MID-CENTURY, DANISH MODERN, & RETRO FURNITURE

Every now and then I come across a fun mid-century piece

of furniture that needs a rescue.

This time it was a 4 drawer chest, the exterior teak

veneer was very weathered, stained, and dried out.

I removed the drawers and sprayed the cabinet

with a flat white enamel to block the stains.

I then sprayed the exterior with a creamy white

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

I finished it up by dark waxing the drawers and clear

waxed the body to get that soft velvety feel I adore so much.

There is something regal about mid-century furniture

with its simple shapes, clean lines, and unique designs.

Another familiar look of these pieces are the tapered

and angular legs they have.

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2013/02/paint-bleeding-midcentury-table.html

 Like this sweeping long dresser pictured below

many of the pieces have handles built into the design.

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2011/08/what-is-mdf-midcentury-tv-console.html

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2012/08/just-quicky-spanish-console.html

I like the combination of a beautiful bone white paired

with the walnut finish on mid-century pieces.

It easily enhances the original

design, shape, and beauty of the furniture. 

***********************************

Here are some unique hardware pieces available at

FIRSTFINDS HARDWARE STORE

 

 

 

 

 

SMALL SPACE DECORATING - round three

 Round is smoother in a small space.
 Round dining tables, round ottomans, round coffee tables, and round stools all make life smoother in
 a small space. Think about every piece of furniture that sits out in the middle of a room and is
 walked around. When these pieces are round or oval they make for better pathways through your space.

 

 Move things along.
 When something new comes into your home something old should leave. I know sometimes this is a
 hard rule to follow however if you think it through most times you can do it. If you buy a new set of
 sheets you can come up with an old set ready to be used as rags or sent off to the thrift store. If you
 fell in love with a new tea pot, has a friend expressed interest in your old one so you can pass it on to
 them. I know we love having beautiful things, but I have learned I would rather pass these things
 along after enjoying them for a short time rather then being overwhelmed by them.



http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2013/06/shabby-chic-office-furniture.html



 Be creative with storage.

 I'm always looking for that space in our home that is not being used to it's full potential. Think about
 this around your home, stop and take a look around I know there is one area you have been voiding.
 That is exactly how I came up with my storage solution for the printers. They were already sitting in
 the room where I wanted them but I had to imagined what I would need that big to hide them inside.
 Think outside of the box or in this case think how big the box needs to be and see if you have that 
unconventional item just waiting to be used.


http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2012/12/how-to-hide-hideous-printer.html

 

 

 

GRAPHIC TRANSFER STORAGE BENCH - dog biscuit ephemera bench

I finished painting a storage bench white and decided to add a graphic to it.

This bench could be used in an entry, in a kids room, or at the foot of a bed, therefore the graphic

had to work in all these locations. I spend hours searching for the one that would work and

I stopped when I found this Vintage Clip Art – French Dog Biscuit Ephemera at The Graphics Fairy.

I edited this graphic into 6 pages to fit over the front of the box.

I did it manually on a program I have but you can try this

online program http://www.greatis.com/utilities/posterit/

Picking the right image or font is always a challenge and can take hours or even days but getting it

right makes the piece come alive. So stick with it and keep looking.

 BEFORE & AFTER

******************************** 

Stop in to see the shabby chic hardware available
at Firstfinds Etsy Shop

  

INSTALLING DRAWER HANDLES without measuring

Sometimes even measuring you can get it wrong. Let me share how I install most of my handles on furniture.

READ MORE >>

SMALL SPACE DECORATING TIPS - round two

Purchase décor items that fit your space.
These days there is always a smaller option. Years ago I purchased a wonderful (full size) vintage
globe for George, but it ended up being too big for our little space. Everywhere it was displayed it got
bumped or got in the way of something else. We let go of the large one and I found this smaller
version at HomeSense, and it works perfect for our space.

Keep in mind how tall your ceilings are.
When buying light fixtures consider how tall the fixture is compared to your ceilings height and where you want to place them in your room. If hanging over a piece of furniture you have some extra
room like our bedside chandeliers below. But be aware when you are dressing or towel drying your 
hair after a shower you can easily hit a low chandelier with your hand or arm.

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2012/07/porcelian-roses-and-chandeliers-bedside.html

Be aware of the depth of furniture.
When considering measurements for a new piece of furniture the depth is just as important in a small
 space as the height and width.

 

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2012/06/not-just-any-word-will-do-how-to.html

Make sure your chairs push in.
Whether it is a desk chair, bar stool, or dining chair make sure they fit under their respective furniture
 to keep walk ways clear when your not using them.

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2012/05/what-is-doernbecher-pre-wwii-desk.html

 

DECO DESK AND FIRSTFINDS SWITCH PLATES

I am not a real fan of art decor style furniture.

But I do have to admit it is all made with nice solid wood which is great to work with. When

I started working on this DIY paint project

I never dreamt it would turn out as good as

it did.

READ MORE >>

SMALL SPACE DECORATING TIPS - round one

Understand the pros & cons of high back chairs.
If your living room chair has a tall back it can help define your space were as a high back dining chair or bar stool will make a room feel closed in because sight lines are being blocked.

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2013/08/i-live-in-single-wide-trailer.html

 Pick furniture with legs, the longer the better.
That open space under furniture makes your room feel bigger and you can easily push that extra pair of shoes out of the way.

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2012/07/george-has-new-skill-candle-making-and.html

Mirrors are great to make spaces seem bigger.

Vintage mirrors can be found just about everywhere. Home décor stores also have great decorative options. Buy what you love and the bigger the better.

 

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2012/09/sun-fun-and-burlap.html

 

Opt for a headboard only.
You will always have more space in your bedroom with a small footboard or no footboard attached to your bedframe. The foot of the bed is also a great place to stand and fold laundry.

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/2012/09/my-decorating-project-bedroom.html

PRETTY SHABBY CHIC SOFA TABLE - annie sloan console

I just wanted to share a

little project I finished up ...

READ MORE >>

VINTAGE KEYS - disquising a thermostat

 

 

 

 

Do you see my thermostat? Would you if I had not mentioned it? I disguised it by working it into the

 wall art. I used similar shapes to help your eye pass right by the utility. You can also put a fancy

frame around the thermostat to help incorporate it but hanging things to close and right over top of it

 can cause it not to read the room's temperature right. I know cause I did it before.

 

 

I used fancy little frames I picked up at yard sales and second hand stores. They have no glass

 and I painted them white. I cut heavy brown cardboard to fit inside the frames, and hot glued the

keys to the cardboard.

 

 

I usually have some painted frames listed for sale if you are local and wanting to do this yourself.

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/p/mirror-for-sale.html

 

I LIVE IN A SINGLE WIDE TRAILER

I have been redoing some

spaces, updating décor,

and just taking some time

for myself.

READ MORE >>

FURNITURE MAKE OVERS - behind the scenes

All these photos are in progress shoots from my Furniture Makeover Weekend.

 

 

The idea for a furniture makeover weekend started 8 months earlier. I believe it also started much

smaller but since we would have to travel to the location I suppose the coordinators figured to get the

 most out of it while we were there. Lots of projects can be finished in a day but the idea was for

everyone to learn from all the different projects though out the weekend not just their own.

 

I've taught class before and I've managed 20 staff but you just never know what you are in for the

 first time you do anything big. As the chosen weekend got closer I found myself pretty calm,

and eager to take on the challenge. I got to go shopping for supplies in the last week and get

 everything packed. I still didn't know what every project was so I had to pack in anticipation.

Once upon a time I was a Girl Guide so I am always prepared.

 

We arrived early Saturday morning and met the ladies from LNT group. There wasn't much time to

met and greet, we had to find a sink to set up the paint mixing and figure out the area to spray

outdoors. My tool boxes would also have to found their way to the second floor where we were setting up. Long industrial tables circled the room in preparation for all the students to work on.

 

Before I knew it students were arriving and projects were appearing on the tables.

THE CONSULTATION ... 18 of them!

I had to talk with each person to find out what they wanted out of their furniture piece.

Repairs, additions, color, and finish, some projects evolved right there in the 2 hours, but I had to move along to get everyone focused and working.

 

I recall asking a group of ladies at the sink "what time is it" the response was "10 to 12

almost lunch". My reaction "is that it" made them laugh. Well at least it was lunch time!

I was in the Twilight Zone, time meant nothing to me as I ran from here to there seeing each

anxious smile wanting my attention. I would get half way through a leg install and be off again

down stairs to mix paint, which was on my way to saw the lumber I needed to finish the leg install.

 

 

By early afternoon on day two I started to notice things slowing down and coming to a finish, I could stop and talk with a student for a few minutes, I could pick up a rag and help them buff their finish, we were standing pieces up and admiring them as they were done. That was the goal and we did it!