A sideboard and a dresser

I had one of my first commissioned projects this past week- So much fun. In October I picked up two mid 19th century dressers/or possibly sideboards- as their top drawers were lined with early velvet. Both needed a lot of work, but were simply beautiful, and impossible to pass up. A customer who had purchased an item previously contacted me to turn one of the dressers into a sideboard for her dining room (to match the dining set she had bought from me). I got right to work. I'd been itching to start work on the dressers ever since I bought them, and it was great to know I had buyer from the start. I painted the dresser Martha Stewart's Onyx and sanded and stained and sealed the top. I also did a dresser for the customer in the same style (I didn't take a before picture of the dresser, sorry). So here are the before and afters of the project!

As you can see- I was missing hardware- but had actually saved a great set from another dresser whose drawers were not salvageable.

I had just started sanding the top- which sanded really easily. The great paneling continues all the way around on both dressers from the set I bought. That's why I'm going to turn the other one into a kitchen Island.

The scrolled top and apron make the piece structurally appealing. It just needed a face lift.

Tada! 

And here's the vintage maple dresser that got the same treatment.

Very sleek and sexy!

My favorite coffee table yet

I enjoy working on coffee tables as a rule. They're pretty straight forward, quick to work on, and generally turn out better than expected. When I picked this little Queen Anne style table up a couple weekends ago, it was pretty plain, but Pennsylvania House, and nice and solid. I sanded down the top, and decided to use a redder toned stain that my normal dark wood tops, to bring out the natural color of the top. Wow did that make a difference! The top of the table has the most beautiful warm color now- it reminds me of a sunset. So rich and elegant. In order to really let the top stand out, and make the table a bit more modern, I painted the legs black with Martha Stewart's onyx semi-gloss. The table turned out so pretty, it makes me smile every time I look at it. Here's the before and after pics. This table is also for sale on craigslist here.

The dining room table project

Remember that round oak table I showed you a while back, that my husband wanted to keep because he liked it so well? That was before I refinished it, and let me tell you- the post refinished table is nothing short of STUNNING. I set it up yesterday in our dining room to take some shots of it, and yea, I almost left it set up, it looked so handsome. Let me tell you one thing though, painting windsor chairs has to be one of the most tedious jobs in the history of mankind. I think it took me almost two weeks to put four coats of white paint on the chairs. The result it worth it though! This table is currently up for sale at this craigslist posting if you live in the area, and love it as much as I do!

Recent Projects

I've been a bit slowed by the shortened days and colder weather lately. I much much prefer to do my restoration work outside in the sun. I can see the finishes better, there is more room to move around a piece, and I don't end up powdering my basement with sawdust. Sadly, by the time I got home from work now it's totally dark. I've been forced to complete projects in my 'workshop' (half of the basement) and that greatly hinders my motivation. Despite this, I've completed a few projects to share with you. Do you remember the plate hutch and pair of side chairs I posted a few weeks ago? Well, I painted them my favorite soft bone white and here is the result! Very fresh and pretty! If I don't sell them on CL I may work them into my spring decor. They look so crisp and bright. Also- here is a drop leaf oak butcher block table that had been woefully neglected. With paint, and the usually treatment to the surface, we now have a fabulous little kitchen table. Add four refurbished vintage pine chairs and voila" eat-in kitchen set perfect for any chic cottage home
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These, and the table came out of a basement in Putnam. They were structurally sound but ugly and dirty. high gloss black paint was just the ticket.

The table had been in a wet basement. Luckily, it dried out fine, and I knew it would turn out great. I sanded down the top, stain and poly...

And the result. A cute as a button dining set, perfect for an eat-in kitchen!

So I got these adorable chairs from a tagsale in Colchester. I really liked the black chippy paint, but I knew they would look even better with some fresh white paint.

I've had this piece for a while- got it at a tagsale, and used it for a little while. It needed freshening up.

I painted both Benjamin Moore's Cascada White, which is a soft dove gray. 

I have about ten other projects that I'm just putting the finishing touches on now- so I should be able to show you a bunch more before and afters by the end of the week!

Our Christmas Tree

Well, one of two actually, the other is in the jazz lounge and I haven't finished decorating it yet. Here is the main tree though. I put it in the kitchen since knocking down the kitchen wall made the space so large. It allows me to go a little hog wild when it comes to size. As usual, the tree was too big and I had to cut it down a bit. The ornaments are handout snowflakes made from discarded antique sheet music, modern silver glass balls, and antique blue green glass balls (that I got at a tag sale two weekends ago). Green and white lights. I finished and realized there was no star, so I whipped one together with a glue gun and more antique sheet music. The skirt is just a swath of left over upholstery fabric.
All in all- yea, I'm pretty proud of it! The second tree is going to be much more colorful- colored lights and lots of vintage brightly colored glass ornaments. I'll post pics when I'm done.
Enjoy!

all lit up and glowing!

a close up of the star and some snowflakes.

and the cats have made it their personal mission to knock every single ornament off the tree.

I think it's my favorite Christmas tree ever :)