Precious Pairs

I worked on this adorable little pair several months back but didn't have a chance to show them off then, what with other bigger pieces getting the spotlight. But these are just too cute to pass over.

They were originally a tired and dilapidated couple of wobbly end tables. My husband did the clever work of sturdying them up, and I took a few days to cover the evidence. The top of one of the tables was in obscene shape with waving, warped veneer. That took some intense mudding and sanding.

But it was completely worth it. Pieces like this are worth the little extra love needed to give them a new life.

I did a soft white base with a dark espresso glaze. And some distressing to highlight those cute curves and turns even more. 

Here they are in their cute new home! And I made a lovely new friend in the process of working on these. 

Thanks for stopping by!

"Samantha"

This is an adorable antique vanity upcycled in a marshmallow white with seafoam accents and moderate distressing. It has a light coat of burnt umber glaze to age it back a bit--not that it needed any help on the aging front.

It's an ancient piece with the original wooden castors. That's old. It was in pretty bad shape with the veneer coming off in strips and the wood layers rippling and bubbling along every seam and corner. So after weeks of mudding, wood filler, and sanding, I got it mostly smoothed out.

I said mostly. Don't look too close...

The drawers stick. But cute paper lining the drawers makes the stickiness inconsequential. Kind of.

To add a little more color, this piece also got the stencil treatment.

Isn't it fun? I have another antique vanity similar to this piece but in better condition if you are interested in having one for your home.

Thanks for stopping by!

Custom navy and gray dresser

 Sometimes I win on Craigslist. I see a great piece for a great price, email the seller, and sometime later that day end up with my station wagon crammed with more furniture. And that makes me happy.

Sometimes I lose. I see a great piece and email the seller and am told, "Sorry! That piece just got sold."

That's what happened when I saw this dresser listed. I emailed. "It's sold." Sadness.

Except the buyer happened to be a client of mine looking for the same dresser I was trying to find for her. Happiness again. And I didn't even have to pick it up.


My client chose the navy blue with gray accents to accent her little boy's room makeover. I am absolutely in love with how this color scheme modernized and masculanized (is that a word?) an otherwise soft and antique-style piece. I can claim no creativity or design smarts in electing this color scheme.  Also, I'd never worked with navy before, and it's a pretty tricky color to get just right, especially when attempting to match it to fabrics. But I think it turned out just peachy=)

The before pictures lost out to cuter ones of Hurricane Hazel (yes, I need a bigger camera card). Just try to image a tired wood dresser with lots of pockmarks and double-hung hardware.

The double holes were finished out with wood filler and the hardware was replaced with child-friendly wooden knobs. As an added bonus, the vintage dresser also came with a vintage smokers-smell residue. I experimented with a vinegar rinse and plenty of sprinkled baking soda. It didn't banish the smell entirely but it did help.


Look at those legs!

Such a fun transformation and an amazing client to work with. Now I need to make myself one just like this to keep...