Friends Feature Friday

A big warm welcome today Kirsty from 4theloveofwood who kindly joins us here for her monthly guest post ......

Thank you again to Sarah here at Finishing Touches for welcoming me with another one of my beloved furniture transformations.

This time around I didn’t paint or build anything, but I did work on this on and off for 3 months.

I found this little chest at a second hand store here in the Vancouver area.

They wanted too much for it but I just couldn’t leave it behind.

Saving pieces like this is what I love to do and do best.

It was covered in some ugly reddy brown paint but I could see some interesting detailing underneath.

It wasn’t an antique piece as it had 2 small MDF panels in the back.

The rest of it was made of a very light weight balsa type wood,

so light I could lift the entire cabinet with one hand.

Acetone lifted the first layer easily but also showed several more layers hiding underneath.

I couldn’t even think about sanding because all the pretty detailing was pressed into the wood

and I wasn’t willing to damage or lose any of it.

The process of removing all this built up paint

took time (the entire spring),

great patience, (walking away several times)

and 4 cans of stripping chemicals (approx. $50)

But then something started to happen …

this is what I was uncovering

White & Gold & Green & Wood

It has been suggested that the green is sizing and the gold is leaf,

and it seems the white was a base coat.

In any event it was looking more amazing each time I finished a section.

I added 4 true vintage glass knobs, something my mother has been

holding onto for many years.

The mirror was purchased for a client,

but as luck would have it she never showed up to purchase it.

So the pair are staying together.

Because of my love for this piece,

because of the cost of this piece,

because of the labour I poured into this piece,

SHE'S STAYING WITH US.

For more furniture transformations feel free to pop in

<a href="http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/driftwoodesign/Button.jpg" height="125"width="125"/></a>

Till next time …

Thank you so much Kirsty for another fabulous post. Please check out Kirstys page it is a magpies nest of wonderful before & after makeover's & she also has a tips section for all us beginners