Restored Bedroom Suite

This post is exciting to me because it one that I have greatly anticipated. Most of my other projects have been completed within a week but this furniture make-over has taken a good bit of time. The general labor didn't take any longer than expected but with all the crazy weather in Alabama recently, I was constantly dragging these very heavy pieces to and from the garage. One of my mom's best friends had this antique dresser/mirror and bed in her basement and asked me if I would want to fix it up to sell. I had so many ideas and I was so excited to finally get to put them to use. While the furniture had a very pretty structure and elegant engraved detail, it was definitely in need of some work. 

The top had a laminate coating on parts of it so first off, that had to go.

The legs were part laminate as well so I removed it all.

I had never used an electric sander, and while it was much faster than a sanding block, the thing was quite powerful. After I got used to it, I decided it was definitely a tool that I would be using from now on.

I decided to skip the pictures of the primer stage because primer just isn't all that pretty or interesting. I chose the base color to be a creamy white called "Woodlawn Lace" and then I added a brown glaze to accentuate the ornate detail. I used the electric sander again to distress the edges and then sealed the furniture with a polyurethane coating.

For the drawers, I wanted to add a stripe that was still in the neutral family but would create a soft contrast against the base color. I chose a shade called "Toasted Almond" which is a grayish/beige color. I felt that the stripes were defined, yet subtle. 

The little key hole adds such elegant charisma.

I really liked the original hardware because it shows the age of the furniture.

I just love how the combination of the glaze with the distressing brings out these details.

As much as I loved working on these pieces, I have to say the staging of the furniture was just as rewarding. What a fun job that would be!

Of course, Presleigh had to be part of the project too. She thought it would be a good selling factor.

Once everything was complete, I could really stand back and admire the bedroom suite. If only the bed were queen size, my current bedroom furniture would be for sale and this would be mine. My favorite part of the make-over would definitely be the dresser. I am in love with striped furniture and the simple colors are just my style. Now I'm on the lookout for a piece in my house that would be a good candidate for the same sort of striping action. 

Linking up at Wow Us Wednesdays, Furniture Feature Fridays

Kitchen Make-over: Buffet and Hutch

A couple of years ago the kitchen got some major updates such as new stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops. We also traded the horrible white vinyl flooring for large, neutral-colored ceramic tiles. All of these improvements changed the look of the room drastically, but they didn't help the decorating. The kitchen decor consisted of wrought iron wall art, beaded fruit, and other other knick-knacks in outdated colors. I completely cleared out every detail of decoration so that I could start from scratch. 

We already had an antique espresso colored hutch, but above it was a huge empty wall. I decided that the buffet needed some sort of hutch. I finally found what I was looking for a furniture consignment store. It was of a white/gray shabby chic variety and really didn't match the buffet. I planned to paint the hutch and the buffet so that they would match, and I probably will do that eventually. But when we got the hutch home and set it on top of the buffet, I actually liked the contrast and decided it could stay like it is for a while until I figure out the right color. 

I filled the shelves with white china and other white dishes/items to create a clean, chic look. Right now the walls are a mustard color, but they are about to be painted a color I call "paprika". Since the walls are going to be a bold color, I wanted to keep everything else colorless and I just love the look of a white dish assortment. I added a few other pieces of decor including a chalkboard that I made, a basket of green apples, and some gray stone pots. The flowers and bunnies set out to capture the essence of Spring. Lastly, I added storage baskets under the buffet via Pottery Barn inspiration. These currently house tons and tons of dog toys. Overall, I really like the look of this wall, but I'm sure I will make some more changes as time goes on.