Hi, arapaho, and thank-you! I use either Formby's Furniture Refinisher or Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher, with 0000 steel wool. They are very similar products to me, which melt the old finish off. I don't sand after, so the patina of age (I think) is still there. Both are messy, and this is NOT my favorite part of the project, but I will say when that first bit of gunky, usually very dark finish comes off and reveals the wood - now THAT is fun. Wear heavy gloves as the disposable ones quickly tear. I see that neither product has outstanding reviews on Amazon, but if used correctly, they do the job, although it does require elbow grease. I have some old enamel ware plates, and I pour the product into one, and dip the steel wool in that. Then I scrub the piece, and the steel wool gets gunky from the old finish. DON'T try to save money on steel wool or the refinisher by continuing to use the old dirty steel wool. Get a new piece of steel wool and some pour some clean refinisher and keep going. I use the other plate to put the used steel wool in. A small piece like that bench used up half of my quart can, but what you see above doesn't even have any tung oil finish on it, which is what I use on these old things I re-do. You see that the scratched areas on the horizontal top band just get blended in, and almost disappear. Chibimimi, thanks! I do love that fabric with the wood, but consulted my buddy in Chicago, Chijim, who posts here at times and showed him several other others, and asked his opinion. This was one of 6 fabrics that I laid over the top, and Jim was struck as I was by how it really looks great with the wood. It'll wear better than the silk, also. Not everyone's taste, but fun! And MUCH better than the 4 layers of fabric that I found under the faux leather top, shown below this pic. The 2 oldest are tapestry types on the right, followed by 2 layers of very thin cotton, topped by the faux leather. It was like peeling an onion and each layer had slightly different nails holding it in place! Here is a link that might be useful: Minwax 67300 Antique Furniture Refinisher, 1 Quart

Wow! Thanks to all of you who have responded so far to my request for hanging suggestions. There have so many good suggestions, and I am mulling over them to see just which ones will work in my kitchen. @mcmjilly, the grater lights are fascinating. The lighting has already been done in the kitchen, but I love the looks and may try to fashion one elsewhere in the house. @ellaf, yes, I have thought of the shaker peg racks, and there is actually a place about 20 miles away that does sell such things. But the website you mentioned actually has more variety in size of pegs so will be worth looking into. And thanks for the MS link. Lots of good ideas there. @becky sharp -- the rolling pins displays are great. I will try to incorporate something like that. None of my rolling pin collection has ever been displayed, and I would like to display a few at a time. (They used to be in my old Hoosier cabinet, but are now either in the drawer below my ovens or in the tray storage above. They fit great there, but obviously aren't displayed!) @paige16, @sjmitch, and @rosieo, thanks for your suggestions. Yes, I agree that like things should be grouped together in some fashion. I used to try to do something like that on my old pegboard, but when the things I actually used got hung up, my display got dis-organized. But I do agree it was too much and too cluttered, so some organization desperately needs to be done. The shadow box idea is good (don't remember whose idea that was) and we do have quite a bit of cherry left here by the GC from what was used for the molding and light rail, etc. Problem is that neither I or DH are very handy! @melissastar, thanks for all of the useful links. And, as to pie pans, I also have a collection of those but did not mention them as they are in the "baking" drawer below my wall ovens. And when I say "tins", I mean that literally as I got rid of all of the aluminum ones long ago, though I do still have a couple of glass ones that I use for lemon meringue pie. I also weeded out many of the old pie tins (such as those with no advertising on them) when I was trying to clear out the kitchen for the remodel. Nonetheless, there are still lots, as well as cake tins, etc., also in the drawer below the ovens. As to the links you gave me, there are lots of good ideas there and I have looked at them all. I do have a pot rack I bought years ago (and never used) that might work to display utensils, though I'm not sure where it might look right. The rolling pin hangers from Vermont look great and just might work to display a couple of the rolling pins. Thanks for all of the links. @priclypear, thanks for your suggestions. Yes, I agree things need to be grouped in some way, and I am going to try to do that. I have put some of the regularly used ones on the counter (but don't want to do too much of that) in old crocks -- one with wooden utensils, one with silicone, and a short one with the spatulas and wisks that my grandsons use when they cook with me. @florantha, yes, I did see your collections thread and actually responded to it. I do think that I collect things not just to "have" them, but also to use them. And I think things SHOULD be used. But I also agree that too much is not good, and I know I need to weed things out. I did do that, to some extent, when we took things out of the kitchen before the demolition. I did get rid of a lot, though it seems I still have a lot! And I do know I need to weed out some more. We've been in our house for over 44 years. Need I say more?? And @farmhousebound, all I can say is that your collection is fantastic! You also seem to have a wonderful kitchen in which to display all of your bounty. My kitchen, unfortunately, is not nearly so large and so I do not have as many options as you do. One thing I had to give up in the kitchen remodel, as there just doesn't seem to be a place for it, is the old Hoosier cabinet I had on the wall where my grandson's chair (on an antique Shaker chair no less) is now. That is where my now 10-year old and now 7-year old grandsons have done a lot of cooking (it has a pull out metal table) in the past few years. I am hoping the antique Shaker-style desk I am going to put on that wall will be a good cooking place as well. Thanks to all. I know I haven't been able to mention everyone, but I have appreciated everyone's suggestions, and would welcome any others anyone has to offer. I also would love any pictures that anyone has. Boxerpups, do you have any pictures in your wonderful collection that might help?

hi everyone- I've posted another pic of Dando's "mouse guillotine" (I think they used barn cats instead....) and after looking up schoolhouse's suggestion of "slaw cutter", sure enough, some pics similar to Aunt Lena's came up. Hers has a really nice rounded handle at the top, and given how well- used it looks, they must have made a LOT of slaw. She grew up on a farm in southern Michigan, and my dining room table is actually an old table with 8 leaves --they'd carry the entire table outside and set it up in the field to feed the farm hands...it seats 20. And, schoolhouse inspired me to take a closer look at the beater-it's from Tarpin Mfg Co out of New Britain CT and it's the model from 1908, which is perfect, because a woman who contacted me and treasure things like this is renovating her 1908 house...what a cool happenstance. Will be sending them off as soon as she sends her address to me! CEFreeman- my Aunt Lena lived the last 30 years of her life in East Lansing!! Such a small world. Thanks so much everyone for helping me find some pleasure in this grand mess at my home, and for helping me honor a woman who is never far from my thoughts.

Wishing I had pix - my mother's home is full of lamps made from antiques: a large coffee grinder, wooden planes (the carpenter's type) & several kerosene lamps like the 1 pictured above - a couple have dark green glass shades, which look very nice w/ the brass. My dad made them all back in the 50s & early 60s, when it was all the rage, apparently. My parents did a lot of antiquing back in the 50s - they lived in Long Island & would drive out into the country on the weekend to auctions. Here's a pic(not mine) of what the wood planes look like - the lamps have brass tubing & drum shades covered w/ natural burlap...