Happy Holidays!! & some Furniture Pics!

Where have I been? It has been a while, since my last post. I need to do better. I do not understand the Cassie's and Miss Mustard Seed's of the world, they give a daily update, and I am so glad they do! I feel weird when a blog I follow goes untouched for 24 hours. Do you always tend to go back and check and check. Anyway I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! I have a couple of finished pics of some furniture I have been working on. Enjoy!

This dresser came with a matching chest of drawers. The chest is going to need some work so I decided to g ahead with this piece. I used the Paris Gray chalk paint and glazed with a satin black. It was finished with a gloss poly. This one actually found a new home last night!

This was a nice piece of furniture! This was the dresser that matched the white set I did previously for my niece. The color had a very beachy coastal look to it. I staind the top Danish oil and used new hardware. It sold in a matter of hours after being posted!

Last but not least was a set of end tables. I had a little bit of this bright blue left so I took a chance! So far no one has wanted these! I toned them down with a black glaze. They may be getting repainted this weekend! I had some interest when I first listed them but nothing lately.

Everyone have a Happy New Year! Be safe out there!

-Nick



Lindsey's Dresser Set

I purchased this set off Craigslist for a steal!! Folks were moving out of the country and had to get rid of it. All drawers worked and had no funny smells! I hated to paint but had decided we were not going to keep it so it had to go. My niece was wanting/needing a new dresser so this would work perfect! The set also came with a matching dresser/ mirror combo. That would not fit her space so it was saved as an upcoming prject. Here is what we started with:

This chair and side table had tons of details and was part of the original set. Here is the before of the chest of drawers:

She did not want to keep the flowers so they were sanded and primed over. I used Rustoleum spray primer in white over the entire piece. I painted the original hardware with the oil rubbed bronze spray. The paint was a white Behr mistint from Home Depot. Here is the chest finished:

I sanded to highlight all the great details! The piece was finished with two coats of wax. I added the glass knobs on the top drawer and to the  side table for some flare!

Here is the completed set! She loves it! I am currently working on a mirror to hang above the chest!

Everyone have a great week! Finally some before pics!!

-Nick







Furniture Updates & a makeover!

I hope everyone is doing well!! I had a good week last week and was able to sell all my existing pieces that were still available. Thanks Craigslist! I did some calling around here in Raleigh and I was surprised to learn at how much little specialty stores charge to cosign piece's. Most here wanted a percentage of the sale and then a 50/50 split. I guess that is the norm but once all that jazz happens there is not a lot of meat left on the bone! I guess I will stick to the internet sales for now!

On to the newest makeover!

Again there is no before! I suck! Think this but with worn out stain, white over spray and really bad hardware. All was there and in great working order. All drawers open/close easily. I painted this one with a Martha Stewart Metallic paint from Home Depot. It was in the mistint section for $1. I sprayed it and let it cure for a couple of days. Once it was ready I decided to try the Valspar antiquing glaze. I used it straight out of the bottle. It added a little hint of depth and age to the dresser. It looks 100 times better in person.

She still sits on her original casters. The legs have a lot of detail. Antropologie had these knobs on sale this week so I jumped on them. I think they add some class and a great look to the dresser! I think $12 marked down to $2.95 is a good deal! Here is a close up shot of some of the details:

I coated the entire piece with wipe on poly. Let me know what you think! This is the first non-distressed piece in a while. I will let it happen naturally. Have a good rest of your week and a great weekend!

-Nick

Furniture Updates

I have been really slack lately taking before pictures. I need to remember to take a before, a during, and a finished product picture. Most of these pics are unstaged photos. It does give you an idea though of what I have been working on. I have been answering a couple fellow bloggers questions about what type of paint, glaze, etc I use. Please email with any other questions. Most of your furniture is better than mine but I will be glad to help in any way. So on to the pics! Everyone loves pics!. Picture these piece's with your typical old worn out stain. This buffet was done and sold within a couple of days but I had to end up taking it off the market because a certain sister in law claimed it as her's. It is now proudly sitting in her new home!

 

This is my latest piece. It was finished over a week ago. The outside is painted with paris gray chalk paint and the drawers are painted with old white. I apologize to a fellow blogger in advance because it looks identical to her's. I cannot remember the actual blogger's name but I saw it over at Primitive & Proper's POWW party last week. I showed it to my wife and said at some point people use the same piece, the same paint, the same finish etc. I like it and hope someone else falls in love with it!

 

This piece is still available! If you are in the Raleigh NC area and are interested please email me!

 

Thanks,

Nick

Painted Buffet

I picked this antique buffet up at auction a while back. I always have these with the mirrored back. It has great lines and details. I had to look past the awful hardware and puke green paint. Here is the before:

Try and look away from all the my junk and find the buffet. The garage is my area. I actually cleaned up a little this week. As you can see my 77 Bronco gets parking priority in our garage!

After sanding I decided to go with a classic look. I painted it a satin white and let some of the before green peek through. I lightly distressed this piece and then waxed. I replaced and added all new hardware. All from hobby lobby. I painted the inside of the middle compartment a mint green. I have started waxing all the drawers and slides and have found out it helps alot. Smooth opening! Here is the after. So far no luck selling, but hopefully she will find a new home soon!

TGIF!! Have a  safe and happy weekend!

-Nick



Thrift Store Find

I was cruising through one of the local thrift stores here in Raleigh and come across this piece. Once I got past the hideous colors I saw a solid wood, good bones, inside already painted piece. The inside already painted was a big deal for me for some reason! I did a light sand and went to town with my Old White chalk paint. It covered really well. Here is the before:

Sorry about the pic, not sure what happened. It had a terrible late 70's paint job but it was easy to get rid of. Here it is after two coats and good waxing and distressing later.

I had to paint the inside of the one drawer. I did everything I could to get rid of the potpouri smell. I like the flat black in the drawers. What would you try and sell this for? I am 99% selling everything on craigslist. I paid a little more for this one because the thrift store this one was at rescues dogs and pays for shelters. I am glad to help them out!

Thanks everybody and have a good week!

-Nick





First Try at Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Well finally broke down and bought some chalk paint. I purchased a can of paris gray and a can of old white. The paint is good paint, covers really well, etc. I am goin to give an honest opinion on the paint. The price of the paint is a big negative for me. I can get 5-6 gallons of mistint paint for what 1 quart costs me of this. I have become lazy and really like my sprayer and the finish I get from it. Painting an entire piece with a brush takes forever!!  I am glad  I went ahead and tried it though. Here is my first piece:

Once again no before pics. Painted all hardware oil rubbed bronze. I do like how you can highlight with the chalk paint. Here are a couple more pics:

I gave it 2 thin coats of wax. Wax changed the color a bit for me for the better. The top is stained in dark walnut. Not bad for a piece from Goodwill!!

Overall the chalk paint is good but not cost effective for me. Its cool but I think I am a mistint type of guy :) !

Everyone be safe! East coast earthquakes and hurricanes this week!!

-Nick

Where are the before pics?

I have been horrible lately with taking before pics. This post will be one of the same. I found this dresser on craigslist. It came with a huge mirror which had to weigh 50+ pounds. The piece that holds the mirror broke during transport so I am selling just the dresser. I sanded it down and used a gray spray primer. I then painted it with a Behr mistint white. The top is stained with Minwax dark walnut.

I was able to go into my old hardware pile and pull out the four drawer pulls for the top drawers. Any ideas what my bottom larger knobs are from? I like the larger knob on the botton drawers!

Let me know what you think? Should I have went with the usual boring knob? Go big or go home? Right?

Cheers!

-Nick



Finally some updates!

Finally I have an update! It has been a long time. I have no before pics because I am here at work. Both pieces were your typical run of the mill stuff though. I lightly sanded down both pieces and then primed and painted. The first was a dark cream with red highlights french provincial chest. It was UGLY and had a smell. I sanded and sanded then wiped everything down with Murphy's oil soap. I had to lay down 2 coats of primer. The paint was mistint Behr paint. I painted the hardware in a spray aqua! This one actually had a manufacture date of Sept. 1955!

This chest has found a new home in a little girls room here in Raleigh.

This piece was one I did for my sister. She liked one of the dresser's I had previously done so I recreated it for her. I have had tons of interest in the pieces I have painted this mistint blue/gray color from Home Depot. I am going to have to get them to do a color match. It's Behr premium exterior, which this is about $38 a gallon, is harsh but not as bad as the chalk paint! :) I stainded the top in Minwax Provincial and used a satin polyurethane. The outside was glazed over with classic black stain. She liked the large red pumpkin knobs so we went with it. I really liked how it turned out. Sorry for the dark pic, but its what I have to work with here @ work.

Have a good rest to your week! Thanks

-Nick

                                                                                                                                      

NC is so HOT!!!

It has been a long time since I posted. I am sorry. The heat and humidity here in NC has been unbearable! I have a couple furniture makeovers coming next week. Please keep a look out.

Enjoy your weekend!

-Nick

Estate Sale Chest

Picked up this chest from an estate sale here in Raleigh. I got it on a Sunday which was 50% off day. I think I paid $25 for it. I am thinking it is minimum 75-80 years old. All the drawers have all peg construction. The chest has the original hardware which are wood. I thought they were cool so I kept them. Here it is the day I got it.

I sanded it down and painted it with my favorite blue gray Behr paint. I used classic black stain to glaze this piece. The black got in all the grooves and highlighted all the details. I really like how it turned out. Has not been online a full day and I have gotten numerous emails to purchase it !! :)

Happy July 4th everyone!!

-Nick





Frenchy White Dresser

Another Craigslist score! Its your typical French Provincial dresser. It has solid wood drawers but a laminate top. I was a little disappointed, but everything was in good working order. I picked this up for $25. It does have all the original goldish hardware which was quickly sanded, primed, and painted. Here is the before:

I did a quick once over with my orbital sander and 220 grit sandpaper and then a wipe down. I used a white spray primer and let it set overnight. I sprayed the dresser in Behr ultra premium white. I can get the actual color for you. This is great paint...great. I will try the chalk paint soon but it is so expensive!! Here is the finished piece:

A closeup of the drawers and hardware:

Sorry for the bad pics, but you get the idea. Thanks to ally my readers, have a great rest of your week.
                                                                            -Nick

Distressed Blue Buffet Chest

This was a craigslist find. Its in really good shape just was super ugly! I like when there is no repair work. I used my favorite Rustoleum spray primer. It really is so much easier and really convenient. The home depot here in NC has lowered the price to $2.98 a can. I can get one dark big piece or a couple smaller pieces per can. Here is what I started :

After primer I sprayed the chest with a semigloss Behr blue/gray mistint. I like the coverage and hardness I get out of the Behr paint. It was exterior paint so that may have helped. The original hardware was cool but one was broken so I decided to go another route. I save all my old hardware, you never know when you could use it. Here is my finished piece:

Not really staged but at least its out of the garage! :) I decided to distress this piece then went over the entire chest with black stain. I used large red pumpkin knobs from hobby lobby. I think they add character. The black stain really gives the details a good pop! I am really happy how it all came together.
Here is a side pic showing some detail.

Let me know what your think! All comments are appreciated! I hope everyone is having a great week!

-Nick







Free Dresser

I picked this 1950's waterfall dresser off Craigslist free section last week. It was functionally sound and in pretty good condition. I had to repair some veneer. I used a combo of wood filler and spackle. Here is a bad before picture :

After some prep I gave it a light sand. I have become a big fan of the rustoleum painter's touch spray primer. It covers really well and is fast. I used my Graco sprayer and sprayed the dresser with Sherwin Williams "greek villa". I let the paint cure a couple of days and then sprayed it with satin polycrylic. I used the original hardware. My wife and I thought it was funky enough to be used again! Sorry, no staging for this one yet!

Let me know, what do you think? What would something like this sell for in your neck of the woods?

Happy Memorial Day! Thank you everyone who serves and has served for our country!





Dresser Make Over - Maybe?

Dresser redo! I purchased this dresser at auction. It is solid pine. It had this sad green paint and was missing a couple of knobs but was structurally sound.
                                             

I stripped it down to bare wood and sanded and sanded and sanded! I could not decide what exactly I wanted to do so I just winged it! I started with a white wash pickling stain. I did not like it, not what I was thinking. I then went over that stain with a tinted charcoal gray stain. Looks a lot better in person than pics. I added the pink glass knobs for a shabby look.

I am debating whether to prime it and just paint it, what should I do??? Thanks
                                                                

White Buffet

Let me start by saying I have no before pics of this piece. It was possibly the ugliest piece I have ever purchased. It had a mahogany stain with a horrible, I mean horrible done whitewash. The combination of the two equals a light pepto pink color. It took multiple coats of primer to cover this horrid thing. Once primered I painted it with Sherwin Williams Greek Villa. Its one of my favorite whites. I was able to salvage the original hardware which was in good shape. Here is the finished product:

On top of the horrible whitewash each drawer was lined with pink felt! Who would do this? Hot pink felt!! After removing all the glue, felt hair, etc, I had to sand each drawer. They were functional but looked horrible. I got some great oops paint with the primer already in it. I painted the drawers a blue/gray. They turned out great!!

It was a lot of work but I think it turned out great! It quickly found a new home!

-Nick

                                                                         
                                                                   

Antique Chest...No Paint...No Problem

This is another Craigslist find. This dresser came with a mirror and plenty of smells! It was that old funk smell, every picker has smelt it at some point. I actually sanded and spray polyurethaned the drawers to get the smell under control. It had good bones and was easy to work on. I decided I wanted to try something different. I sanded it down and used a tinted stain from Minwax. This is what I started with:

After a couple hours of sanding, staining, wiping away stain, this is where I ended up!

I used satin wipe on Poly to protect the entire piece. The top was stained with Provincial from Minwax. The chest had many great details! I like these crystal knobs from hobby lobby. I have already used them a couple of times. Whatever works right?

The top was awesome !! Very solid!!

What do you think? Tell me what you would have done different? I am eager to learn, Thanks for checking out my blog!

Primitive Table Rescue

I was at an outdoor flea market a while back and come across this table. It was dirty and beat up, but it had good bones. It had been in the elements for a while. It had moss and bugs all over it and plenty of chippy paint. All of it was there, turned legs, corner braces, and it still had the original casters (although they were beyond gone). The lady said it had been there a while and she hated for it to waste away. I offered her $20 and she gladly accepted.

I got it home and cleaned it up a little bit. I wanted to keep the old black paint on the legs so I just wiped them down with Murphy's oil soap and let them be. I sanded the top with 60 grit paper to start to get all the grime off it. I worked my way up to 220 sand paper. The top was beautiful! I liked how the color turned out so I did not stain it. I actually used Howard's Bee's Wax on the top. It gave the top a hard finish with a little sheen which made the grain of the wood pop!

Overlook the one leg, it has since been painted to blend with the black! Very sturdy and useful table. Like a lot of our piece's we used it for a while and then it found a new home!

$1 Estate Sale Dresser

I was at an auction a while back to look at this old primitive store counter. The store counter was the only thing I wanted to bid on. Well things started to happen and before long I had a trailer full! I bought a small, side table, a chair, a dresser, the store counter, and then this dresser. This dresser was all by itself in a corner. The auctioneer started off, no one bid, after about 30 seconds still no bids, he looked over at me and asked if I wanted it for $1? How could I resist?

This dresser was super heavy and very well made! The drawers all worked and were all dovetailed. I patched some veneer and was ready for primer. I primed it with BIN primer and then layed a couple coats of paint. I painted the hardware white just for some contrast. It turned out great! The color was a blue/gray mistint from Lowe's. My $1 investment turned out great!

First Post! Painted Dresser

I purchased this dresser off Craigslist with the intent to just paint it white. I got carried away with my spray gun and one thing led to another. I ended up with something the wife and I really liked.

Someone else liked it more than we did and it sold within 24 hours! Here is a pic of the finished product. I forgot the before shots this time!