Antique Dining Table & Chairs

When it came to my first attempt at a dining set...I jumped in with both feet! I found a great antique dining table (1920's-30's) with three leaves and six chairs at a local thrift store. The clerk couldn't believe that someone would have a audacity to try to paint one of the chairs with brown paint! I had to confess that I was going to paint it...but with a pretty color, and I promised to do a much better job!

This thing really was a triple whammy--paint, refinishing and reupholstery! The wood was beautiful, but it had seen much better days. I wanted to keep the wood table top and I was envisioning a young family sitting around it...banging silverware and sippy cups. I sanded, stained (ebony) and applied polyurethane to give the top a durable finish for those sippy cups.

The chairs were in rough shape, especially the cushions! The leather was scratched, ripped and brittle. And, the cushion was non-existant. Once I began to take the chairs apart, I caught a glimpse of the age of the set...the cushions were made from horse(?) hair! It was pretty gross! I also found a stamp from a railroad line on the bottom of one of the chairs. I couldn't make out the date, but the chairs had traveled from Ohio to Tennessee. I thought it was pretty cool!

I knew as soon as I bought the table and chairs what fabric I wanted to use (amazing upholstery fabric I had picked up on clearance at Ballard Designs about a year prior). I used ASCP (Duck Egg Blue...love love love!) on the chairs, and did the table base with Old White. I used dark wax to tie into the stain color and applied clear wax to finish everything.

Again, this dining table and chairs set is totally up my alley! I love the colors, the quirkiness, the dressy but casual...all of it! Thankfully, I found someone else who loved everything about it and purchased it to go in the dining room of their first home! It was also a special sell for me because it was the first time a total stranger bought one of my creations!

Antique China Cabinet Makeover

I know that I said the dictionary dresser was my most favorite piece...but that happened before the antique china cabinet makeover. The china cabinet was the third piece that I did a chalk paint makeover on. This piece makes me SO happy!

If you were to question my style, take one look at this piece! Sure, I like the simple, shabby-chic, goes-with-just-about-anything look...but I LOVE color! I had to do a red piece, and this china cabinet won.

I found her at a local thrift store, but she was in desperate need of some lovin'. I did a 'big purchase' (at the time) and scored the china cabinet, plus an antique dining table with six chairs all in one swoop. The beautiful carving on the front was broken and falling apart, which made me sad. I thought the carving 'made' the cabinet. But then I had a brilliant idea--take it all off, put a lighter color inside and really let her serve her purpose...to display. As soon as the carving panel was gone, I knew this was going to be good!

Ok, so on to the paint. Some of you are probably looking at me like I'm crazy...and I might be. But, I cannot even tell you how many people have complimented this cabinet! I know the colors are a bold choice, and I also know that the [crazy] perfect buyer will come along! This was also an experiment with layering multiple colors of paint. I think the cabinet has 4 coats in all--white, yellow and two red. I love how the distressing turned out, and then some dark wax really gives it such a rich red color! (*I used ASCP's Emperor's Silk. The paint straight out of the can is ok...but dark wax on this color is an absolute must for me...every time!)

If I had my own house, this china cabinet would be a centerpiece! The best part is she's small--she can be a china cabinet, but she could also live in your living room, family room or hallway. It would perfectly hold books, travel souvenirs, trinkets, or your favorite vintage finds.

Height: 64 inches

Width: 39.5 inches

Depth: 13.5 inches

[She's a pretty little size!]

Price: SALE! $315 (orig. $349)--SOLD!

Antique Dictionary Dresser

Out of all of the furniture that I've painted, this next pieces is my absolute favorite!

A beautiful, antique, North Carolina-made dresser!

The dresser was my very first piece of furniture that I painted (besides that Mexican dresser in 9th grade!), and my first time using AS chalk paint. I used Old White, dark wax and clear wax. I learned a few lessons on my first ASCP expedition, which I'll share with you in another post.

 See that wimpy hardware!

I chose new hardware for the dresser because the original hardware was wimpy! The knobs didn't make a statement, and they were very small for the big, deep drawers. {*Getting new hardware can be a very inexpensive way to give a facelift to a piece of furniture!}There was also a small raised circle on the middle drawer, and I decided to add a wood ornament...which I LOVE!

After the dresser was finished, I thought it needed alittle something something done to the insides of the drawers. I put some polka-dot shelf paper in the drawers, but wasn't happy with the result. Then I decided to use the pages of an old dictionary (my dad's from college, I think?) to line the drawers. I brushed the drawers with Mod-Podge to glue the pages down, and then put three coats of Mod-Podge over everything to seal it well. This little surprise adds so much to an already beautiful dresser!

Length: 4 feet

Depth: 23 inches

Height: 35 inches

Price: $369

Antique Farm House Hutch Makeover

Once upon a time, there was a very sad looking hutch. She was dark, full of holes and hooks and just plain ugly. She was old and needed a new life. This is the only 'before picture' that I have of her. This was after I took out all the hooks (along fronts of shelves) and filled the holes. I felt like German beer steins, or breakable figurines, once covered these shelves. Gross!

I worked and filled and sanded and painted and stained and waxed...for days...but now this old lady has a brand spankin' new life! She looks pretty awesome for her age!

Shabby-chic, French-country, rustic, farmhouse...whatever you want to call it.

A new bead-board back was added. The top surface of the cabinet, as well as the inside of the cabinet, were refinished. I used Annie Sloan's Chateau Gray...but it actually looks more like a light sage green. I lightly distressed the piece and then used both dark and clear wax. I also chose to keep the original hardware.

At first, I felt like the hutch was 'too country', but it has grown on me! It is truly a show stopper-- a solid wood, great antique piece! If your space couldn't handle the whole hutch, you can take the shelf off and the bottom half would make an amazing sideboard, sofa table, or be a great addition to your entryway. 

This was my first attempt at a BIG piece. It was alot of work, but I think it was worth it! 

What do you think?

Measurements: 

Width- 4 feet

Depth- 18 inches

Height- 6 feet

Price: SOLD!