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...

Introducing Chairs by Hazelnuts

It's an impressive-sounding title for a rather mundane reveal. But I do love how this pair of chairs turned out. The blue is tempered so perfectly with a pretty heavy glaze, and the black and white print makes it pop so nicely.

And I just adore all the detail in the woodworking that lend such an antique chic flair.

I have a couple of these chairs left if you would be interested in doing a custom color and glaze!

Sold!
Thank you for stopping by!

The Process

Upcycling appeals to my rather impatient nature. I have the attention span of a sleepy clam. I wouldn't
stick with a hobby that involved lengthy tasks. Transforming a piece goes from glum to glamorous in a relatively short span of time--and that's why I love it=)

Take these chairs I just finished as an example. Filthy, rickety, and covered with hideous red flower-print fabric. The bones and the soul of the chairs, however, were perfect.

So I stripped (the chairs) and sanded (the chairs and my knuckles). And primed. The cushions were de-covered, revealing a shocking grandmother print on one and a distasteful fake leather on the other.

Peacock blue is back to shine again. And what pairs better with this blue than a dramatic black glaze? Notice the difference the glaze makes when I put a glazed and unglazed model side-by-side.

Then comes recovering the seat cushions. I chose a bold black-and-white to balance all that color and to draw the black glaze out even more. To again highlight how far from professional I am, I had to get the Home Depot guy show me how to load more staples into my old-school staple gun. "They still make those?" he asked.

Talk about drama. From glum to glam in about a week of evenings with Mr. Darcy smoldering from the nearby screen. This transformation left me impatient for more--just as a perfect upcycle should do. Be sure to come back for the Big Reveal tomorrow!

Another peacock blue coffee table--sold!

 I'll admit it. I am growing a tad color-jaded by peacock blue. But then, this is a mercenary blog. And my hobby is a rather mercenary one. I upcycle what sells. And this color sells!

I do love the fleur de lis hardware on this piece (I know that bottom knob is skewed in the picture--it will be fixed shortly!) and the striking black glaze that tones the blue down to jeweled perfection. This table is square with curved legs, a mock drawer in front, and very sturdy, long-lasting construction. It's actually an old table that I bought from Goodwill right after I got married. It's been through plenty of Friday night dinners in front of a movie and late-night popcorn and limeade trysts. But I have a new coffee table now (see my previous post!), so this one received a much--needed facelift and is available to grace a new home with flair!

Vintage Writing Armchair

Thomas Jefferson used one. So did Mark Twain. Probably a few other people as well, since this little piece of history has been in existence since the 18th century (well, not this particular one, of course, or otherwise it would be reflected in the price) The writing armchair is a cousin of the more recognizable schoolchair, but there are subtle and critical differences. Notice that the tablet arm accommodates easy sitting as it does not extend in front of the chair. That is a subtle difference. Notice also that the price--$65--reflects a vintage piece of literary history as opposed to a $10 plastic schoolchair. That is a critical difference, and one that works well in my favor.

I wish I knew more of the assuredly fascinating story behind this whimsical chair. I do know a few facts about it: it was at Goodwill, I bought it, wrenched off the stained and tattered blue mock velvet seat, and did a whole lot of stripping, sanding, priming, painting, distressing, and recovering. The bits and pieces of the story still missing will have to be filled in by the imagination. I imagine it was probably used at one point by Jane Austen as an alternate writing chair. No doubt Jane sat here dreaming up Mr. Darcy in cheerful abandon. So considering its possible history, this price is even more of a steal.

This chair is gleaming with a slightly softened white color scheme and no glazing to keep that fresh, clean look. There's a perfect little compartment under the seat to house your monogrammed stationary for daily correspondences. Beware, left-handed writers--this piece is a little hard to use. Also beware to right-handed writers who would think about using this for anything other than an amazing statement piece--it's a little cramped to write a novel on. Stick it in your entryway and stack some insightful books or a telephone on the arm. Mark Twain probably used a larger version. To keep the vintage from screaming precious vintage, I replaced the cushion and reupholstered the seat in a modern, bold pattern to give this chair a truly vintage chic appeal. Thanks for looking!--$65

Sold! Peacock blue coffee and end table

This is the newest transformation from Hazelnuts. A solid wood, very durable set which had seen better days took to this color and glaze fabulously. I applied the black glaze with a heavier hand this time, resulting in a toned-down blue and increased jewel tones. Time to add a dose of whimsy! Remember to Like Hazelnuts on Facebook for %10 off...

Coffee table transformation!

Sometimes I find a piece that's too old to be fashionable...but too new to be vintage. Such was the case with this chunky, outdated coffee table. It was in great condition for how old it was (probably because it was so ugly that no one could muster up the resolve to use it), so I started scheming how to transform it back to useful...and cute. A cream color lightened up the gravity of the wood. Topped with a dark glaze and careful distressing, this piece really started to shine! I added baskets to double for the cuteness and practicality factors, and recruited the DH to install the antiqued hardware. Fresh flowers and a cup of tea complete the look--as if that will last long with Hurricane Hazel rummaging around. This is my favorite transformation yet!