repurposing old furniture

Unique Sixteen Drawer Cabinet Redesign (PART 2)

My last post here on LMDH showed you my latest project for my workshop, and the designs of the first four drawer fronts. Today I’m showing you four more. I’m using it for my random tools and furniture parts that were scattered all over my workshop. Each drawer is designed differently to not only show my own personality, but to also showcase some different furniture redesign techniques on a teeny tiny scale. Here is the first post in case you’ve not seen it: Unique Sixteen Drawer Cabinet Redesign PART 1.   The BEFORE: To prepare a piece for paint, DH and I first needed to clean, sand and prime: Remove the Colonial looking top part. Cleaned with Krud Kutter and scuff sand. Shore up the drawers so they fit well. Spray prime it with oil-based primer. The piece is rustic, so I didn’t feel like I had to make it … Read more

Unique Sixteen Drawer Cabinet Redesign

A few years ago, my friend’s mom passed away and I was given her little 16 drawer cabinet by her daughter. She had used it for her sauce packets and tea bags. It took me along time to figure out what I wanted to do with it, how to redesign it and for what purpose. The it hit me. I could use it for my random tools and furniture parts that were scattered all over my workshop. Ah ha! So I got busy and designed each drawer differently to not only show my own personality, but to also showcase some different furniture redesign techniques on a teeny tiny scale.   The BEFORE: To prepare a piece for paint, DH and I first needed to clean, sand and prime: Remove the Colonial looking top part. Cleaned with Krud Kutter and scuff sand. Shore up the drawers so they fit well. Spray … Read more

From Gun Cabinet to Display Cabinet – Upcycle, Don’t Toss!

We go to garage and estate sales looking for deals or just something fun for our house, our kids or to flip. I guess you could call us “PICKERS.” I don’t usually have anything in mind. I can look at something and envision something else. DH can’t do it at all. I’ll say, Oooh, wouldn’t that look good in blue with a dark glaze and he’ll say, “Ok, if you say so.” He’s learned to rely on my vision. I rely on his ability to size something up that needs repairs and know whether it’s a good buy. After all, he’s the one who will be fixing it. I’m fortunate. He’s pretty good at fixing things. We saw this gun cabinet turned shelving unit at a garage sale. I’ve always looked for narrow cabinets. Too often they are very wide and take up too much space. This one was narrow … Read more

[VIDEO] A Cat Condo for Two – Part 4

A Cat Condo for Two – Part 4 Welcome back! This is my fourth video tutorial for my project, A Cat Condo for Two. This was a big project with many different designs and techniques, so I split it up into four videos. If you’ve not seen them yet, go to the first one and make your way through. Here are the links to the first three tutorial videos: A Cat Condo for Two – Part 1 A Cat Condo for Two – Part 2 A Cat Condo for Two – Part 3 This video is a quick look at how I decorated the other side of this Cat Condo for Two. Since it’ll be in my office for the time being, I won’t see this side. It’s next to the wall, but that’s OK since I tend to move things around in my house. I took the opportunity to … Read more

[VIDEO] Part 3 – A Cat Condo for Two

A Cat Condo for Two – Part 3 Welcome to the Third “A Cat Condo for 2” Video Series! To see the first two videos in this series, A Cat Condo for 2 – Part 1 and a Cat Condo for 2 – Part 2, where I show you the first two stages of this redesign, and the changes I made when I didn’t like my first attempt. Come along with me as this dresser turns into my Mia and Max’s beautiful Cat Condo for 2. Here’s the BEFORE: In this video, I show you how I redesigned the right side of the piece: creating a decorative background, embellishing the raised stenciling with metallics, plus color blending techniques on the top and bottom drawer. The two sides of the Cat Condo are different…just for fun. When you create for yourself, it’s easier to experiment and do things differently because in … Read more

[VIDEO] A Cat Condo for 2 – Part 2

This is the second video in my Cat Condo for 2 series. Click the link to see the first video, Cat Condo for 2 Part 1 where I show you the beginning stages of this redesign. I didn’t my first attempt, so I started over – I’m inviting you to come along as this dresser turns into my Mia and Max’s beautiful Cat Condo for 2. In this video, I show you how I changed course from my original plan of using a green distressed look to a much better design using completely different paint colors and techniques: raised stenciling, stenciling, and color blending. If in doubt…don’t. Sometimes we don’t like the course we are on and need to change it. Just do it. You’ll be happier in the end. Some of the Products Used in this Project: Retique It Gothic Grey, Spiced Cider, Willow, Camelot & Midnight Black Ultratique All-in-One Paint Retique It Royal … Read more

[VIDEO] A Cat Condo for 2 – Part 1

A Cat Condo for Two – Part 1 Originally I had a little kitty tower that I created for my cat, MIA that sat next to me in my office where she would be with me during the day and hopefully curtail her walking on my keyboard as I worked. For the most part it was a great fix, and we both enjoyed being together most of the day, though she often asserted herself when she felt it was time to feed her by walking back and forth in front of me as I typed. I’m a totally obsessed cat lady, so when we got a second cat, MAX, from the shelter, I had to do something different for my office. More on that in the video… MIA was one of three sisters dumped at our vet’s. I’d not had a cat in YEARS, so it was a real treat … Read more

The Cobbler’s Children Have No Shoes

Too often I hear of furniture artists who have been putting off refinishing or redesigning their own furniture…so focused on the business of painting other people’s pieces, they neglect their own home. I determined a long time ago to not be the one who personifies the saying, “The cobbler’s children have no shoes.” I want to walk from room to room smiling as I see my own works of art. This video is a walk through of our home where you can see several of my own pieces of furniture art. I don’t have every piece the way I want them, for I got very tired of the wood look everywhere, but I’m making great headway. I still have two end tables, a highboy to paint and dresser to finish for my home, along with a new set of nesting tables I’ve not decided whether I’ll keep or sell. I … Read more

Upcycled China Cabinet – Unwanted to Amazing!

I’ve got a good one to show you today! We’re always thinking of ways to turn cast offs into something desirable, aren’t we? Garage sale finds, Goodwill castoffs, hand-me-downs, Aunt Clara’s dusty old china cabinet… A while ago we bought this china cabinet at an estate sale. We paid $97. It’s an Ethan Allen, so I knew it had good bones and it reminded me of my mother. LOL For some reason I acquaint Ethan Allen with my mom. No idea why. Maybe because it’s from her era. Here is DH strapping everything down we go that day. It was the last day of the estate sale, so I got this china cabinet CHEAP. I got a couple of other things too. I felt like I had won the jackpot. This thing was sitting in the living room of the house of someone who had gone on, and the kids … Read more

[Money Saving Tip] Bun Feet Are Expensive!

Bun feet are expensive, so we tend to avoid even considering using them on our pieces. But wouldn’t it be fab if we had a box full of options that didn’t cost us an arm and a leg? I have that now and It only cost me a few dollars. How? It occurred to me one day while spending the day looking for deals at garage sales, that I could repurpose table legs. I saw a table for sale at one sale that was only a few dollars. She was anxious to get rid of it and had it priced really low. It was old and worn and would only appeal to someone looking to get a temporary table like a young couple just starting out. So I offered her $5 for the legs and she said, “OK”! I was surprised and excited because the legs had some nice curves. … Read more

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