Two Big Transformations

The past couple months have been so busy refinishing furniture.  It's been great!!! The two largest pieces I painted were a hutch and a china cabinet.

I forgot to take a before picture of this piece until after I'd started sanding. It has the most gorgeous detailing.  I would have to say it is one of my very favorite pieces I've worked on!!! I wish I could have kept her.

The second piece was a china hutch my friend asked if I wanted for free.  They were going to set it by the road with a free sign on it.

I painted it in a light robins egg blue, lightly sanded the edges, and waxed it.  I sprayed the hardware in oil rubbed bronze.  Turned out so nice but boy was it a lot of work.  There is a reason I have only refinished two of these large china hutches.

Needless to say both pieces are enjoying their new homes!

I'm linking to Transformation Thursday, Furniture Feature Friday., and Redoux

Antique Chevron Reupholstered Arm Chair

I picked up this arm chair last spring at a yard sale for $10.  The frame was in great shape but the fabric was torn, the seat sagging, and it needed a fresh look.

 

The webbing was all rotted and broke.  Some of the strings that tied the springs were broke as well.

 

It had the original grass in the seat and back.

 

I gutted her.  It took forever to remove all the staples in the frame.  I retied the springs, gave it new webbing underneath, and sewed the springs to the webbing underneath by hand. I lightly sanded, primed, and painted the frame.

 

I used the old pieces of fabric as a pattern and cut my new fabric. I reused the old sheeps wool along with new stuffing, burlap, and batting. I took many pictures of the demo and put it back together the same way it was with some new materials. Then I used my upholstery gun and stapled the fabric and added trim.

 

I bought an upholstery gun on Amazon for $20 or $30 (can't remember) almost a year before and never used it before this chair.  I love it because it hooks to my air compressor and is so easy. It shoots them in with no effort.  So worth the money!  I have since used it several times on other projects.

 

This project was many many hours of labor over several days.  This is only the second chair of this kind I've upholstered.  I have done many other small projects like seats and benches.  I'm getting a little faster as I learn.  I've had this chair done for six months and just today added the trim to hide the staples.  It feels good to finally have it 100% done!

I love this chair.  So fresh and updated!

I bought the fabric at Hobby Lobby with a 40% off coupon.  It ended up being $5.40 a yard and I used 3 yards.  With the fabric, trim, 1/2 box of staples and the $10 I paid for the chair I have about $35 into it and hours and hours of labor.

 

Now if I could motivate myself to recover this chair in the same fabric I'd be set.  I picked this chair up last summer at a yard sale for $3.  The nice thing is it was already stripped and staples removed.  I painted it, added new burlap to the back and added webbing underneath.  I would love to add springs but I don't have any or know where to get some cheap.  I may just add foam.  Maybe in a year she'll be done. Ha.

 

I'm linking to Primp, Coastal Charm, Savvy Southern Style, The Scoop, Green Willow Pond, Treasure Hunt Thursday, Transformation Thursday, Furniture Feature Fiday, Frugal Friday., April Before and After Party

Saturday was warm enough to get outside and sand some furniture and boy did it feel good.

Saturday I picked up this dresser at our local thrift shop for $5.  It had good bones but was dated and the drawer slides had come off and were inside the drawers.  I had to reattach them. It is solid wood and very heavy.  I can't move it by myself even with the drawers out.

There were stickers on the side.  Overall it was in nice condition.  I removed the stickers and went over it with my sander. I roughed up the finish just enough to make the new paint stick well.  I gave it three coats of grey semi gloss then added the brass pulls that were on it when I bought it.

I love the gray color with the brass pulls.  The simple shape gives it a modern look.  Simple clean lines!

 

Many more furniture pieces to come!

I'm linking to Primp, and Transformation Thursday

Dresser Turned TV Console

Our monster of a tv decided to poop out during the opening ceremonies of the olympics.  The sound quit but the picture was great.  Our friends gave it to us three years ago and we've gotten good use from it.  I listed it on cl in the free section and it was went immediatly. Yeah!!  Time for a flat screen.

 

My friend who recently moved away was preparing for a yard sale and asked if I was interested in this dresser for $10.  It is a heavy, solid piece with dovetail joints.  It was just scratched and dinged up and missing a couple knobs.

I sanded the entire thing down and sprayed it with a can of Kilz oil-based primer to lock in the mahogany stain.  Then I used my paint sprayer and gave it a couple coats of antique white semi gloss.

No distressing here.  I love the classic somewhat modern feel to it.  I found knobs in the same antique brass finish at Home Depot.

The drawers are completly full of movies and wii items.  It works great for us, only cost $24, and is much prettier than the old monster we had!!!!

 

Love it!

I'm linking to Frugal Friday, Furniture Feature Friday, TDC's Before and After Party. and Primp

Duncan Phyfe Dining Table

A friend of mine asked if I wanted this old duncan phyfe table a neighbor of hers was getting rid of.  Since it was free I took it but it needed a lot of work.  I love the legs and knew with some tlc it could become a great piece.

I had to reglue the dowels into the base on several of the legs. I clamped them and let them dry overnight.

I sanded the entire base and sprayed it with Kilz oils base primer and then a semi-gloss white paint.  I taped of the brass foot coverings.

 

 

The veneer was chipped and lifting in several spots on the top. 

I glued, clamped and puttied the veneer.  Then I sanded the entire top.  The right side has been sanded in the pic below.

After I cleaned the top I stained it with dark walnut.

Then I gave the top two coats of matte polycrylic.  Wish I had better after pictures but it turned out really nice.

 

It was way more work than I anticipated but it's hard not to look at something and see what it can be!!!

 

I'm linking up to Transformation Thursday., Funiture Feature Friday, Frugal Friday, and Primp Your Stuff.

$10 Pie Safe

I picked up this pie safe at a yard sale last weekend for $10.  The lady was an aquaintance of mine and  said her father collected old pieces like this and she was getting rid of stuff since he passed away.

It has the original mesh / screen in the sides.

I love the patina and texture on this piece.   It's like alligator skin.  I couldn't duplicate this if I tried.

When I got her she was a sad sight.  The right door was broken off and in eight pieces.  Luckily she had saved all the pieces.

I spent the afternoon glueing, clamping, and letting it dry.  Then repeating the process over and over until I had it all put together.

The whole piece was filthy as it had been sitting outside for quite some time.  I vaccummed all the dirt and leaves then washed the entire thing down with warm soapy water.  The inside looked like it had stored motor oil and such.  There was thick black goop in several spots.  I scraped it off with a razor blade and cleaned the inside with soft scrub and a scrubby pad. I wanted the be able to put things inside and not worry so I gave the inside a coat of oil base primer to seal everything.  Then I gave it a coat of flat paint.  I still plan on applying Ralph Lauren antiquing glaze to the inside to tone down the white.  I don't want it to look like fresh paint.  As for the outside.  I am not touching it.  It has so much character.

After a coat of oil base primer.

One more look at the finished piece!!!

Love.

Stuff Wednesday,  Transformation Thursday,  Furniture Feature Friday, Frugal Friday, and October Before and After Party at TDC.

And Table Redo

I picked up this $3 end table at the thrift store.  It's hand made from pine and is nice and sturdy.  I gave it a light coat of white paint and sanded it down.  Although it doesn't have any metal details it  has an industrial feel to it.

Not too bad for $3.  It would even be great on a patio!!!