Antique Mahogany Swivel Table

 

Swivel Table Before

Another beautiful swivel table! This antique was made of mahogany with brass accents. The lower portion of this table had a unique “harp” design with three brass prongs, that cleaned up real nice. The top was in rough shape and had seen years of use, including water damage likely from placing a planter directly not the wood. It’s always a good idea to have a planter with a tray or aluminum pie tin to eliminate water damage. 

Swivel Table After

This table was in need of stripping, sanding and new stain. We chose special walnut stain and three coats of semi-gloss polyurethane to ensure protection from everyday use. All the brass accents, feet, harp metal and two small knobs (not seen in photo) were cleaned and polished. Polishing the brass, truly accentuates the refinishing process. It also adds a special “bling” to any piece of furniture, much like the right jewelry does for an outfit.

This style of table is used for playing board games or cards, as it has a “secret” swivel compartment beneath the top that is accessible by rotating the table 90 degrees, then opening one side to reveal the compact area beneath, just large enough to hold note pads, decks of cards and paper goods. When not being used as a game table, it folds in half and can be pushed right up against a wall and used for decorative accents such as plants, lamps or collectibles. Now that it has been refinished, this table will likely be used for many card games and other fun activities.

Waterfall Nightstand

Waterfall Nightstand Before

This adorable nightstand was the last piece of the waterfall collection of furniture which completed the bedroom set we refinished and restored. Unlike the art deco nightstand, this one was lightweight, with gorgeous woodgrain hiding beneath the watermarks and rings on the top and a few minor scratches on the sides. But it had great bones, so to do it justice, needed carefully detailed stripping. Because of the curved edge in the waterfall furniture style, refinishing is time consuming work, but well

Waterfall Nightstand After

worth it.

The grooves on the outer edges of this piece was where the old stain accumulated once stripper was applied so I used a wood carving tool and carefully scraped out all the extra gunk (that's what I call it!) This made it easier to sand and ultimately stain with the golden pecan stain I selected to match the other furniture in this set, which was a set of dressers a headboard and footboard.

This nightstand was my favorite piece because it was cute and tiny, thus easier to handle than the larger furniture items. I could pick it up and place it on my work table (saving my back in the process) so I could get a better look at the work that it required.

1960's End Table

End Table Before

When I first saw this end table in the basement of an estate sale, I walked away from it, at first thinking it was just too ugly to put any effort into. After poking around, I decided to take a closer look and buy it. I'm so glad I did, because once I began sanding away the grime, I uncovered not only a gorgeous end table, but exposed two different types of wood! I decided to use the original handle on the drawer because it lent authenticity to the piece and I

End Table After

really liked it. I chose two stains to bring out the two identities of the wood and show off its grain. The legs once had metal caps on the bottom that were long gone, so I painted them black to differentiate them and give it additional character.

The linear look of the table appealed to me and I ended up using it in my living room, instead of selling it as I had originally planned. (I wished I could find another one and one day while randomly looking at Ebay, I found one...in Chicago! Darn!) I love this retro table and am so glad I kept it. Maybe someday I'll find its match closer to home...