1, 2, 3 Makeovers

This blog is loaded! I’ve been turning out projects like a mad artist. I love when a vision comes to life and that same project finds a new home as quick as it leaves my studio.

Project 1 I sent out a teaser last week about a 9 1/2 foot table I was working on. This project was a beast. The family I got it from used it on their patio and it was covered but still the weather got to it. The clear finish had started turning yellow and had begun to peel off in large pieces. I had to sand it top to bottom and end to end. That was a total of 13 hours of sanding away at the old so I could make it new. I did a bit more sanding than I normally do. I took it back to the wood leaving no clear finish to be found. If I didn’t sand it back I risked the painted base turning a yellow color. The top was stained after it was taken back to the raw wood. This in total was 13 hours of sanding. Oh my but isn’t she gorgeous.

Project 2 was much more simple but a long time coming. About 6 weeks ago a vender friend gave me an old metal shelf. I’m not sure just what it originally went to but it had these hooks on the end. The metal was painted white with a touch of rust. The design in the metal was really pretty so I took it home to my studio. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it until I went to lay it down. It slipped and ended up on top of an old umbrella stand. My creative head knew instantly it had found it’s new home. Upside down the shelf was a perfect fit on top of the umbrella stand. I had planed on cutting a piece of old wood to cover the top but this was even better. I had Greg cut the metal hooks off before I started my makeover. I used a rust blocking spray paint in white followed by sanding back in spots to show the metal. Once dry I used small screws to attach the metal to the top. Oh my goodness how many ways can you use this in your home. Entryway, bathroom, side table, kitchen even the patio would be a great place to add a little wood and metal. I’m such a fan of reusing things that most would think was trash. This piece proves the value of recycle.

Project 3 again was a piece that most would toss out thinking it was damaged, ugly red stain with most of the hardware missing. I saw something so much more. It had lived a great life and at one point was the pride of someones dining room. Instead of trying to cover up the damage and make it look new I decided to accent its well lived life. I used turquoise chalk paint to bring out the damaged and chipped wood around the bottom. The paint filled in the nicks and scratches from top to bottom. I sanded it back and it removed the paint around those damaged areas. This gave it a worn shabby chic look that every farmhouse gal out there loves. The hardware was missing on the bottom doors and the top glass door so I had to replace those. If you noticed I painted out the hardware on the drawers because they were rusted on to the piece. I used old brass hardware to replace the missing ones. Mixing hardware like this only adds to the shabby chic look and gives it old charm. Again this is a piece that could be used in many rooms of your home. It gives you a big pop of color in any room.

I love looking at what you have and trying to figure out how to recreate the piece. I never want people to walk into my home and think it looks like the local furniture store. Yes at one point in my life that was important. I hadn’t realized yet that my weird quirky personality was something I should embrace instead of hide. Your home should be comfortable, inviting and most of all what you love even if that’s a little quirky.