The Perfect "Catch-All"...

I've just completed the first set of antique sewing machine drawers.

This is where I started...

The sides of the cabinets were in pretty rough shape... missing/peeling veneer, warping, and some slight water damage (I love the kids' drawings on the sides of the drawers...)

I clean the drawers and cabinet inside and out, then applied Danish Oil to the unpainted sections of the drawers.  It gives the wood a nice, natural finish without having to use stain.

I had my son make the "caps" for the top and bottom and stained them to match.

The set would be great used in an office for supplies (pens & pencils, ink cartridges, etc) or in the bathroom for additional storage (think brushes, curling irons, or even medications),  The uses are numerous!

I've been working on a "weathered" finish for the singles drawers.....

This finish works best on oak or similar woods with a distinctive grain.  I just watered down Paris Grey paint, applied it with a brush and wiped it off  almost immediately with a dry towel.  One coat of clear wax and call it a day.

I love the way the finish turned out.... but I'm still trying to decide on hardware.

These drawers came without the original pulls,,,, which is usually not a problem as all the ones I've gotten in the past were single knobs and easy to replace.  This had a pull of some kind and I can't find replacements that fit the width of the holes.  Looks like it's wood filler at this point....

The 3 drawer cabinet is listed on my website here and the 2 single drawers will be listed as soon as I've solved the knob issue!

In the works.... Antique Sewing Cabinet Drawers

I love re-purposing antique sewing drawers.... and I've found so many uses for them around the house.

I've mounted them directly to the wall in my home office (great for sorting mail, receipts, etc...)

They make great table top caddies for napkins, silverware or anything else you want handy.

Love the ornate wood working on the sides of this set (the other is  missing most of the veneer and a good portion of the embellishments).

With a little time and paint, I'll have these looking great!

I'll have them listed on my Facebook page and website as they are completed, so if you are interested in purchasing them, follow me on FB.

Have a great weekend!

Client Work..... Updated Dining Room Set

This is the finished project on a recent client request.

I live in an area that is supported by the tourism industry.... specifically, the weekly renting of vacation homes.  Many of these homes were furnished several years ago and are in need of a little updating with regard to the home's decor.

This is where we started... wrought-iron table base and glass table top, with a total of 8 chairs that needed a little TLC.  This home accommodates 10 people, but the existing table could only seat 4 comfortably.... 6 chairs (as shown) is cramped.  There is also seating for 4 at the counter.

Our first priority was to find a replacement table that would seat 6 comfortably and allow for 8 if needed. The table shown above is a very close version of what we found.  Mine had a little more detail to the top and legs, and was stained a very dark mahogany.

The wood tones in the house are all very light, so it was a challenge to strip the table top back (hoping the tone underneath would not be reddish).  We were lucky... it stripped back to a natural light color.  One coat of light oak stain and 6 coats of poly and the client was thrilled.

The base and chairs are a custom mix I made using ASCP in Florence and Olde White.

The chairs were painted to match the table base and re-upholstered with Sunbrella fabric in a neutral tone to match the couches.

The original bar stools were worn out and needing some attention.  They were also too tall for the counter height for adults to sit comfortably.  We replaced them with standard wooden bar stools, and painted & sealed the tops to match.

The client loves the transformation!

For a fraction of the cost of replacement, we were able to change the entire look of the room with a little paint, fabric and a refurbished table.

Rejuvenate & Restore!

Full Length Mirror....

A couple of weeks ago I had posted how I turned an antique vanity into 2 end tables for my living room...

You can read the details of that post HERE, but as I ended that post, I was left with the large center mirror and 2 rounded side mirrors.

This is the frame to the large center mirror.  My bedroom colors are mostly taupes with robins egg blue accents.  Duck Egg Blue has always looked more green to me (my son thinks it's more blue); regardless, it's one of my favorite colors and I thought the contrast with everything else in the room would work well.

I painted the sides and middle mirror (this night time shot definitely makes it lean towards green) all the same.  With a light distress and clear wax.

The two side pieces went to my booth space in Elizabeth City....

And I kept the center mirror for my bedroom to use as a full length mirror.

Love it!