Before and After: Upholstered Chair

One of my favorite things is to revive objects that are in disrepair or outdated. I found this little lady at an estate sale a while back and was really taken with the lines. There were some structural issues that needed to be addressed as well as a complete overhaul of upholstery. This was my first venture in removing literally everything* except for the wood and starting from scratch. Friends, there was hay and horsehair in there--which is absolutely horrifying. The horsehair would indicate age, as well as the fact that the original color of the upholstery was navy blue, but because of the structural issues I felt like I shouldn't be precious with it, (and like I should wear a particle mask whilst deconstructing.) I wanted to make it work for everyday use and call it a day. So that is what happened.  Are there some imperfections and issues? Of course, I am no upholstery aficionado (aficionada?), but it is significantly improved functionally, and I think aesthetically, and it was great practice for next time. Here she is from the back. I'm usually not a floral or paisley girl, but that is what she** was asking for, so I had to concede.

*I didn't realize that upholstery supply stores around town don't just sell edge roll. Thankfully, a super nice upholstery shop owner gave me a yard of it so I could actually finish the job. One of these days I'm going to have them do a sofa for me.
**Yes, I'm still talking about the chair.

Progress thy name is moulding.

Have you ever talked to someone about what you are doing with your life, and just knew they were judging and pitying you and your choices? This happened to me twice today. It reminded me of when I would tell people that I was a film major, and then they'd inevitably ask, "what are you going to do with a degree in film?" And I'd respond full of vinegar and bitterness, "A whole lot more than you'd do with it!" (That is absolutely what I was thinking every time, but I don't think I ever actually said it. Although with my lack of niceness and tact, I'm kind of surprised I never did.) (Also, I'm pretty sure I was the only person who ever read the NYT article on media literacy and film majors. Certainly all of the people who haven't hired me haven't read it. Perhaps I should put it on the back of my résumé?)

The two conversations today were each with super nice acquaintances, playing a game of catch-up, who I think were just doubting what I am doing with my life - not unlike myself. But because I'm needy and require validation, I will share here what I have been up to for the past couple of days.  (And for my dear friends who claim I don't share enough of my projects on here, here you go: proof that I am productive.)

A few weeks ago, Shara and Adam helped me cut up a ton of MDF (4 sheets actually) with my dad's table saw - we took a few sheets of 1/8th inch MDF and cut strip after strip to a few different widths. How many strips? LOTS! Then using a router, I made some more baseboards. I spent about 9 hours hanging the mouldings, (my nail gun and I went through about 1,000 finish nails. um. wow.) and then another day and a half priming and painting.

It all needs another coat of paint, and then a potentially-super-awesome-and-colorful treatment for the wall above the moulding.  And I need to paint out the window frames and doors also, but progress has been made. While I may not know what I'm doing with my life, I do know what I'm doing with the next couple of days.

Before & After: shutters

We happen to have a small truckload of shutters in our attic, just waiting to be utilized, to replace the beige and grey metal mini-blinds that came with the house -- EEK! The problem is, these shutters are a little past their prime, and not the right sizes. With a little creativity, a table saw, biscuits, glue, a clamp and some paint and primer, one of our windows is transformed from grey non-functioning metal to charming painted shutters.

Before: the shutters were a little loose, very dirty and aged.

After: they have a new lease on life, and a whole new sense of purpose and functionality.  And thanks to the hinge I attached, it opens up all the way, letting light stream in.

One project 100% complete - now to finish up the rest of them.

As requested: the bathroom mini-reno in detail:

I got so many emails telling me how much you approved of the new bathroom. Thank you so much for your validation! You guys are too good to me. Here, for your inquiring minds are some detail shots of my handiwork. As you all know, I am no photographer, (especially since I irreversibly messed with my point and shoot - oops)

What you've seen:


The mirror I made:


It's so so so simple to make frames. I saw a similar mirror at a few stores for lots and lots of dollars, mine cost about 10 dollars to make. That includes a $5 garage sale mirror, $4 of reclaimed wood, some left over MDF from my coffee table project last year, some screws and about $2 of reclaimed wood for a french cleat to hang it.

The light someone threw away. haha. Not really, they donated it.


The faucet I am in LOVE with:




The marbleized porcelain tiles I found at the Habitat store. It's the look of marble with a fraction of the carbon foot print! Who doesn't love that?


I love cup pulls.


My mother loves tropical, beachy settings. She was born in Key West, and the fact that we spent most of our summers in Hawaii when I was a kid, I understand where the draw comes from. She also leans toward the traditional as far as design aesthetics go. So I tried to cater to both of those things, and go for a coastal/colonial look, and use our collections of sands and shells from our travels.


And then I made these ridiculous little prints on left over raw silk from Brittney's art project, to continue the theme.

Well Ali, since you asked...

What I used my polyurethane for recently were these little projects:

1. We used this lazy susan (which matched our very old kitchen table) like 15 years ago for reals, but since it got a little ruined, and then didn't match the dining room table, we now use it for games. The perfect little project to teach my friend Birgitte the basics of wood refinishing!

Before: Ugly, scorched oak...


After: A little bit better...


It still doesn't match the dining room table, so we'll still probably use our marble lazy susan for family dinners, but as far as giving a new life to a still functioning piece of practicality, why not?

2. I used my poly on my bathroom vanity. Our guest bathroom has been the home of some SERIOUS UGLY for a long time. It's now only that I'm old and my mom has seen my handiwork on lots of pieces that she trusted me to remedy the main offenders in our guest bath.

Before: 80s oak monstrosity...


After: a little bit better...


To be fair, I did more than just refinish the vanity. I retiled, built a mirror, replaced the sink, faucet, light fixure, and electrical switches, and painted and wallpapered. I used all salvaged wood, bought the tiles from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, got the sink and light at the ReBuilding Center on Mississippi, and got the mirror itself at a garage sale. In fact, the only store purchases for this were the wallpaper, the faucet and the drawer pulls and knobs. I love how many resources for recycling there are in Portland!

Photographic Evidence for Ali

Ali -
Here's the dresser I bought off of Craigslist and then refinished. I took the mirror and made a frame for it out of reclaimed molding. Who doesn't love recycling? And who doesn't love mid-century modern?

BEFORE:


AFTER:



And here's the table that Molly built. I purchased a glass cabinet door from the ReBuilding Center on Mississippi, then added some mdf which I routed out a design in, nailed on a couple pieces of pine on the bottom, and threw on some recycled legs I found at a garage sale.



I'll show you the chair I reupholstered soon. Kisses & misses!

molly.