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Home Decorating

Last weekends Project and This weekends Project. ~ Pic's!

cliff_and_joann

14 years ago

I mentioned a few weeks ago that we're re-decorating our bedroom and going to make new bedside tables. We haven't started the tables yet, and actually just finalized the design of the end tables. Here is a photo of the antique 100 year old plus wash stand that belonged to DH's Grandpa.

We also have the matching wash pitcher and bowl...It managed to survive all these years. I currently have it on my dresser.

Several years ago, when we redecorated our bedroom, I painted the wash stand green. I know, what was I thinking???

We stripped it, and refinished it. In my design of the end tables, I took some inspiration from the little wash stand in the design. I can't wait to get started on the end tables. :)

Here is the little wash stand. I keep our pillow cases in the drawers and our sheets and electric blanket in the bottom. I think it's such a sweet little piece. I matched the stain with the furniture.

We also re-finished this tea table that DH made when he was in the 7th grade. It's all hand made and he won "Best in Show". We have the original newspaper article with his photo and the table. Yes, I painted this green too...Oy!

The table is Mahogany, and going under the back window in our bedroom.

This was my good will find of the season! I love this cane chair and it's our weekend project. I have already cleaned it and used 0000 steel wool and Naphtha on the wood.

I think it's a little treasure and it's going in our bedroom where the French chair is in the second photo.

The French chair was my MIL's bedroom chair.

Comments (4)

barb5
14 years ago
Your husband made that table when he was in the 7th grade? Wow, he is like the Tiger Woods of furniture making! That is really impressive!

The washstand and the chair are wonderful too.

I wish I understood the ins and outs of furniture refinishing. I have some lovely items that have been handed down in my family and I am afraid to touch them for fear of doing them harm. Do you recommend any good sources, like books or web sites that could help those of us not so gifted to understand the mysteries of all of this?
cliff_and_joann
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi Barb, I have many antiques and the best thing to do is leave on the original stain and finish, unless the item is damaged. This wash stand and the antique chess table, that I posted a few months back, are the only pieces I restored. The chess table had severe water damage and cigarette burns. This wash stand was very dark and murky and it just didn't fit in with our other stuff. That's why I painted it. Then I decided to strip it (using a sander)
and refinishing it to better match our bedroom.

I can tell you how to refinish and restore furniture, however, I rather not give advise on antiques... I'll leave that to the professionals.
I'd be happy to tell you how to finish other furniture
though, as we build a lot of furniture and I do most of the finishing. I never use gel stains, because they are not penetrating and compromise the beauty of the wood. I rather sand a piece down to the raw wood and start over.
Joann.
Check out the antique forum on GW.
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Thanks Tom and LeeLee ! Yup, I'm retired - which makes me not young, but...as long as I can still do this, I will. Let's just say I'm obsessed, with no other hobbies 'cept reading when it rains...and when I moved here in April 2010, the place was bare except for trees and bougs - so I went at it ...just couldn't stand all the bareness - I've certainly made some mistakes, but soon I'll start moving things around and redo!...glad you enjoyed the pics Hester
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I posted the photo on the gallery side: Gallery posting I tried putting just the photo here, but it wouldn't let me. Thanks for that link, Ellen. Now I know what part of the design means (I think). I'll have to do more research on that. I had given my sister some mudcloth that I had bought at an African festival a few years back for her birthday, and she uses it as a throw for one of her sofas. I guess that's easier than trying to make something out of it. Linda, making a headboard is fairly easy, but then I do have quite a bit of experience with upholstery. It's important to glue the foam to the board with upholstery glue (which goes on like a web) so that it doesn't shift when you are attaching the fabric. Also, we bought an electric staple gun, which made the job a lot easier. I think it does require two people, however. Lars Here is a link that might be useful:
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Comments (42)
Pruned and pruned and more pruning. Planted the first of many pansies. Repainted the front porch. It had been done 2 yrs ago and was looking rough. I had done the back porch and the little house porch a couple weeks ago. I have a lot more landscaping to do. I am very excited about the new plants. Our extension/Master Gardeners groups have gotten together and had a meeting about native plants for our area. They gave us a 2 hr talk and also a lot of handouts. We then get to look at the plant lists they gave us and when we go back in Nov we take pics and drawings and measurements of our areas in our yards and soil samples and they will help us figure out what will go where. There will be a bunch of landscape architects at the next meeting. We can preorder all the plants at a huge discount and they will deliver them in mid Nov. A great deal. The beauty of native plants is that they attract so much insect and bird life to your yard and they are so hardy and much more care free. I am really excited about converting more and more of my gardens to habitats for butterflies and hummingbirds. c It has been a treat to read what everyone is doing. Very ambitious group of folks :)
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User
14 years ago
Those are amazing pieces, just beautiful. It's so lovely how you incorporate the pieces into your home. Your creativity and enthusiasum bring back some wonderful childhood memories, as my father also enjoyed working with wood. I loved to smell the freshly cut wood, to listen to him tell stories as he tinkered with his project and the look of joy he had on his face as he would proudly show us his newest piece (too). Thank you for sharing the stories and bringing back good memories!

Love the chair, that is a good find! I bet it will look lovely in your room! --Lukki
PRO
Bb
3 years ago
These pieces are absolutely beau
cliff_and_joann thanked Bb

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