Child's Chair

A rustic yet soft finish is my safe, go-to option when I refinish furniture. But when I was redoing a
child's chair, I wanted to break away from my usual finishes. I wanted color.

Originally, this yard sale find was dark, dirty and broken. An old stuffed bear was sitting in this chair, next to a table of old shoes. The seller offered the bear as part of the package, but I declined - maybe a little too fast because she seemed hurt I didn't want the stuffed toy.

I repaired the broken arm by cutting off as little of the split wood as possible.

Using a new piece of wood (cut at the same angle) and a Dremel tool, I formed a new arm for the chair.

 

I primed it with a coat of white. 

And finished it with a coat of Oops paint.

I had some fun fabric that I've been dying to use. I paired it with green ribbons for ties on the back.

 

Even Eeyore approves!

Kristin

4th & Long

Happy 4th!

Long, 3 day weekends are the best for projects. I've got plenty in the works, but not all are fully completed.

I spent a lot of time removing laquer from a piece I'm doing for a client. Removing laquer is easy, but when you're doing a large piece, it becomes messy and tedious.

I start with a light sanding...

...and poured some laquer thinner in a plastic cup. I used a 2" paint brush to apply the laquer thinner. As you can see, the laquer will start to remove immediately. Chemical resistant gloves and rags are a must.
I worked in small areas, wiping off each small section as I went.

This is what the end product will start too look like. If there's paint underneath, you'll need paint thinner and a metal scraper to remove it.

I'm also working on building living room furniture. My inspiration: 4 window sashes + 8 spindles + 1 pile of hardwood = 2 end tables and 1 cabinet.

I'm hoping to turn them item into this...

Please notice how technical my drawings are! : )

I hope to post my finished projects this week!


Kristin

Sideboard Storage

After inheriting a few items, some of which I'll never use, I wanted to display them in a way that reflected my style. They might not be worth much in monetary terms, but the sentimental value is priceless.

Since my house doesn't have too much storage space, I've been diligent enough to build my own storage spaces. Hence the workshop cabinets from one of my first posts.

Each time I go to the salvage yard, I tend to pick up a window sash- which has turned into a small collection. Two were in great condition and had unique hardware.

I took a few days to build this piece. I painted the inside with a few soft colors I found in the "Oops Paint" section. A mixture of elegant glasses and colorful ceramic items highlight the reclaimed wood and window sashes.

I used two different colors of reclaimed wood on top for some contrast.

I love the simple lines of this candle holder made from a wine barrel. Repurposed art has so much character.

Kristin

A Painted Desk

I accomplished a lot this weekend, but one more day would have been so much better. 


I bought this desk a few weeks ago and it was ready to be updated. The dried glitter-glue in the drawers was a tell-tale sign that it belonged to a young girl.

It was a little beat up and worn, but some sanding and priming brought it a long way.

I primed it with a coat of Paris Grey.

 

The color was closer to a soft blue. I buffed the piece with dark wax and it brought out a natural tone of grey.
A simple project that brought this piece a long way. 

Kristin