Before & Afters

UPCYCLE PROJECT

From dusty & crusty trunk to rejuvenated coffee table

This guy was buried in storage—and he had so much potential! The idea behind this one was to create something more functional out of a vintage piece while still retaining its original charm. After a thorough cleaning (yikes!), the wood slats got a coat of wood conditioner, the metal got polished, the leather strapping got replaced, and casters got attached to the bottom for easy mobility and a slight boost in height. Voila! Something new out of something old.

MULTIPLE PAINT TECHNIQUES

From blah to eye-catching

This desk wasn’t bad…it just wasn’t great, and it had definitely seen better days. To update the style and keep it timeless, we went with a transitional feel that had a mix of paint and wood-look finishes. The top wasn’t a great candidate for a complete resurface/refinish job, so it was prepped and painted to look like driftwood. The same driftwood faux finish was added to the drawer fronts along with some stencil detailing. After a coat of new paint on the rest of the body and some updated hardware, this desk is a wallflower no more!

From box-store basic to trimmed-out French country

I think we all have at least one piece of furniture like this that could certainly use some personality! After years of love, the functionality was still there, but the looks were lacking. This tv stand got a new top, a variety of decorative trim, some curvy legs, and new hardware. A combo of stain and distressed paint rounded out a completely new look for this piece that brought a new sense of style to the entire room.

CHANGE IN DESIGN

From too blue to calming driftwood

The style and shape of this piece were right, but the color was all wrong. Too blue! The clients wanted a more natural wood finish. This was another big-box makeover that didn’t start out with the most high-quality wood, so we knew it wasn’t a great candidate to strip. What’s the next best thing? Faux finish! That’s right—this light driftwood finish was achieved with a layered paint technique that was a perfect application for a project that needed to LOOK like wood without actually taking it there.

FAUX FINISH

PARTIAL STRIP & STAIN, PARTIAL PAINT

From layers of paint to a vintage treasure

This piece was resurrected from Grandma’s basement! It had been painted many times, but the inside of the drawers indicated the wood beneath could be worth the reveal. After a lot of stripping and sanding, they didn’t lie—just look at that gorgeous wood grain! To keep the piece fresh, paint was strategically added to various sections, and a coat of dark wax was applied to retain that vintage feel. The original hardware got a serious bath to remove the old paint layers, and the brass that was revealed added just the right amount of bling.

From antique orange to beautiful raw wood

Wood can be so beautiful! Unfortunately, time takes its toll on most finishes, bringing out those orangey tones. To keep the wood natural but light, this piece was fully stripped of its original stain and varnish. Lots of sanding and patience were required, but the lighter color made such a difference in bringing this true antique into a new era while still retaining its beauty.

FULLY RESURFACED