Hidden Treasure

My colleague and first client (CS) inherited this trunk from her Great-Grandmother via a cousin: 

CS told me she might want to use the trunk as a coffee table if it was black and looked a little nicer. Initially, I was skeptical of my ability to improve this trunk very much. The body of the trunk was made of a thin wood that had a lot of warping and cracking, so sanding the paint off was not an option. The metal trim was painted over with white in some areas and covered with a metallic paint everywhere else. I knew it was unlikely that I would be able to restore the original metal and may be faced with having to cover it in yet another coat of paint. I assured CS I would do the best I could to provide the highest quality improvement possible while retaining the vintage nature of the piece.

I started by using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to clean the exterior of the trunk, which was pretty grimy. (Aside: I can't say enough about how amazing this product is! I've been using Magic Erasers for years to clean our sinks and bathtubs, but it really hit me how incredible they are when I used one to clean a vintage white leather Dooney & Bourke handbag that I picked up for $5 at a yard sale. Seriously awesome!) Once the trunk was clean, I did try to sand the white paint off of the metal trim, but all I found underneath was rust. I knew that sanding the metalwork was out of the question and so was using any sort of solvent to remove the paint. That left me with just one option -- repaint the metal trim. 

Once the trunk was clean, I had to do a lot of thinking about how to tackle painting it. I considered using a metallic spray paint to cover the trim, then painting the black by hand. I also considered spray-painting the trunk black, then using a metallic paint to refinish the trim by hand. Ultimately, I decided spray paint wasn't gonna cut it, so I painted it all by hand. 

I spent about $15 on Magic Erasers, black paint, a large paintbrush, bronze metallic paint, and tiny trim brushes. I started by using the large brush to paint the white wood surface black, getting as close in to the metal trim as I could. Then I used a dry-brushing technique to apply the metallic paint to the trim. It was tedious work, but I knew it was essential to provide the vintage finish I was aiming for. I followed up with a second coat of black paint, using the tiny trim brushes to get into the nooks and crannies where the wood and metal met. I couldn't believe the difference! 

Seriously, is this the same trunk?! 

My favorite part of this project was when I put the finished trunk in the back of my car to deliver it to CS and I made a stop at the Starbucks drive-through. The girl working the window told me my total and then exclaimed, "Where did you get that treasure chest?!" It turns out her nephew is really into pirates and she'd been looking for a trunk that could pass as a treasure chest for him for Christmas. Maybe I should get some business cards...

Time and Relative Dimension in Space

I've been doing fewer and fewer major projects as my real job has taken up more and more of my time, but I'm still managing to stay in the game with smaller, personal projects. This includes my latest Halloween costume! Halloween is my favorite holiday, surpassing my birthday since I've reached my late-20s. This year my husband and I decided on a "couple's costume" back in August: Dr Who and the TARDIS.

I didn't want to be a big blue box and I love creating costumes based on imaginative interpretations, so I started by sketching out some design ideas, then scouring the Web and shopping centers for inspiration. I eventually settled on the following:

- Sparkly blue headband to represent the light on top of the TARDIS (Target $4)
- Plaid scarf to represent the windows (SakkasStore.com $20)
- Blue dress (Express $35)
- Yellow shoes (my wedding shoes, spray-painted yellow)
- Tote bag inspired by the signs on the outside of the TARDIS (made with black and white fabric scraps, a Sharpie, white paint, and tea)

I usually try to avoid spending much money on costumes, but I knew the dress and scarf could be incorporated into my regular wardrobe, so I didn't worry much about price. Plus, I had a blast doing it and it was a nice distraction from the demands of my job. So was the party we threw!

[Quick note on the dress: It was way too big, but unavailable in the next size down. After wearing it for the party, I started to doubt whether I would wear it again because it was literally falling off of me, as evident in the photograph. Then I had the brilliant, though delayed, idea to shrink it in the dryer. Now it fits perfectly!]

IKEA Overhaul

Back at the end of June, my friend Carolyn asked if I could help her find a dining set for her apartment. Her place has a very open floor plan, so finding the right set presented some challenges. We decided to try the IKEA in Charlotte since we would be flying out of there for our annual Thousand Islands vacation. After spending some quality time in our favorite IKEA model room (the library), we found this table and four of  these chairs.

[Carolyn and I in our favorite IKEA room]

Carolyn had some really good ideas for how to customize the table and chairs for her apartment. She wanted the chairs to be a mild green, the base of the table to be cream, and the tabletop to be stained a dark brown.

For a variety of reasons, it took me three months to finish the whole project. (Tip: Don't plan spray painting projects for the summer if you don't have an indoor work space. Extreme heat + summer storms = not conducive to outdoor spray painting.) But Carolyn was very patient and here is what she ended up with:

See the gorgeous sheen on the tabletop? That is the result of my first foray into using polyurethane on top of stain. I was really scared I was going to screw it up, but in the end it turned out great! I love the look and it's such a great fit for Carolyn's apartment. For more of Carolyn's style, check out her blog.

For Me

The weather has been wreaking havoc on my attempts to paint, sand, or stain any furniture. It's too hot, too humid, too rainy, or too all three. I've been stuck working in fits and starts or on indoor projects. Sewing is about the only indoor craft I do, so I did this:

What had happened was... my friend SH was having a bridal shower in which the guests were encouraged to  wear vintage clothes. I did not realize there was a vintage theme until a few days before. I never miss the opportunity to play dress-up, so while scoping out furniture at Cause for Paws I decided to look over the dress selection. That's where I discovered this little gem / monstrosity. What drew me to it was the print:

Now, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing this dress the way I found it (bringing myself to wear it long enough to have my husband snap a BEFORE pic was a stretch and putting it out there for all to see on the Interwebs is giving me palpitations), so I knew I was going to alter it. Unfortunately, while the transformation was in progress I got sick. I ended up having to miss the bridal shower and the dress got pushed to the back burner. When I realized I was stuck with indoor projects, I decided to finish it.

I had started by removing the neck and sleeves. Instant improvement! I put it on and pinched the front to create a sweetheart neckline. I stuck a safety pin in the pinch and did a little folding to tuck in the unfinished edges (100% polyester = easy to work with). Then I used the tie from the waist to make a halter strap, again using safety pins to hold things in place. From there it was just a matter of sewing everything down. I also removde the zipper from the back and took it in just a smidge. Of course I took the hem up, primarily because I loathe maxi dresses. I found a coral belt at Target and BAM, cute "new-vintage" dress -- just for me!

Busy busy busy

Lately I've been busy working on projects, which is great, but it's put me a little behind on this blog. So here's an update: 

First, my friend and co-worker, AS, had this chair that she, her son, and her cats, all loved. It was basically a large cushion that was suspended from four legs. Due to the extensive love that had been lavished upon the chair, the front of the cushion had gotten a little worn. She wanted to know if I could replace it for her. Now, it has to be said that while I am passable at upholstery, it's not my favorite thing to do. But it seemed simple enough and she's a good friend, so I took it on. I made a trip to JoAnn Fabric and texted AS pictures of  fabric options. I nailed it in two! We chose an outdoor fabric for easy cleaning and longer durability (plus, it was the perfect print). That was the high point. Problems quickly arose:

1. I am allergic to cats. Every time I worked on the project, I had sneezing fits.

2. The fabric on the back of the cushion was 100% acetate (read "super thick and tough"). 

-- a) My sewing machine hated it

-- b) Hand-sewing made my fingertips red and raw

3. It was 100+ degrees outside and my sewing room is upstairs, so I felt like I was working in a sweat-shop.

Suffice it to say, I finished the job vowing to myself that I would really have to consider taking on upholstery gigs in the future. Especially from houses with cats. 

Ultimately, the finished product turned out great and looks awesome in AS's house. Plus, she got to keep a piece of furniture that she loved instead of having to find something new. Totally worth it.

My next project was for another co-worker, DM. He was moving into a new apartment and needed a small dresser. I had a ton of time to do this project since he didn't want the dresser until he moved. I looked and looked and looked at my favorite thrift stores, but couldn't find a dresser small enough or in good enough condition to refurbish. I finally caved and suggested an unfinished wood dresser from IKEA as a starting point. I wouldn't usually buy something new, but I couldn't figure out another way to meet the needs of my client. I picked up the dresser, then went on vacation!

DM really wanted a simple black dresser, which should have been the easiest job ever. But the wood soaked up all the spray primer, then soaked up all the black spray paint. I added layer upon layer of paint, but the finish just got funkier and funkier. For some reason, it worked fine on the drawer fronts, but not the dresser itself. I decided to sand the dresser and roll on a less glossy paint. It gave the dresser a cool look, because even though it's all black, it's two different finishes so it has some dimension. Finally, to save DM money, I painted the original hardware with a metallic paint instead of buying new hardware.

As you can see, I painted the inside of the drawers grey, just for another bit of interest. DM was happy, so I was happy! What makes me even more happy is having several other projects lined up for when I get back from my next vacation. Busy busy busy.

First Gig!

About a week ago, I sent an e-mail to my co-workers telling them about the work I do with furniture. I got a great response, including one from C.S. who wanted me to refinish a nightstand / end table. She had purchased it from a furniture market and over time its most recent paint job had peeled off. She was hoping I could give it a new paint job and a bit of a face lift.

As you can see, [you may want to click on this and the following images for a closer look] it was missing a lot of paint, but it was a really cute vintage piece. C.S. still wanted it to look distressed, just not so distressing. I love the look of grey painted furniture and contrasting door and drawers and when C.S. showed me the paint color she had picked out for the room, I knew my color scheme would be a perfect fit. 


Distressing is not something I have much experience with, so I really put some thought into which methods I wanted to use. I decided to leave much of the old finish in place to add texture and depth to the surfaces. I sanded everything just enough to remove rough edges and loose paint. I removed all of the hardware (which had been painted over at least twice) then I used a high-gloss paint on the doors and drawer to highlight the textural variations. I sanded the old paint off the hardware and gave it a spritz of metallic spray paint before reattaching everything. For the frame of the nightstand, I gave it a light coat of fresh white paint, then added a thicker layer of gray which I sanded a bit so the white and some of the original finish and wood could peek through. I think it turned our very nicely! (So did C.S.)

Aside: I have to tell this story because it's just too cute. When I picked up the furniture from C.S. she introduced me to her toddler daughter saying, "This is Katie. Remember how we talked about her coming to paint that table?" Her daughter was silent the whole time I was there, but watched me closely with big eyes. When I left I got a text from C.S. saying that her daughter asked if I was Katy Perry! (She knew her from Sesame Street.) Adorable right? Even better, when I delivered the finished piece and was introduced to C.S.'s husband, he smiled and said , "Oh! Katy Perry!" 

Pride and Joy

Last summer my husband and I bought our first house which necessitated us buying a large dresser. As I started searching for the right one, I was shocked by how expensive they were. I looked at dressers from IKEA, Crate & Barrel, West Elm, CB2, Target and a number of other stores, but I was priced out of the size I was searching for. As I've often done in the past, I turned to my favorite local thrift stores. That is how I found this treasure...

It was scratched up. The two small drawers were missing their hardware and one no longer had its track. The hardware was also broken on the second drawer from the bottom on the left. There were superfluous wooden accents on both sides near the top. In short, this massive dresser had been abandoned.

But, it was the perfect size, it was high-quality (dove-tail joints!), and the price was right: $55 + $10 for delivery. It's my proudest rescue.

Over five of the hottest days in August 2011, I knocked off the wooden accents with a mallet; I removed the cabinet doors; I sanded  for hours upon hours; I removed the hardware and spray-painted the drawers; I replaced the missing drawer track; I replaced the hardware; I hand-painted the newly exposed cubbies; and I stained the whole unit.

This project took me less than a week and cost $85 (not including the electric hand sander I invested in)  and now it's my third most prized possession (#1 = childhood stuffed panda; #2 = engagement ring). Plus, I truly loved doing it. I got so much joy from taking something someone had given up and transforming it into something beautiful and and meaningful again. And refurbishing this old dresser was so much more satisfying than paying hundred of dollars for something brand new. It's also what inspired me to start redoing furniture for others.

What I Do

When I was a kid, my parents set a rule: I was only allowed to rearrange my bedroom every six months.

This was clearly a rule put in place out of necessity.

Since then, my love for rearranging furniture has grown into a love of recreating furniture. I acquire used furniture the way some people buy clothes. This came in handy in college when I reupholstered a $35 couch using sheets from Target, $7/yard upholstery fabric, and a staple gun. And when I bought my first dining table and chairs for $100 at the flea market, painting and reupholstering the set twice in six years. And when buying a house required buying my first dresser, which I found for $55 at Helping Hands Mission Thrift Store. After some sanding, stain, paint, and new hardware, I cherish this dresser only slightly less than my wedding ring and childhood stuffed bear.

When I came home a few months ago with a small chest of drawers I rescued for $10 (from Helping Hands, my very favorite source), my husband very logically wondered what I was planning to do with it. That was when I realized I had a problem: After nearly a year in my own home, I had run out of rooms to decorate.

Thus, the blog. I'll be presenting my finds here and documenting my renewal efforts. I'll start with some of the projects from my own home, but most of the pieces will either be commissioned by clients or posted for sale on Craigslist for people living in the Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill area of North Carolina.

Abandoned decor, prepare for rescue.