Old Things, New Life

02/24/2024

02/24/2024

Painting inside during winter helps the dark days pass a little faster, but it's sure messy! This interesting piece was made by the Kuchin Furniture Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan, sometime between 1929 and 1940. I thought it might be Jacobean, but it's actually Spanish revival. Made of oak with wide grain and stained very dark, it definitely needed brightening. The backgrounds in the four decorative panels are oak with the grain raised into ridges. On top of the ridges, etched patterns were sanded smooth. So each panel is one solid piece. That must have been labor intensive, and is perhaps why—along with impending war—the company folded in just 11 years.

I painted everything except the panels with serenity blue chalk paint from Rustoleum. Then I layered dark wax on top of clear wax and wiped it for an "old wood" effect. Then I thought it was too dark, so I chalk-painted some highlights. It's my new background setting for Zoom calls.

06/19/2023

It all started with an innocent thought: I'd like to brighten up the place. Three weeks later I have gorgeous chairs for $125 total, an old table that now shines with formerly hidden beauty, 3 painted and reupholstered "fun" chairs, new valances and window seat cushions, and the same old dog.

12/10/2022

Sharing a few things you might find interesting. Top left: the Bombay chest was covered in scribbles of red Sharpie pen, but I was able to remove them with household cleaner. Top right and bottom left: I added the wood onlays to perk up the clock and buffet. Bottom right: The yellow cabinet top is actually pink marble covered with chalk paint. The top of that piece still needs some work, I see.

11/19/2020

Recently had fun painting a friend’s bedroom furniture. The paint job went through several iterations before it started singing to me. I always listen to the furniture, don’t you?

02/19/2020

I’ve been experimenting with adding light to color mixes. It’s tricky, but I like it. I even painted the lampshades!

05/19/2019

The dining room in my "cottage" was overfull and looked kind of clunky. One day, one of the chairs just collapsed to the floor. Sadly, I also know how that feels. Well ... that started a tiny dining do-over with much good fortune along the way.
My neighbor one day offered me an old table she didn't want to use anymore. She had tried to sell it for several hundred dollars, but it's one of those things that's priceless. If you have it, you value it. And now I have it and value it. It's slightly narrower than most tables at 34" and expands very cleverly from 5' to 10'. It's a "primitive," a practical item that was hand-built by an individual untrained in furniture-making at least 100 years ago. It's solid golden oak, and I love it.
Next I started looking for chairs. I saw a murky photo in an ad for six chairs for $40. So I drove about 20 miles to find a set of antique, golden oak chairs! Perfect for the table. I did have to address their wobbliness and recover the seats, but what a wonderful find.
I went with a combination of colors and piping because I didn't have enough of either material for all six chairs. Turns out, I love the variation. Kind of peps up the old fellas.
I repainted my ancient hutch for maybe the tenth time, and went with a deeper turquoise to balance some strong colors across the room.
Then, at St. Vincent de Paul, I saw a glaringly glossy black and red cabinet for $35. I couldn't decide if it was old and stately under that garish paint, or if it was an older knock-off that looked antique. I still don't know! But when I painted it that soft, deep turquoise, the little cabinet's beauty marks started to glow. It's the perfect piece for the other corner of my tiny dining room.
Next: Curtains. I'm looking for aqua pillow-ticking.

I'd love to hear your stories of good finds and fun re-dos, so please post away!

01/01/2019

New Year's Blessing 2019

12/30/2018

The last painting project of 2018 ... I needed a small chest to coordinate with a larger Bombay chest. I found a petite white end table on Marketplace that had definite possibilities. After a one-day paint job, I had what I was looking for.

05/30/2018

Hello there. An update from Sydney ... I rarely paint furniture these days, but I'll leave this site up because it continues to attract visitors. Thank you!

My current project is a book I've published on Amazon, "Hope After Trauma and PTSD." https://www.amazon.com/dp/1984917153

I'd like to invite you to two related pages: Hope After Trauma and PTSD https://www.facebook.com/HopeAfterTraum…
and
Truth Be Told: Stories of Hope, Trauma, and PTSD https://www.facebook.com/groups/Truth.Be.Told.PTSD
as well as my website
SydneySegen.com Hope to see you there!

Do you or a friend seem to suffer endlessly from life’s difficulties? It’s possible that you have experienced trauma – a catastrophe, tragedy, or other shocking event that stopped life in its tracks. Many people who experience trauma get over it in a few weeks or months. But others – maybe y...

04/11/2016