Boat Interior Cushions Reupholstered

Boat Cushions After

 

Boat Cushions Before

This was my first opportunity to do interior boat cushions. This project involved fifteen (15) cushions for a 32’ sailboat. The original Spartan fabric was quite dated, like popular in the 1970’s or 1980’s but had seen better days and was ready for something different. 

My customer had wanted sailboat fabric to replace the plaid and chose a very cool fabric with various sizes of sailboats on it on a white background, featuring red, white and blue overall. The fabric was a dream to work with and the cushions turned out great.

Unlike standard cushions, these sailboat cushions were quite challenging because they were not only different shapes, meaning some were wide on one end and narrow on the other end, they also took the shape of the sailboat’s interior with angled sides. This required a very detailed, concise cutting, following the pattern pieces which I created by using the original fabric, very closely. I had developed a system in which I completely removed each old cushion fabric, separated all the pieces then used those for templates to create the new cushion covers. This is one way to insure the new cushions would fit. The other way is the create your own templates by carefully measuring each cushion and making a pattern from material specifically used for pattern making which can be purchased. 

I did this for each cushion, completing it before I tackled the next one. This project took me about 3 weeks to finish. It was a challenging job to be sure but I was very happy with the outcome and more importantly, so was my customer.

Seat Cushion Before

Seat Cushion After

The two cushions below were the one on the end of the corner area (shown above). The curve on this cushion went about a pole on the side of the boat, so this cushion had to be cut to accommodate this curve.  This cushion required the foam to be replaced as it was moldy and quite worn. I use a combination of foam cutting tools to make these cuts, an essential part of working with foam.

Long Galley Cushion After

Long Galley Cushion Before

The long cushion was one of the more difficult cushions I made because it was 77” long and 15” on the narrow side and 24” on the wider side. This cushion was also angled on one end so that its shape is consistent with the natural curve of the boat. The smallest cushions were 17 x 12 and the larger ones varied from 77” x 15 x 24 to 56” x 24”. 

The various sizes of these cushions required a lot of attention to detail as well as measuring many times. I also devised a foolproof way to make sure the pattern faced the right direction when cutting. I marked the original cushion with lots of black markers showing arrows to the top, bottom and zippered edge, which helped a great deal when the time came to put those pieces together. I then transferred these marks to the new fabric with indelible ink, that comes off with an iron or over a period of time on its own. These pens, called “Frixion," are one of my favorite tools for sewing! 

By the time I got to the 15th and last cushion, it was a breeze, but I was ready for a break as it was quite the job. I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to add this to my skill set and afterward had gotten a few more cushion jobs (which aren’t posted here) because they were loose cushions with no “before” photos. It’s great when you learn the tricks as you continue to process of upholstery and sewing. It helps to serve you long into the future.

Dining Room Set Painted

China Cabinet Before

Wow! This was a big job. Lots of pieces and lots of work,

China Cabinet After

attention to detail and planning. A traditional dining set which was selected to be painted for an updated look to match our customer’s new home. The wood tone no longer suited and after selecting various stains in light shades, we moved into a different direction; paint. With thousands of paint colors available with as many names to match, we ended up with “Dorian Gray,” by Sherwin-Williams. It was a great color; light enough to look fresh but not super bright as white would have been.

Hutch Before

The China cabinet had a lot of curves and detail, so the doors and

Hutch After

drawers were removed and the entire cabinet was sanded, primed and painted, interior and exterior. The hardware was also painted in an accent gunmetal gray metallic, which looked splendid with the new paint in a high gloss finish. The hutch got the same treatment. The color really brought out the carving and details of the pieces.

The other challenge was the six chairs, including two armchairs. These had been re-upholstered many years ago with leather with decorative brass nail heads, but it wasn’t what our customer wanted, I suggested double welting instead of decorative nails. 

The chairs took a long time just to remove the fabric, three hours per chair. There were so many nail heads and beneath them, a million or so staples and smaller nails holding the previous leather in place. It was a very time consuming job leaving Jim and I both with sore hands and shoulders. After that each chair had to be masked off on the seat area, sanded, primed and painted. After they dried, they were ready for fabric, which was custom ordered. While waiting for the fabric, I added decorative detailing paint to the top center of each chair, to  highlight the scallop design. It tied both the light and dark gray colors together and matched the painted hardware. It’s fun adding “bling” to a project.

Armchair After

Armchair Before

The fabric our customer chose was a dark gray plush with a nap and was gorgeous for the freshly painted chairs. Cutting fabric has a sequence. First you need to cut a piece about 4” larger than the area you are covering to allow movement and positioning. 

If the fabric has a pattern, you’ll want to pay attention to the focal point and place the pattern in the center of the seat, working around it to center it prior to attaching it. You tack it in place then stretch it to center it. It’s essential to carefully cut around the arms of the chairs so that you aren’t short. You cut in a “Y” seam perpendicular to the chair’s arm. Precision is key here. Once the fabric is stretched into place, have a pneumatic stapler ready and loaded is essential to get the job done efficiently. It’s my new favorite tool. 

The dining room table had three leaves, which made it a fairly large piece. Painting large surfaces requires patience and a lot of skill. The glossy finish was perfect for this classic design. What a difference!

This was a lengthy job with many challenges, but we love how it turned out and that’s the ultimate reward.

Table Before

Table After

Chair Before

Chair After

Oak Dresser Hidden by Green Paint

 

Dresser After Stripping

Dresser Before Stripping

This little dresser is similar to a few others we’ve done that had the same overall look and design. However, this one was painted green. In our experience, sometimes when a piece of furniture is painted, there’s a good reason for it. Upon stripping this little dresser, we discovered that one of the drawers had a “patch,” which meant that someone had added a different type of wood that didn’t match the original oak that was used when it was built.

Luckily we were able to apply the stain so that it covered the entire piece in a way that looked as it would have looked originally. Likely, it had never been stained, just painted after it was built. It was old though.

When painting furniture, it usually doesn’t matter if wood styles are mixed because the paint covers it all evenly. But when a person wants something stripped and stained, refinished per se, if the wood is patched with non-original wood, this results in a variance of stain colors since different types of wood accept stain differently. 

A good example would be if you apply a dark stain to a light wood such as pine, it would certainly darken the original raw wood but wouldn’t be as dark as if you used the same stain on walnut, which is a darker wood to begin with. It’s always easier to go darker upon refinishing/restoring but much harder to go lighter. Not to say that it isn’t possible to do this as it all depends on the type of wood that was stained originally. Sometimes you simply don’t know what the raw wood will look like until it is stripped as years and years tend to oxidize the wood, making it darker than the original stain. Most of the time the wood, when stripped and completely sanded, is much lighter than the old finish. This allows for plenty of stain choices as it is fun to experiment with how the various stains draw out the wood’s original beauty. This is one of the most rewarding aspects of refinishing...seeing the final results when applying the stain. Ah, it’s pretty once again!

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.

China Cabinet Transforms to Coffee Station

China Cabinet Before 

New Self-Serve Coffee Bar

This is another example of how to redefine what an item of furniture can become by employing a few creative elements, a dash of imagination and a coat of paint. This was a 1980’s era China cabinet which held a collection of, well, China. It likely housed glasses, knick-knacks and crystal. But my daughter had wanted this cabinet to be used at “Roasted” in downtown Marine City’s Water Street as a self-serve coffee station to replace the old coffee bar during the store’s recent design upgrades and painting.

Her vision was to remove the top doors and paint the entire cabinet, then add wood to the interior to match the paneled wood in the restaurant’s bottom portion of the wall that complements the new paint color. She got the idea on Pinterest, but Jim was able to modify the original design to fit the needs of the coffee shop and size of this general cabinet.

He removed the top glass doors (as they were no longer being used) and lined the interior with the same wood panels to match the theme of the newly decorated coffee shop. Jim removed the original front bottom door panels and replaced them with the same panels as the interior. He built a raised platform so the coffee station would be ergonomically sufficient. This also created storage directly beneath for napkins, sugar, stir sticks, etc. The bottom portion would hold coffee cups and other supplies easily reachable but hidden behind the newly fashioned doors. The final updated cabinet was stunning. A ship’s wheel clock was the perfect design element that perfectly tied in with the coffee shop’s new theme and matched the new coffee station perfectly. You can see the cabinet at “Roasted,” which is located at 218 S. Water Street, Marine City, Michigan.

Bar Stool Gets New Upholstery

Bar Stool Before

Bar Stool After

This bar stool was in desperate need of new fabric, otherwise it had great bones. The fabric was circa 1980 and had seen better days. Ripped on the seat it needed replacing.

The wood was teak as it was originally used on a boat. Still in great condition and sturdy, this heavy chair only needed new an updated look.

In order to reupholster the seat, I removed the arms and flipped the chair upside down to remove the staples which held the old, outdated and very stiff fabric in place. The foam was yellowed, but otherwise still usable. I decided to use the old fabric as a template, which needed to be taken apart so I could design a new seat with the existing fabric to get the right measurements, which is essential to get a good fit. It was much easier than I thought it would be and I was satisfied with the way the new fabric hugged the seat perfectly.

Dresser Chalk Paint Makeover

Dresser Before Chalk Paint

Dresser After Chalk Paint

It's hard to believe that this lovely oak dresser was once used to store tools. It had been in a garage for many years being used as a tool bench and work surface so there was a bit of warping, but overall it was still in great shape. Although it had seen better times, the bones and structure were still good and we knew we could make it pretty again. We were both up for the challenge. (This was the last item in the "chalk paint makeover" using Annie Sloan's chalk paint.)

This dresser required some carpentry work before any painting could be done. The top had been split into two pieces, so Jim had to "biscuit" the two sections together and clamp them tight, then fill in the seams so that once painted, you would never know it had been broken. The left front leg had its back part broken off completely, so Jim re-engineered a new leg section, forming it perfect to match the right leg which was still in tact. Some of the drawers didn't open and close very well, so they required a bit of shaving on the table saw.

After he was done with his part of the job, I then sanded the sides and got busy painting. For this dresser, I mixed three parts graphite with one part French Linen which yielded a gorgeous color of a slate-ish gray, perfect for this particular piece of furniture. The thick, rich paint went on smoothly and looked terrific. I knew I would love this piece, since I just knew it would take on the largest transformation of the other pieces I had painted. Using clear wax on the entire dresser with black only on the bottom for accent was just enough to give it a sultry, rich look and a durable surface

The new brass drawer pulls provided the last touch of "bling," which was absolutely the crowning jewel for this amazing old girl. Wow!

Bench Gets White Chalk Paint

Bench Before Paint

A bench such as this one provides a great place to sit practically anywhere in your  home. But like with many pieces of furniture, after a while you tend to overlook this well-loved item. You may feel a bit guilty because you still love it, but know it needs that special something. In this case, the bench was destined to be a brand new look, which was accomplished by applying Annie Sloan's "Old White" chalk paint and finished with Annie Sloan's clear wax to seal it.

Bench After Paint

By its nature, this bench was a very labor intensive item to work on because of the amount of surface area, and of course, the spindles, which are difficult to paint. Spindles are my least favorite aspect of any furniture painting, restoration or refinishing job because they are, well, spindles. (Don't get me started!)

Chalk paint doesn't require a great deal of sanding or other prep work commonly needed to guarantee a greatly finished painted product, but I chose to lightly sand the entire bench anyway because that's just how I roll. Call it a pet peeve, but I feel that a little bit of sanding is better than no sanding.

I chose to brush the paint instead of spraying because I feel that you still get better coverage and a thicker, richer end product with brushing and for this piece of furniture, it worked quite well. That's another benefit of chalk paint; you don't see the brush strokes as it dries very smooth. The Old White paint was a light and bright color which literally changed the personality of this bench from outdated to outstanding. I added the customized stencil flower for a little something extra and it looked great. This bench received clear wax only so it will be protected from scratches and will be easy to care for.

Couch Table Chalk Painted

Couch Table Before Painting

This [behind the] couch table was the second project I painted using "Annie Sloan's" chalk paint and wax system. As in the Queen Anne Table in the blog post below, I used Annie Sloan's French Linen chalk paint.

I gave this table a shabby chic "distressing" by

Couch Table After Painting

scraping away the paint randomly with steel wool and a folded scrap of 100 grit sandpaper. After the paint had dried, I finished the table with generous coat of Annie Sloan's clear wax, then highlighted the border detail with Annie Sloan's black wax which brought out the border detail along the edge of the table top.

Once the wax had dried 24 hours later, I was able to lightly buff the table until it had a smooth finish which will be easy to maintain and provide a lovely, durable piece of furniture for many years.

Artistic End Table

End Table Before

Leather on an end table such as this was commonly used for furniture as a decorative effect for the top. It worked nicely when new, but over the years these tables' leather got pretty beat up. Scratches, gouges, tears and discoloration became more common than shiny new leather and it no longer looked pretty, just old and worn out.

End Table After

While I wasn't quite sure what I would do to replace the leather which was peeling up on one side, it needed to be completely removed, which had proven to be quite a task, as the non-lifted portion adhered quite well. I had to use a small heat gun to soften the adhesive enough to carefully slip my putty knife under the leather and slowly peel it off the wood. It took about 30 minutes, but I was successfully able to lift the last corner of the leather and tear it off. Goodbye old leather, hello new design.

I used a chisel to scrape remaining paper left by the leather section, then sanded the surface smooth. While I was unsure exactly what I would do to replace the leather, I knew that when the time came, I'd have exactly the right treatment, so I got to work on the rest of it. I stripped, sanded and stained the end table using cherry stain, which brought out the gorgeous tones in the cherry wood the table was made from. Making a decision on stain can be tricky, since you don't really know how it will look until you apply it. A darker stain would have hidden much of the wood grain, so cherry was the perfect choice for this end table.


Once stained, I put this table aside while working on other furniture items for this project, (while my I left my subconscious work on the creative side of how to make the top stand out). Eventually I had formulated an idea which involved my trusty carpenter, my husband Jim. I had asked him to make custom veneer sections out of oak and mahogany, so he sliced up sixteen 1-1/2" sections of veneer, more than enough to experiment with a workable design for the tabletop.

End Table After

Using the freshly cut veneer sections, I laid out the pieces and worked up a design, much like one would put together a puzzle, only you create the design as you go. It took a while as I played around with the length of each piece, layout and design, but eventually I had created a random pattern I was satisfied with, then applied adhesive to the table and each veneer section, then let everything dry for fifteen minutes before I carefully positioned each section into place. There's no forgiveness when you work with adhesive cement on both sides of the wood. Once they're down, they're down, so it's a good idea to "dry fit" them before you apply the adhesive.

After sanding the tabletop to get all the veneer sections level, I applied golden pecan stain. Because of the two distinct woods, each wood had taken on a different tone, which created an interesting, artistic and contemporary tabletop. Once the stain was dry, I applied two coats of polyurethane to the lower areas and legs of the table and three coats to the top for added protection. It looked fabulous! This was definitely one of my favorite projects as I was able to blend the craft of refinishing, with the art of creating a custom made veneer design that gave this old beauty a modern, updated look.

This table was one of four pieces of furniture we did at the same time. Click on the links below to see the others:

http://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2017/04/antique-secretary.html
http://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2017/04/antique-writing-desk.html
http://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2017/04/antique-piano-bench.html

Antique Wash Stand Refinish

Wash Stand Before

Long before indoor plumbing was introduced into society, people used a large basin and a wash stand such as this early American style to clean up after a busy day of working in the fields or at a factory.

Wash Stand After

With the ultra-modern technology available to us in this twenty-first century, it's hard to imagine life without a steam shower or a soaker tub, but people made use of what they had. This wash stand restoration was a pleasure because it was made of solid oak and pretty much exactly the same as it was well over a hundred years ago. It had seen some wear, to be sure.

If this wash stand could speak, it would have plenty of stories to share. I wonder how many people used this old beauty to clean up over the years? Did it belong to a man who had seen his

Table Top Makeover

Table Before Refinishing

Table After Refinishing

This tabletop had seen many years of use and was crying out to be refinished. It was also extremely heavy, therefore needed a firm grip just to get it onto our work surface. Made of solid birch and about 1-1/2" thick, the table seated at least 8 people. The legs required nothing because they were made out of metal, which was a perfect foundation to turn this 1980's table into an "industrial urban" table. Giving new life to an outdated piece of furniture is the greatest reward of the inevitably tedious amount of work that these projects require.

1906 Victrola Makeover

Victrola Cabinet Before

A customer had contacted me about refinishing an old Victrola Gramophone cabinet to be used as a bathroom vanity for her remodeled basement bathroom. The cabinet had the music apparatus removed, but still had the split top and a hole on the side where the crank had once been. The cherry was quite beautiful, but in its condition, it was difficult to envision just how nice it truly was.

Victrola Cabinet After

Stripping the cabinet was first on the list of things to do. After all the previous old stain had been painstakingly removed, it was then sanded and re-stained with cherry stain. In order to prepare the top for the bowl-style vessel sink, it was necessary to fill in the space between the two sides with wood filler then stain over it. Since the top had a left and a right side which the customer had wanted to keep, this was the most feasible solution and it looked pretty good.

My customer had discussed replacing the hardware, but I assured her she'd have plenty of time to choose that once the cabinet had been refinished. I'm sure she'll have fun searching for the perfect hardware because there's so much to choose from. This was definitely a unique refinishing item but as always, very rewarding because this old gem has many years of use left it in as it makes its debut as the most beautiful vanity. What a great way to use an old piece of furniture...

Old Victrola in Customer's Basement Complete

1970's Cabinet Makeover

1970's Cabinet Before

Cabinet After Renovation

It's amazing how a bit of creative vision can transpire an ugly, outdated piece of furniture such as this 1970's era atrocity. This may have been popular back in 1972, but by today's standards, it was painfully outdated. Still, it had potential and would prove to be useful once again after a bit of renovation a lot of creativity, or perhaps equal parts of both. It had a black top, that looked suspiciously like a piece of laminate, which made the piece quite durable. However, the cabinet doors simply had to go.

Edwardian Kidney-Shaped Desk

Edwardian Desk and Chair Before

Edwardian Desk and Chair After

I came across this amazing Edwardian Kidney-shaped desk and matching chair at an estate sale and knew I had to have it. Luckily, all the drawer pulls were in tact, but the top left one was missing a screw. Easy enough to find a screw and put the pull back in. The chair was in great shape, but the fabric was quite worn and dirty. Not a problem, as I could easily replace the fabric.

Drawer Pull Before Polishing

Drawer Pull After Polishing

My first project was the chair. I found a perfect gold fabric that pulls out the painted gold "arrow" design on the chair. I removed the seat and touched up the minor scratches on the chair itself, then replaced the fabric. It turned out to be a great choice as it looked great! Next was the desk itself. I replaced the missing screw and used tung oil to polish the wood until it gleamed. (Unfortunately, I took the photo of the cleaned desk and spent hours removing the background, before I polished the handles, therefore I added the photos [above] of the drawers separately showing the newly polished handles.) 

Once I pushed the newly upholstered chair underneath the desk, I knew I had indeed made the grand finale, hence the name of my business. I loved this beautiful desk and chair and together, they make a great team. The desk and chair are currently available for $675.00. Please contact me at 586.873.1405 if you're interested in purchasing them.

Chair and Desk After

Desk After

Widdicomb Table

Widdicomb Table Before

Widdicomb Table After

This unique table was a special job I received shortly before Christmas. The client had extra tables he didn't need, but really wanted this one. Unfortunately it had been painted black, which covered up the gorgeous wood that lie beneath. He had started removing the paint, but didn't feel comfortable finishing it, so he called me. Of course I could take care of it!

He delivered it on a cold, snowy day. After he got it into the garage, I knew this table would be outstanding when it was done. I told him I'd have it done in a week, or possibly less. I got started sanding the table that afternoon and by the end of the day, it was ready for new stain. He wanted to go darker, so I suggested walnut. He loved the idea and agreed it would look good. While I applied the stain, I was amazed at how gorgeous the wood was. This table was made of solid oak, about 1-1/2" thick and had some weight to it. I applied two coats of semi-gloss polyurethane to protect the surface. The transformation was complete only a few days later, so I contacted my customer and assured him he would not recognize his table.

He picked it up the following Saturday and was astounded with the results. I mean, look at it! He was torn because his original plan was to eliminate some of the extra tables he had collected, but when he saw this one, he was undecided. Either way, he loved the way it tuned out. Ironically, later that evening, I received a text from him saying that if I wanted a good recommendation, he'd gladly give me one because he decided to sell the table on eBay and it sold only ten minutes after he listed it for $2,500!! I'd say it was the right choice. I love satisfied customers. It just makes my day!!

Widdicomb Table Before

Widdicomb Table After