The details

So we've started to work on our Art Deco sideboard, and it needs a lot of TLC. Our neighbor across the street had it in front of their house on the curb for almost a week. We were scoping it out the whole time and wondering if we'd have the room for it. Finally we went for it and can't wait to see the finished product. Today I spent some time polishing, painting and waxing the original door/drawer pulls. Here's some pics. Click on the images to view larger versions.

The original hardware on the piece was looking very dull

After the polish

After the paint and wax

The workshop

So we've started the process of constructing a studio/workshop in our backyard. Now that our basement will be rented out come October 1'st, we need a new space to set up shop. We decided on the barn style because of the high ceiling, and will be adding some windows and skylights to improve the lighting in there. It will also need electrical, heat, and ventilation.

Dave started to dig out the area where the cement block will sit.

 

 

The finished product

Dust collection

Heater for those cold winter months

Skylights add some natural light

Storage loft

Bench & storage for upholstery supplies

Our new stamp!

We recently picked up a stamp to mark our work with on Etsy. This site is great for one-of-a-kind and hand-made items. You can get anything from clothes to furniture, housewares and art. It would be an excellent place to buy Christmas gifts. Worth checking out!

The Peacock twin chairs

  Every project we work on is a learning experience. Each has its own set of challenges, and its been exciting to work through them. It may seem strange to take on furniture restoration when we have other hobbies and interests, but the neat thing about this is that it all seems to tie together. Dave's background with woodworking and his creative eye, along with my background in illustration and photography blend nicely with this venture. It helps that we both have a love for design and antiques as well. Also worth mentioning, that it's great for the environment! Most of the pieces we acquire are sitting on the curb in front of someones home waiting for the garbage truck, or offered on FreeCycle. It's great to see the potential in a piece, and then see it come to fruition.

  The peacock chairs were from FreeCycle. They didn't look like much when we picked them up. In fact, I was toying with the idea of not working on them and moving on to something else. When we took a closer look, we realized that they were originally hand carved by the Chesley Chair Company in Ontario, Canada. It's great to come across 'Canadian' made furniture. They have been repainted in primer-red and reupholstered with a Waverly screen print fabric. The paint colour and distressed highlights are a perfect match with the pattern. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do...

Mellow yellow

We had lots of fun restoring this old antique chair. It got a complete makeover from head to toe. The new blue upholstery compliments the Arles yellow very nicely. We tried bees wax for the first time, and really liked the result.

Upcoming projects!

This summer we picked up some really unique and interesting pieces for upcoming projects. Most of them need a lot of work to get them in stable condition again, but we're excited to see their transformation. We'll keep you posted on their progress. Here are some 'before' pics of the pieces. You can click on the images to see a larger version...

This chair will go along with the desk that was made for Trace.

It has this sticker on the underside that says it was made by the Chesley Chair Company, from Chesley Ontario.

These two twin chairs were also part of the set from Chesley, although slightly different in style.

This Art Deco piece would have been a dining room hutch, but could also work as a dresser.

It has a sticker on the back that says it was made in 1939 by the North American Bent Chair Company from Owen Sound, Ontario.

This little table was a writing desk, but might turn into a laptop table.

This sofa/entry table is in great shape considering it's over 100 years old.

This odd little side table is very functional. It has a magazine holder on either side.