Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Seaside Inspired Side Table

Just a quick update on what I've been working on before we move on to the main event. Been sanding and brushing away slowly at the wainscot in the family room. Haven't been real rushed to finish it, as my parents wanted to wait until next month (which would be this month) before we bought the paint for it, but I've got all but a small section done, and I plan on getting the paint any day now, so my next post should be on that unless I do something else that I just have to share between now and then which is entirely possible.

Anyways, besides the wainscot, I've been working of various small, random projects such as priming and painting frames/bottles and that sort of thing. Nothing terribly exciting.

Well this week I decided to begin on a project which I had been meaning to tackle for awhile now. I finally got some inspiration for it, so I went to work.


This is an old side table I got from my grandma's house awhile back. I loved the style of the piece and it was in nice condition, but the stain was just plan uninteresting and outdated. I hadn't really felt any inspiration for the piece so it just sort of sat back in the guest bedroom. I saw it sitting back there on Sunday and it suddenly hit me what I should do with it. So I pulled it out on Monday and got to work.



Here is the result. I'm really very pleased with how it turned out. There were a few bumps along the way like it being so humid that the primer wasn't as dry as I thought it should be when I went to paint over it (Ooops!) but over all it wasn't too bad. I will admit I found painting in between all the spindles to be quite a pain though.

Shot of the top...


I was a little nervous about doing the top, because I wasn't 100% sure how to achieve the effect I wanted. I ended up sanding it so that some of it was still stained and some was bare wood (thanks to Shaunna at Perfectly Imperfect for that idea) and then using bleach spray, oven cleaner, and the sun on it. I sprayed bleach on it twice and let it dry in the sun, then let the oven spray drip on there, let it sit for second, then rubbed it all around (That gave me the drip marks you see on the top). After that I wiped it all off with a wet rag, then laid the rag over the top of the wood and let it sit on there for maybe 45 min. After all that I lightly went over it with the sander and then, finally, washed on a light gray paint. It was quite the process, but it worked quite well.



Some details...




...and just random other images, because I took too many...




I'm really anxious to know what you all think!


I thought I'd also give you a little preview of my next project:


I'm pretty sure this is an antique. It belongs to my grandma, and it's going to be a tuffy. The chair is really awesome, but it went through a fire, and is blackened at the top as a result. I've already tried some sanding on it, and I'm not sure it's going to come off and, if it does, it's going to be a LOT of work. If anyone has any suggestions on a good way to get rid of the black, I'd appreciate it. Btw, I'm planning on staining the whole rocker, as I'm not sure my grandma would appreciate me painting over her antique, so ALL the black must be gone.

Thanks so much for reading!










21 comments:

  1. I love the aged wood effect you ended up with. Nice job!

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  2. Wow! I found you at Transformation Thursdays! Great transformation! You a have a very good eye. Welcome to the creative blog world!
    Please stop by my blog and enter my CSN $45 GC giveaway!
    Sharon@KeenInspirations

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  3. Very nice! This loved piece now looks vintage and full of character. Nice redo.

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  4. Such a great project and it looks fabulous! Found you through The Shabby Chic Cottage, became a follower and so glad I did...love to connect with others who are inspired (: Can't wait to see the outcome of your next project!

    Michele

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  5. The table looks fantastic! That's a great effect you created on the tops.
    Did you also take the photo on the table? I really like it!
    No suggestions to get rid of the black on the chair. Except paint, of course!;)

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  6. Wonderful. I love it. Zip strip gets paint off pretty easy, just be careful with it, you need to wear gloves.

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  7. I love your table. Really like how you did the top. . . thanks for sharing.

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  8. Wow, you are good! I can't wait to see the rocker!

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  9. The table looks amazing! Can't wait to see your next transformations...

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  10. Beautiful finish...love this look! And let me say, you're quite the stylist. Sure your 17? Thanks again for linking up to the party and for the shout out in your post! -shaunna :) (oh, good luck with that chair...it's going to be a beast)

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  11. Hi Robby, I love what you did with the side table. The finish is really great! You are pretty amazing for a 17 year old, I hope your parents appreciate all your hard work on the wainscot.
    I have never tried to get rid of burns on wood, but might suggest that if you can't get rid of the black that you stain it an almost black stain. That might camouflage the burnt wood? Don't know, just a suggestion.
    Hugs, Cindy S

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  12. Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments; they are so encouraging!

    @Cathy: Yes, the photo was taken by me.

    @Shaunna: Thanks a ton! Pretty sure I'm 17, but I can check with my parents if you'd like. ;)

    @Cindy: Thank you for your suggestions and wonderful compliments. My parents are sometimes skeptical of my drastic ideas for changing their house (what parents wouldn't be), but they definitely appreciate me and it's great to have parents that let me go to town on their house. :D

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  13. You did a great job on the table... it's such an interesting table too!

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  14. I'm so gonna have to use your bleaching technique! I know exactly where. Found you on the Shabby Nest.

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  15. It looks great! I always, always take a ton of photos.

    I have a small rocking chair that belonged to my great grandmother and I don't know what to do with it. It's in pretty good shape, but it's not my style. I'd really hate to mess with it though.

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  16. I think I have that identical table, found for $5 at Goodwill. I recently spray painted it with Krylon's Watermelon. When it comes to furniture with little hard to reach spindles, spray paint is your friend!

    I love what you did with yours.

    I would embrace the blackened part of the rocker. It is more interesting to me than anything else I could think of to do to the chair. Maybe poly over it?

    As a matter of fact, if you were to give it to me I would poly over the whole thing - as is. It could be a conversation piece for generations.

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  17. Me likey. Lots of awesomeness. We hoosiers aren't as backward as some might assume when it comes to fiddling with furniture and stuff.

    Welcome to the blogworld. :)

    cindy@cottage instincts

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  18. Beautiful job! Can't wait to see the chair!
    I wish my kids would do stuff like this!!!

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  19. Wow. That finish is absolutely beautiful, as are your other pieces. Although I don't like using or having any thing to do with bleach, I really want to try that technique out!

    Thanks so much for sharing, you really are talented.

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