My Favorite Furniture Projects for 2014

This year has been so exciting for me! I have almost reached my first anniversary of opening my little furniture business. One of my hobbies has always been to refinish furniture for family and friends, but never in my wildest dreams would I have seen myself here a few years ago.

I thought I would share some of my favorite furniture transformations from this past year. Some were frustrating  and difficult projects, but they were all memorable and labors of love. So, on to the countdown:

5. "Henry" the Problem Child

This was my first time using ASCP Emperor's Red. I loved the end result by using clear and dark waxes. The top was frustrating because some sort of chemical had seeped into the wood and caused it to bubble in direct sunlight. I had to put a new oak top on it, and in the end, it turned out beautifully.


4. The Secretary That Caused a Traffic Jam

This secretary desk was a great find, but definitely a little stressful getting it loaded in my car. I discovered my new "go to" black paint (General Finishes Lamp Black). Looking back on these pictures, I'm cringing just a little at the blotchy wax job. I've learned so much this year about the final finishing coat on furniture: using polyurethane, polyacrylic, and/or wax and their different benefits and techniques.

3. Eighteen Drawers of Misery

This was a full bedroom set (12-drawer dresser and two nightstands) that I lucked out at purchasing at an estate sale. After many days of prep, I painted the set in General Finishes Snow White and sealed it with their topcoat. I learned the hard way how important it is to number the drawers and estimate how much room each drawer has room for new layers of paint.

My client who purchased this set brought me a matching highboy and I refinished it as well, but this time the process was easier with the drawers because I knew to use the drawer trick!

2. An Old Secretary With a Modern Twist

My love affair with secretary desks continued with this makeover. I painted the body in ASCP French Linen, but left the insert in its natural state. For a little pop of color, I removed the back and covered it in a beautiful goldenrod fabric by Waverly. This was the first of many projects that I combine fabric and paint to transform vintage furniture to fit into modern decor.


And my all-time favorite from this past year:

1. The Beast That Turned Into a Beauty

I waffled for months about painting this piece when I learned that it was from the mid-1850's. In the end, I decided to forge ahead and repair and paint it. I painted the body only, and kept the beautiful mahogany drawers and interior natural. The old, stinky, rotting felt was a chore to remove and replace, but the end result was stunning. It's the only piece I have for sale right now (!), and I may just keep it for myself as a little Christmas present.

On a personal note, I'm taking the rest of this year off to spend preparing for and enjoying the holidays with my family and friends. I've been swamped (blessed, more accurately) with a slew of custom orders the past few months, and have one more to complete before I take a little break. I have a lot of exciting projects in the "queue" and some that I've completed that I haven't shared with you - so look for those projects in 2015.

So, I'm wishing you and your family a festive and memorable holiday season. Thank you so much for your support and kind comments as I travail the strange and wonderful world of furniture repurposing. A special thank you to my furniture painting buddies that have encouraged me and never hesitated to give me advice on paint, finishing products, marketing strategies and really stupid blogging questions.

Happy Holidays!

I'm Sharing At:

Found & Foraged, DIY Sunday Showcase, Silver Pennies Sundays,
Amaze Me Monday, Metamorphosis Monday, The Scoop, Be Inspired, Wow Us Wednesdays,
Your Turn to Shine, BeYOUtiful, Furniture Feature Friday, Our Southern Home