Charming Antique Desk

Desk Before

Desk After

This antique mahogany desk was an amazing yard sale find. Although the top left edge molding was broken, the bones were good, more importantly, the handles were all intact, a huge plus! I also knew it was a big refinishing job since I wasn't sure how to replace that top rail.

My first goal was to remove all the hardware before stripping the entire desk. I put all the pieces in a closed container so I don't misplace them. (This is the preferred method to which I keep track of small items.) This desk was unique, since all four sides needed stripping, as the backside can face the room if chosen. Normally the back of furniture remains unfinished, since most are placed against a wall. Because the back had been allowed to be seen required additional stripping and sanding.

The edge molding needed a great deal of detail sanding with an orange stick, all done by hand. The lower left edge molding was missing, so that too would need to be addressed. I ended up scrapping the top molding because it would be impossible to replace it and have it look the same, but not all was lost as I was able to salvage it and create the missing molding on the center drawer edge as well as the missing molding on the lower left inside of the desk. That was I was guaranteed to match the red mahogany stain, while maintaining the integrity of the piece.

After I removed all the brass hardware, I started the intense stripping process. It was quite time-consuming, between camping trips and other projects. I would spend evenings sitting on my desk polishing the various components of the hardware. Each drawer had seven (7) individual pieces; the handle, two coin-shaped brass rings, two screws and two nuts, which were round, making them a bit challenging to remove. This is one of the features of a very old piece of furniture; the hardware is usually not exact and quite different from modern hardware, down the the nuts (no pun intended.) I used copper cream, which works beautifully to remove tarnish from brass, then an actual brass polish to really give it a shine.

Taking the extra time to clean the hardware to its original condition makes any furniture piece look 100% better! The clean hardware is the "bling" to the furniture's new finish and well worth it.

Mosaic Table

Table Before No Top

Table After Mosiac

This table belonged to a friend who had passed away. It came to
me without a top. I liked the corner detail, which was hidden. My idea was to turn this little neglected gem into a work of art and as I looked at it, an idea came to mind.

First I assessed it. There wasn't much wood surface showing, so why not paint? I chose to paint it totally black. Next it needed a new top. The curved edges lent themselves to a different style. Something else other than wood would set this table off. Then it came to me. Mosaic. It was perfect! I knew I wanted it to have a bit of "bling," so I used mirror with a cobalt blue border.

Table Before

Table Before

When I got into the center area, I knew I wanted a design, and thanks to
my granddaughter, I came up with a peace sign. She was my inspiration for the peace sign because she loves them. Reminiscent of the 1960's, I thought it was also the perfect solution to my design. But that was not enough. It needed more, so I decided to paint the curved designs in the corners to bring out the flowers and make them match the colors of the glass mosaic I chose. The table was finally how I had envisioned it to be. The table had taken on a whole new look...from neglected and broken to a work of art.

Antique Table

Table Before

Table After

This antique table belonged to a cousin's husband who obtained it
from his grandmother. He estimated it was about 100 years old. It showed its age as it was in rough shape, but with a little sanding and love, the table would be good as new. The table was made of walnut and once sanded, the wood underneath the rough finish came through. It was indeed a beautiful piece!

The legs took time because of their shape and detail, so I spent a great deal of time working on them, making sure I had removed all the old finish so that it could accept the new stain easily. This table required careful sanding because of the fluted legs, a great deal of detail. After it was sanded and stripped, I chose a walnut stain with two coats of semi-gloss polyurethane finish. Once it was done, it looked as it had 100 years ago, better than new. Needless to say, our cousin was thrilled with the table and planned on using it for years to come.

Drop-Leaf Table

Drop Leaf Table After

Drop Leaf Table Before

I acquired this very old drop leaf table at a yard sale and when I asked the owner how much she wanted for it, I could hardly believe my luck! I was able to buy this table for only $2.00! I saw its potential and knew I could not only make it usable again, but could make it look better than new. I quickly paid her and loaded it into the back of my van before the woman changed her mind.

As you can see in the "before" photo, one of the ends was lower than the rest of the table, making it unstable and wobbly. That didn't bother me because I knew it was fixable. My husband, on the other hand, just

Queen Anne Table

Queen Anne Table Before

Queen Anne Table After

I came across this scratched Queen Anne style coffee table and knew it would be a great table once I refinished it. The original finished was a sandy, lighter stain, so I decided to go much darker, giving it a richer appearance. This table was made of pine and wasn't an antique, but it had good bones and needed some TLC and time. After I completed removed the old finish, I gave it a good sanding with a 220 grit before applying red mahogany stain. I was correct in choose the darker stain. The table took on a whole new personality, as the photos speak for themselves.