "oops."

I wanted a very simple and small trim since the real focal point of the entire project is the window! I thought I could use the 1/4" x 2 craft boards but they only came in 3' lengths and the height of the window was over 36". I ended up buying what is called "door stop" material....the piece of trim on the inside jamb of a door that actually stops the door. It is 1 1/2" wide and 1/4" thick and it comes with or without a decorative profile on one edge. I ended buying the one with a little decorative edge, just for a tiny bit of detailing! I trimmed both sides of the opening. (Forgot to take a picture after the trim was placed, but you can see it in the next picture! I secured it with glue and trim nails). 

I found a teeny tiny little decorative trim to use as a "frame" for the window. It's really tiny...1/4 wide. Since my frame is 1 1/2 wide, I marked the center (3/4") and then 1/8" on each side since glass inserts are usually 3/8 to 1/4" thick.

I cut and CAREFULLY glued and tacked the tiny trim on one line. 

I went ahead and caulked everything, puttied the holes, gave it a light sanding and painted it all. I did this so I would only have to tape off and paint one side of the window trim after I got the window set in place! (Mistake alert! I didn't prepaint the backside of the tiny trim I put on last...so you can see the white primer through the window now that it is installed! Paint the backside of your trim before you put it on!)

(Then I had to wait a week because I didn't think about the fact that they might just have to order the glass...which took "3-5 business days." Then I had to wait ANOTHER "3-5 business days" because they ordered the glass wrong...delays are inevitable!)

After the paint dried (and the glass FINALLY came in!) I applied a SMALL bead of silicone caulk all the way around the inside of the tiny trim and set the window in place. The silicone is important because it holds the glass in place and creates a "soft bed" for the glass so it won't rattle around in the frame.  Then I glued and tacked the tiny trim on the other side of the window. (Do this VERY carefully...if you hit the glass with a nail it WILL shatter!)

TA DA!!!! I absolutely LOVE it. The glass (reeded glass...google it!) is absolutely perfect. But it was NOT cheap. 

This is "rain" glass and it is about 1/3 the cost....

...a very pretty glass and a much cheaper option. But it wasn't the look I fell in love with so I paid the price for the glass I wanted. However, the odds of me doing the other doors is slim!

If you are installing glass in a door, I would strongly recommend getting a piece that is "tempered." It is about 4x stronger than "plain" glass and if shattered, it breaks into a bunch of tiny, relatively harmless pieces vs. the super sharp shards of regular glass!

Tempered glass really isn't that much more expensive...especially when you consider the safety factor! 

Also, the glass will be much heavier than the "hollow" door...so this is the time to replace the short hinge screws with longer screws that actually go into the framing of the door. You can buy longer hinge screws, but I just used black sheetrock screws. I will probably change them out next time I make a run to Lowe's. This is important because the weight can cause the door to "drag" or stick on the knob side. For that matter, if you have a door that drags or sticks, try replacing a few of the short hinge screws with longer ones! This door was sticking even before the new glass and using the longer screws worked like a charm! (In the picture above you can actually see where the black paint rubbed off on the door jamb!)

There you have it. A tutorial for dressing up an otherwise boring interior door! There are so many other things you could do with this same process...maybe a chalkboard insert or fabric or even a MUCH less expensive glass! 

You are only limited by your imagination!


Little oak side table....

I am so bummed. I really wanted to share my little laundry room door project I mentioned last week. The only thing holding me up is the glass. I called and the glass came in, but it was wrong. DANG IT!!!

So today I am just going to share a simple little table. 

One of the reasons I needed a flea market space was because I was always finding cool little pieces at my apartments. I would haul home a table or dresser or chair and give it a cute little make over...and then give it away! 

I don't mind giving things away to friends and family...but after awhile I did have to come to terms with the fact that I was spending money (not to mention a lot of time) on these little makeovers...so the "rehab to resell" became a necessity. That, and I tend to haul home A LOT of little goodies from auctions and as I have said before, if I didn't have the flea market outlet (and wasn't a tad OCD) I could easily become a hoarder.

I love auctions...and I love restoring furniture. What can I say! 

Anywho, I found this little solid oak table in an apartment. It was super sturdy and had already been stripped so it really just needed a little TLC.

I did scrub the top with my acetone/lacquer thinner mixture just to clean it up a bit. Then I stained the top with a walnut stain and applied 3 coats of tung oil finish. After that cured well, I taped and papered off the top and gave the bottom a KSTP treatment. (For those who are new, that is Kilz/sand/tack cloth/paint. I used my current favorite Valspar teal color. 

New life for an old, abandoned table destined for the dumpster. Now it is a perfect little side table for the living room or even a bedside table.

Looking back at all the projects I have shared, it is easy to see that I still struggle with painting EVERYTHING....seems I almost always try to preserve a little "natural wood" if I can. Personally, I think the paint "updates" the piece and the stained wood gives it warmth.  I am working on a desk and a fireplace surround right now and both have stained tops and painted bases....guess that's just my thang! 

Hopefully the RIGHT glass will come in this week and I can share my door next week! I can't wait...it's going to be awesome!!!

In the meantime, pull your least favorite piece of furniture into the garage or yard and give it a little KSTP treatment...trust me...you're gonna love it! 

Bedside table makeover....

I spent several days this week projecting on a few pieces I picked up at auctions, as well as a little project here at the house.

I can't wait to share the home project...but I will have to. Even veteran DIYers flub every blue moon! In this case, I neglected to get a quote and delivery time frame on a "simple" piece of glass. Let's just say one should not fall in love with something if they have no idea how much it REALLY cost. I should know better...but by the time I called and got an estimate, it was too late. The vision was set and the damage was done!

I will have to wait until next week to share this AWESOME project....and in the meantime I will have to live with a big hole in my utility room door...stay tuned! (no it is not a doggy door!)

So this week I will share one of the little projects I managed to get done. I usually wait until I have 3-4 pieces to work on before I drag out the stripper and paint! Normally it is easier but it is just soooo hot! Working all day in the garage can really be draining!

Last week I bought these two little bedside tables at an auction.

Dark, dated and the drawers were a little wonky. But overall they were in pretty sound shape. 

The drawers were an easy fix...the metal glides were a tad bent so I took a pair of pliers and straightened them out...perfect. 

Usually I paint the tops of these pieces, but this time I decided to try stripping them...what harm could be done? Sure enough, the old poly finish just melted off (using this process!) leaving a beautiful wood veneer top perfect for a little walnut stain and tung oil finish.

I painted the existing brass hardware with a gold metallic paint. I gave the drawers a little KSTP treatment with a pretty "teal" spray paint, chalk painted the cabinets and distressed them a bit before sealing with a spray poly.

Cute as a bug's ear!!!!

These little tables fit perfectly in my commitment to stay "small." They still take a little time and energy, but they are MUCH easier to move around than the bigger pieces! 

And this is just ANOTHER example of how you can take a dark, dated, wonky piece of furniture and give it new life!!!

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!

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.

Ginger and Cleo....Christmas 2014

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!

A few simple chair makeovers!

I usually have several chairs piled in my garage waiting on a makeover. The reason they get "piled" is because most require, at the very least, a smidge of sewing. My LEAST favorite thing to do! (Okay, root canals are pretty bad, but at least they give you drugs!) I usually wait until I have 2-3 projects that need sewing before I drag out the sewing table and get it all done at once! 

Right now I still have two of the mid century dining chairs waiting to be refinished...no sewing needed, but they are small and tend to get pushed aside...time and again.

And honestly, I had intended to refinish these and keep them but that plan didn't work out so I refinished and sold two of them! 

I have a mid century lounge chair I desperately want to refinish and reupholstery, but I bought it to keep so I have no doubt the selection of an appropriate upholstery will take months!

I did manage to get two chairs finished over the last few weeks.

The first is a simple little maple chair I picked up at Salvation Army.

A "tired and tattered" little thing to say the least. 

I decided to go simple...a little chalk paint and distress on the frame (followed by a coat of poly to seal it) and drop cloth for the seat. This is the first time I have used gimp for trim, but it turned out nice. I just hot glued it over the gathered skirt. 

I didn't even bother to make a back cushion...I like the look of the wood slats!

This cain chair was a tad more complex. Naturally I completely forgot to take a "before" picture until I had already started deconstructing it! But I have no doubt you have run across them in thrift stores and garage sales...a dime a dozen and pretty much what they are worth in their current state! The real gem is finding one with all the caning in tact!

I really was at a loss as to what to do with this chair...until my daughter suggested I do it in blue and gold! Actually, she suggested teal, but I found this blue and white material I really loved! She was right about the gold...it is all the "rage" right now and becoming very popular!

After removing the seat and all the upholstery, I primed the entire chair with Kilz, sanded and wiped it down with tack cloth. Then I sprayed it with white spray paint! After that had cured well, I taped off the legs and sprayed them with metallic gold spray paint. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to keep the tufting on the back but I sprayed the buttons and reused them. They didn't really turn out "gold" like I had hoped...more a "brownish" color, but honestly, close enough. I used metallic gold bias tape to make the piping and the double welting (Here is a tutorial on making piping out of bias tape!) A simple little process, but again, it does require hauling out the sewing machine (ick!) 

Again, I could provide a step by step tutorial on "reupholstering" these simple little chairs, but there are dozens of tutorials on line (including video tutorials) that are ten times better than anything I can do. And every chair is different, so find a tutorial that makes sense to you AND has a chair similar to what you have! This is the very first chair I ever tackled. Knowing what I know now, I can do better. I can honestly say that I learn something new every time I tackle a project like this and regardless of the little imperfections here and there, they always end up WAY better than what I started with!

I tend to be a tad on the OCD side when it comes to projects...but I have learned that nothing is ever going to be perfect! And again, as my very wise Daddy use to say "You'll never notice it on a passing train!"

Which reminds me...Happy Father's Day Daddy! It has been twenty years (this month), but some days it seems like we just talked yesterday. I wish you were here to see all the things I have learned to do. All because you taught me that working with my hands (and my head) and making something out of nothing really can be rewarding! I know you would be proud! Thank you.... and I miss you! 

Happy Father's Day to all the great men out there who are blessed with kiddos!!! Be the man you want your son to be and be the man you want your daughter to marry ;) 

Another mid-century dresser makeover...

If you have followed along for any amount of time, you know I have a "thing" for mid-century furniture...and walnut. 

I just love the clean lines of the pieces and how sturdy they are. You can not buy furniture today that is as durable and sturdy as many of these 50-60 year old pieces. Well, I guess you can, but you will pay a pretty penny for them! 

And walnut? Well, in my opinion, there isn't a more beautiful wood grain out there. 

A few months ago I featured a beautiful mid-century dresser I refinished and put in "Mitchell's room."  I knew it was a tad big for the room, but I just could not resist.

As strange luck would have it, I was cruising Craigslist and found the matching chest. It just so happens that the people who owned the flea market where I originally purchased the dresser were selling the matching chest. Wow. What are the odds!

I actually ended up paying a tad more for the chest than I did the dresser...and it was in a little rougher shape structurally. 

One of the big "boo-boos" on this piece was some pretty substantial chipping on the veneer of the top drawer corners....

Several of the drawers had missing or broken bottom "glides" and one had been VERY poorly repaired! (Hence, THIS rant!) And one of the legs was a little whomper-jomped. (Technical term for loose and wobbly)

I can not stress enough how important it is to make proper repairs. People, wood glue and clamps are your friend! I could do a tutorial a day on properly repairing furniture, but truth be told, there are a billion outstanding tutorials online for every imaginable repair. No, DO NOT use nails to secure dislocated dove joints. No, do not use silicone to try to put a drawer back together. No, do not put sheetrock screws in the leg of a dresser that originally had a bolt and clamp. If you don't know how to properly fix it, GOOGLE IT! (or email me...I love telling people what to do!) Seriously, it isn't hard to repair furniture, but if you do it wrong, I promise it won't last...and all the paint and refinishing you did to make the piece "pretty" will be a waste of time! 

So, the first thing I had to do was repair and rebuild a few drawer glides. Then I had to fix the leg which required removing the old bolt, filling the hole with wood and glue and then replacing the bolt. Then I had to figure out what to do with the chipped drawer fronts.

Since I had refinished the drawers on the dresser, I really wanted to refinish this piece to match. Since there is really no good way to "rebuild" veneer and then stain it to match, I decided to remove the damage by creating a little "radius" on the corners. Probably not the best thing to do on a style known for it's clean, straight lines. I contemplated just cutting the corners at a 45 degree angle...but naaaaaa. 

My goal was to improve the aesthetics a  tad and also prevent further damage to the veneer in the future. 

I used a paint can to draw a "radius" on the corner....

...then I used my mouse sander with 220 grit paper to carefully sand away the damage and round the corners. This is what I call "sculpting" a piece and it takes time and patience. When sanding, always start with a very smooth grade of sand paper (220-330) and only use a rougher grit if it is absolutely necessary. And ALWAYS sand with the grain!

Other than the chipping, the veneer was in pretty go shape and still intact. If I had used a rougher grit, I risked chipping or damaging the veneer further.

When it was all said and done, it turned out pretty well. 

After making all the repairs, I stripped the top, drawers and legs using 1/2 acetone and 1/2 lacquer thinner and steel wool. I knew I wanted to paint the "cabinet" like I did the dresser, so I taped and papered off everything that was going to be left "natural" and sprayed it will Kilz, sanded smooth, wiped it down with a tack cloth, and sprayed it with my favorite spray paint. 

The top, drawer fronts and legs were left natural. I didn't apply a stain because I love the look and color of walnut with nothing but clear oil. 

I used the same process I use on all stained or natural wood. First I hit it with 0000 steel wool (always WITH the grain) just to smooth it a bit. Then I applied 3-4 coats of Formby's tung oil finish, rubbing it with 0000 steel wool and a tack cloth between each coat. 

In all honestly, I really do not need two large dressers in this room. It is just the "guest room" now. But I really can't part with either of these pieces! They are just too beautiful! 

Don't turn your nose up at old pieces that need a little time and attention. In the end, if you do it right, they will be well worth it!

Display hutch...before and after!

Brian has long since stopped questioning my purchases at auctions. I think he has developed a little bit of faith in my ability to make something out of nothing. But occasionally I do question myself. I must have subconscious flashes of inspiration that, in the stark light of day, are forgotten because occasionally I will look at a piece I brought home and think "WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!" 

This would be one of those pieces....

It's not a horrible piece...it's just very "ho-hum." Not an antique or even remotely interesting. Just...well...boring.... for lack of a better word.

Basically just a  "pine and particle board" piece that is pretty dated...seriously, hunter green?

The upside to this piece is it did not need any major repairs...just a few nuts and bolts tightened here and there. The stained top, shelves and crown where in good shape and didn't need to be refinished.

Honestly, it just needed a little "facelift." A brighter color to update it a bit! I taped and papered off the stained areas, removed the ugly wooden knobs and gave it a little KSTP treatment (Kilz, sand, tack cloth and paint!) 

My favorite teal spray paint and simple little black knobs and we are good to go!!!

I even "displayed" a few of my auction finds just so the pictures would have a tiny bit more interest! This piece would be an awesome addition to a kid's room, an office, or even in a kitchen!

Again, this is one of those "boring" or "dated" pieces you probably have floating around your house. Whether it be bedroom furniture, a little table,  an old dresser, or even a dated light fixture, a couple of hours and a few cans of spray paint can make all the difference. You don't have to be even remotely creative...just find your inspiration and go for it!!!

I have a garage full of projects I have been working on since the weather warmed a bit! I can't wait to share...something for everyone!


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!