Decor

Displaying My Great-Grandmother’s China Collection

by Karla · Nov 30, 2021

The day this cabinet and collection of dishes came to my house, I was so thankful and honored that I had these treasured family pieces passed on to me.

My Grandfather and Uncle restored the cabinet years ago and the China once belonged to my great-grandmother. My Grandfather is the one who inspired my love for furniture restoration and my interest in antiques!

Since these pieces are so special to me, it’s important to keep everything in good condition and rearrange the dishes from time to time. The cabinet is a solid piece with a beautiful surface so it only needs to be cleaned with lemon oil and glass cleaner.

When I started decorating the cabinet, I decided it would be a nice place to display other dishes that belonged to my Grandparents from both sides of the famiIy. I wanted to display my Grandparent’s silver tea set, crystal, and serving trays. Some of these pieces were given to them as wedding gifts and anniversary gifts over the years! That probably wouldn’t include the liquor decanters, though some would argue they would make an appropriate gift for those occasions. (cheers!)

I feel very connected to these pieces and even though I never knew my Great-Grandmother, I know that she was very special to my Grandfather (her son) and that these dishes were very important to him.

When she passed away, the family couldn’t agree on how to divide her belongings, so they decided to auction them off! My Grandparents were not happy about this and my Grandfather actually had to buy his mother’s China in the auction! It makes me realize how special this is because it was so important for him to win this at auction and how easily it could have gone home with someone else!

It’s sad when you think items like this, whether they hold monetary or sentimental value, have the potential to cause strife among family members. It makes me sad to think my Grandfather, who dearly loved his mother, had to battle it out at auction to have these dishes. I think of what my friend Sarah Reeder, owner of Artifactual History Appraisal, once mentioned during an interview- how documenting and communicating with family members about these valuable pieces are so important. We would like to hope that family members will divide our loved-one’s belongings amicably, but when money and emotions are involved, it can get messy.

I have seen it many times over they years but my Grandmother’s China collection is the perfect example of why Sarah stresses the importance of these details. The past adds value to these pieces and the future has the potential to maintain it when we pass these treasures, along with their stories, to the next generation. What this collection is worth to me is so much more than what it would have been worth to another bidder at that auction, possibly for them to make a quick dollar.

That is why I have a deeper appreciation for this collection. I also feel the lesson passed down from that had just as much value as these objects. My family still talks about that time and I’m thankful they honored that when my Grandparent’s passed and handled their belongings with careful thought and consideration.

I was able to ask for a few more things to add to the collection, including the lovely crystal pieces and serving trays I have stored at the bottom of the cabinet. One of those is a Hull pottery platter that matches my Grandfather’s coffee mugs! I now have those mugs in my cabinet and think of him when I use them!

I included a few things that I call “outsiders”- which are the pink depression glass tea cups and the typewriter. I purchased the teacups from someone local who had them for sale. The pattern on the China has a pretty shade of pink in the flowers on the outer rim and the cups were a nice match! I didn’t receive any cups with this collection so they’re a nice addition for looks and for use!

The typewriter was purchased at a thrift store years ago and it’s there just to fill the space. I love how it looks! I recently saw an old typewriter in a coffee shop that was filled with air plants, so I’m thinking that’s a possibility.

I’m so proud of this cabinet and the collection of my Grandparent’s things that are displayed. Every time I clean it, I purposefully don’t try and remember how I had the dishes arranged before. I enjoy the challenge of arranging it differently, each time. It’s fun to mix things up! I don’t have any great advice on how to arrange it other than doing what you like best! Some people enjoy symmetry and some, not as much. My main focus is arranging it so that the pieces can be seen clearly and the cabinet does not look cluttered.

I do recommend you use the dishes you have and not keep them put away forever! I love that they’re displayed so nicely but I feel they aren’t as enjoyable if they’re just for looks. These things are intended to bring joy and good conversation when friends and family are gathered around them. Decorate your table, use the good dishes, and talk about what they mean to you before you pass them on!

If you’re interested in preserving the family stories about your heirlooms, sign up for Artifactual History’s Family Heirloom Provenance Record! This is an easy way to organize and document memories for future generations!

A Surprise Find: Bohemian Czech Decanter Set

by Karla · Nov 5, 2021

It’s always exciting find a unique item in a thrift store or at the flea market, but it’s much more exciting when you find it unexpectedly inside a second-hand furniture piece. I have found many unique things inside second-hand furniture over the years but when I found this Bohemian Czech glass decanter set it was very special. It arrived at our house inside a dresser that I inherited form my grandparents. The set once belonged to my great-grandmother and I was so happy to have it.

I always loved how my great-grandmother decorated her home. She didn’t have a particular style. She mixed things up and somehow they all came together so perfectly. She was a seamstress by trade and was aware of the current fashion trends, yet had a classic sense of style. Her home decor was much the same and this green decanter set was a part of it for as long as I can remember.

I was very fortunate to know her for the first twelve years of my life. She inspired me during those years and continues to after all this time. I remember the decanter and shot glasses sitting on her marble tables in the living room of her mid-century home when they lived here in Virginia. She also had it on display in their dining room when they moved to Florida. I remember that home having a Golden Girls vibe with all the tropical-pattern upholstery and wicker furniture. This decanter set fit right in to the mix wherever it went!

When I refinished my grandfather’s toolbox to use as a bar cart in our dining room, the decanter and glasses were the first decorative pieces added to it! This cart has been a wonderful addition to our dining room for serving beverages and it’s also the perfect place to display the decanter set! I think of my great-grandmother whenever I look at it. I’d be lying if I said we use it, though. We don’t drink alcohol but it’s too pretty to put back inside a dresser drawer!

I was curious about the set and wanted to learn more about it. I typed in so many different keywords while searching and I learned that it is called a Bohemian Czech Mid-Century Decanter set. It looks as though many of the pieces that are similar to this have the gold bands around it.

I’m not sure what the bottom part of the stopper is made of, but it’s heavy and very good quality. The gold detail is so pretty!

Somehow this set survived my rambunctious childhood days and now it’s surviving at our house with two curious cats.

While searching the internet, I came across several sites that sell these sets and found so many colorful and beautiful pieces! They’re all unique in their own way with different colors and designs. What I found most interesting is the different stopper designs!

I found many sets on Etsy, eBay, and 1stDibs. There are so many cool sets and shopping these sites is a great way to support small business and independent dealers/collectors! Etsy and eBay definitely had more affordable options.

I love our set and I’m so thankful it made it through many years and moving to different homes and arrived here safely. Especially since it was forgotten about inside a dresser drawer underneath a folded tablecloth. I think my great-grandmother would be happy it’s now on display in our home.

How to Carefully Restore an Old Butcher Block

by Karla · Sep 17, 2021

Of all the family pieces we have in our home, my Grandfather’s butcher block is my favorite.

Our butcher block is a piece of family and local history. My Grandfather was a butcher at our local A&P grocery store during the 1960’s and this very butcher block was his work space. The store closed in the late ’60s and they allowed him to take it with him!

He passed it along to my mother and my mother gave it to me. I’m not sure if she didn’t really want it or just didn’t feel like moving it anymore. It’s super heavy.

It took three people to carry it in here but it makes the perfect kitchen island! Not only do we have this cool and unique family piece in our kitchen, it is a wonderful space to prepare or serve food.

Every so often, the wood needs to be treated using mineral oil. The iron stand also needed painting, so I decided to get it done at the same time.

You can see the wood was really dry. I disinfect it after every use, so it takes the finish away after a while.

I decided to share the process of restoring the finish because these older pieces often need to be prepared carefully. These older butcher blocks are not easy to replace because you don’t come across them too often and they can be pricey. Luckily, that wasn’t the case for me since this was inherited, but I can definitely appreciate the rarity and value it has!

The preparation is quite a process because I sand it by hand. I don’t use a sander because I want to avoid causing dips or grooves in the wood.

It’s worth the hard work! I started by cleaning it with bleach water to disinfect it. Once it was dry, I sanded it with 120 grit sandpaper, going in the direction of the grain. I prefer not to use sandpaper more course than that.

After that, I went over it with a degreaser. The reason I did that is because the block gets a small amount of build-up that’s sometimes hard to see on the outer edges. I can see it better when I wipe it with the degreaser and it helps remove that build-up.

Once that step was done and the block was dry, I went back over it with a 220 sanding sponge. This step smoothes out the surface before applying the finish.

The mineral oil brand I use is Watco Mineral Oil, made by the Rustoleum Company. I’ve always had a good experience with this particular brand and have used it for several different wood surfaces. Mineral oil is also food-safe, which is a must for butcher blocks.

You can see a huge difference with just the first brush of mineral oil!

I could not refresh the top this time without painting the stand. I used Benjamin Moore’s Direct to Metal paint on our wrought iron porch scrolls and it had great coverage and has lasted well being exposed to the weather! I felt confident it would hold up well for the stand.

It took two coats and it’s so fluid that you can barely see any brush marks! Here’s a side-by-side comparison- obviously, the left side with the fresh coat of paint!

I couldn’t believe how beautiful the stand looked! It looks brand new!

It had many years of wear and tear but the DTM paint gave it a whole new look!

I ended up applying three coats of mineral oil, lightly sanding with 220 grit sandpaper in between coats.

I’m so happy with this refresh!

The kitchen cabinets are original to the house, which was built in 1961. I painted the cabinets years ago and I’m so glad I did- especially since the butcher block really stands out in front of them!

The block has a lot of flaws but they add character. So many stories to tell!

Those knife marks on the side are a result of the time my brother thought it would be funny to act like a professional knife-thrower when he was a kid and put gashes in the corner of the block. I remember how upset my mom was and the serious consequences he had for that. It was the first and only time that happened and it’s definitely one of those do-not-try-at-home stories. There was nothing funny about it at the time but I can’t help but laugh now when he says “I gave it character.”

Not only do we use it for food preparation, we use it for storage! We keep our cereal boxes, paper towels, pot holders, and grilling utensils inside the stand.

I allowed the surface to sit for 72 hours before preparing food on it again.

The Watco Butcher Block Oil doesn’t disappoint!

This type of project takes some work and patience but a very special piece like this is worth it. I’m so proud of my Grandaddy’s butcher block and how we have used it. I hope he would be proud of it, too!

A Review of Artifactual History’s Silver 101 Course (Polish Up on Your Silver Knowledge!)

by Karla · Aug 27, 2021

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Have you ever wondered if you have hidden treasures in your home and want to learn more about the value and detail of these items? Maybe the silver you’ve inherited, or found second-hand, has unique history you’d like to learn more about? If so, I highly recommend Sarah Reeder’s Silver 101 Course at Artifactual History!

Sarah is the owner of Artifactual History Appraisal and a very good friend of mine. I met Sarah years ago when I reached out to her through her website about a set of chairs I found at a thrift store. It turns out they were very valuable and I learned so much from her about the history of these chairs. I was able to get them authenticated by the company who designed and built them and sell them for top dollar! I know from first-hand experience that Sarah is very knowledgable and professional, and her Silver 101 Course was a wonderful learning experience!

Sarah is a certified member of the Appraiser’s Association of America and the International Society of Appraisers. She has a lengthy list of courses she’s studied in topics specific to appraising and the arts. She earned her bachelors and masters degrees from the college of William and Mary and held past positions at the Smithsonian Institute and the Library of Congress. As Co-Editor of Worthwhile Magazine, she has dedicated her time to sharing information on personal property appraisals, collecting knowledge, and providing a platform for artists and entrepreneurs in the field.

Enroll in the Silver 101 Course

Her knowledge and experience of silver appraising are poured into this course and I’m excited to share my personal experience now that I’ve participated!

I want to share with you some of the things you’ll learn in the course and how it was valuable to me. I am honored Sarah chose me as a Beta tester for the course and what I gained from it gave me so many wonderful reasons to share it with you!

I found the Silver 101 Course to be interactive and inclusive. As someone with a visually-impaired child, I noticed immediately that the the course had clear audio/visual, along with captions that were easy to read- also making this inclusive for hearing impaired individuals. The audio recording of her voice makes it very easy to follow along and she shares close-up photos showing the details in each piece.

The course became interactive to me as I hit pause a few times so I could study the pieces I had. My Grandparent’s silver set was the first item I looked at while doing the course. It’s very special to me because it was one of their wedding gifts my Grandmother passed on to me many years ago. I learned that you could identify silver pieces by touch and texture in one section of the course and that’s how I learned what I had was silver-plate! I had a few inherited silver bowls I looked at during the course, which also turned out to be silver-plate. So, I basically learned what I had wasn’t as fancy as I believed it was all these years. Maybe a good excuse to not polish it as often? The good news is, she mentioned the practicality of silver-plate, so that puts me at ease about using it more often.

The list for identifying silver was covered in detail. She shares how to examine each piece, not only by texture, but by size and weight, and even specific markings- where they are located and how to know where they were made. There are details as specific as the individual silversmith and city! I found it interesting that you can identify the different markings of the silversmith, even if they had the same initials!

I learned the unique markings and styles of silver from different countries. The English silver was my favorite in style and design and German silver is very ornate, yet more challenging to identify. I never knew Mexico was the largest silver-producing country in the world, as they have the greatest abundance of silver.

The course provides information on the value of what you have and how to further your research to maximize profit. You will learn how different types sell and find additional resources that include links to websites and books on silver collecting. It was nice to know I had other resources if I wanted to dig deeper, but the course is already filled with valuable information.

What I appreciate the most, is that Sarah taught this in a way that I could learn and figure things out myself without feeling like it was over my head. She came across as patient and with the intent that the person taking the course could have full access to the same information she has. She even provides bonus guides and templates for documentation.

I personally benefited from the course because I have made a point of going over the value and worth of the antiques and inherited pieces in our house with our children. I want them to understand what will be passed on to them so they can decide whether they want to keep it, or get maximum profit for it when the times comes. It’s also important they know the sentimental value and stories behind each piece.

I highly recommend this course, whether you have just a few pieces of silver or you’re an aspiring collector. It’s reasonably priced at just $50! That’s quite a bargain, as you will get much more out of it than you will spend.

I’ve learned so much from Sarah by taking this course and reading her articles on Artifactual History and Worthwhile Magazine! Sarah’s insight and knowledge as an appraiser is well supported by her education and experience, but the greatest quality Sarah possesses above all, is her heart for her clients. She gives careful attention to detail for their benefit and I feel that comes through in the Silver 101 Course.

Thank you for choosing me as a beta tester for Silver 101, Sarah! I look forward to your future courses at Artifactual History!

PIN–

Antique Dresser Restoration

by Karla · Aug 17, 2021

My favorite furniture pieces in our house are the family pieces that have been passed down from one generation to the next.

The dresser I’m sharing today, came from my husband’s Grandparent’s farmhouse and has been in the family for many years. I refinished it for my daughter two summers ago. I’m very proud of how it turned out and she’s very happy to have something that belonged to her Grandmother!

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When the farm was sold a couple of years ago and the family cleaned everything out, this dresser was still sitting in an upstairs room. No one else wanted it. It needed work and was missing hardware, but I thought it was worth trying to restore. It was unique and had such pretty detail.

When I finally got around to working on it, I started by stripping the entire surface with CitriStrip. I had no idea what this step would take before I began! I had to apply it a few times and take a nylon brush to the detailed scrolls at the top of the mirror frame. Not only did I have the old finish to remove, but the dresser is around seventy years old and was in a house with a wood stove. There was a lot of build-up.

*Be sure to wear protective gear, such as a mask, safety glasses, gloves, etc., when using furniture stripper. And carefully follow instructions on container.*

The old finish was slowly coming off and had the consistency of chocolate sauce! The wood beneath was beautiful.

You can see I worked into the night. What a job this was!

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The detail on the mirror frame was the hardest to strip. The old finish with the CitriStrip was coming off very thick and I had to clean out the brush a lot, using mineral spirits.

I got the remaining residue off using Mineral Spirits and course sponges, made for furniture stripping. I went through a lot of them because the hand scraper couldn’t get it all. This step is a must because the mineral spirits thin the residue and is the best for cleaning off the surface.

After the dresser was stripped, I went over the hard-to-reach areas with 80-grit sandpaper. I smoothed the entire surface with a 220-grit sandpaper. I had to do this step by hand because a sander would have left imperfections with all the detail and curves in the dresser.

Cleaning furniture with bleach water is always a good idea, especially if it’s old and possibly exposed to mold. I cleaned the inside and outside with bleach water because it was sitting in that house for a long time and had some visible mildew in the drawer bottoms.

I considered leaving the bare wood and just applying polyurethane but I noticed the wood pieces didn’t match up. So I tested different stain colors.

My Uncle once taught me about something called “Friday wood” He said that furniture companies/builders would use the different pieces of wood they had leftover on Fridays and build one piece with them. Then they would coat them in a dark stain to make it look like one uniform piece. Isn’t that interesting?

The drawer fronts were different and the tops and sides were not the same wood. I don’t know if this was some “Friday” piece but I could see it was stained dark to cover the two different types of wood. That’s the reason I decided to apply a wood stain, but wanted to keep it lighter than before.

I went with Minwax’s Golden Pecan Wood Finish stain. It was a much lighter color but dark enough to make it look uniform, again. The golden pecan gave it a beautiful honey color!

For the protective finish, I used Minwax’s Fast-Drying Polyurethane. I hadn’t used the fast-drying finish before but I was happy with the results! I did two coats, lightly sanding with 220-grit sandpaper in between. It’s really smooth and the surface shines!

I tried to clean and restore the original pulls but when I cleaned them, they were two different colors. The backplates were gold and the handles were pewter, which really didn’t look good with the lighter stain. I found these pulls which had a classic look and finish- perfect for this antique dresser!

I thought I’d go back one more time to see how it looked before…

The dresser is now in our daughter’s bedroom and she is so happy because it was her Mimi’s, and they’re very close. I know she will cherish it and hopefully will keep it in the family.

The surface is so smooth and shiny. I love that you can see the wood grain, now!

I can still see some imperfections but it’s to be expected with an antique dresser. That’s what gives it character!

After I bleached the dresser drawers, I primed the bottoms and lined them with a peel-and-stick contact paper. The dresser is in my daughter’s room with her clothes inside of it, so I didn’t want to take that chance after I had cleaned the mildew. This gave her a fresh surface to store her clothes- especially her cool sock collection!

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I hope she will enjoy this dresser for years to come! She loves that she has something that once belonged to her Mimi. Mimi was so happy with how it turned out and couldn’t believe it was the same dresser!

A Simple Gallery Wall

by Karla · Jun 1, 2021

I’ve been trying to gather pieces to create a gallery wall over our sofa for a while. I put way too much time into it and the process didn’t need to be as stressful as it was. I searched ideas on the internet and laid the pieces I had out on the floor, moving them around to get an idea of what would look best.

Once I decided to keep it simple and leave options open to add other things at some point in the future, it took a lot of stress out of piecing this together.

I started with the one picture I knew I wanted in the gallery wall and the one I loved the most- which was my Mona Lisa!

The Mona Lisa was a gift from my great-grandparents- given to me when I was just three years old! When I was that age, I loved the song Mona Lisa by Nat King Cole, and would twirl around and sing the song to the top of my lungs in my Gramma’s living room. They were always entertained by that and bought this picture so I could enjoy it when I was little and enjoy it in my own house, later on.

I’m embarrassed to say it was hiding in my utility room in our basement for years. I didn’t think I had a spot on my walls where it really worked. so I put it away. In the last few years, we found our leather sofa on Craigslist for a great price, and I won this old record cabinet at an auction for just a few dollars! When I started piecing the gallery wall together, I thought the frame around the Mona Lisa would look great with them.

I’m happy to say I’m enjoying this picture now, just as much as I did when I was three years old. AND I’m still enjoying my Gramma’s Nat King Cole record. It’s all thanks to her that I love jazz music and art so much!

This one is pretty large, so I thought Mona should be the star of the show!

Since Picasso is my favorite artist, I wanted to add his art into the mix. I found this framed canvas on Amazon that advertises one of his exhibitions in France in 1971. The price was very reasonable and the art was beautiful and also simple enough that it wouldn’t take away from the Mona Lisa. I don’t feel like the Mona Lisa takes anything away from the Picasso, either!

I struggled to find another art piece that I really loved for the wall, so I decided to throw in some plants. I ordered the half moon planter and filled it with succulents. I wasn’t sure how the plants would do in the wall planter but I attached it to the wall with screws that were big enough to hold it in in place, but were small enough not to block the holes. That way, I can take it off the wall and water the plants. This has actually worked out very well!

The small copper planter is a special piece and, like the Mona Lisa, has sentimental value. My Grandfather made that copper planter in his high school shop class in 1952! He and I were very close and I’m so happy to have this on my wall! I filled it with one succulent and mostly air plants. I wanted something easy to manage that didn’t require a lot of watering in this planter.

I thought a fun wall light would be a nice addition to the gallery wall! It’s beautiful and unique and provides low lighting at nighttime. It’s a plug-in light, so no hardwiring required!

Moving over to the record cabinet, I created another small area to extend the gallery wall with some framed pictures of our kids. We already had these framed and in another area of the living room before I started this project. I’m enjoying the mix of classic art, plants, and personal pictures in this space.

I added a few more plants in the corner, because you can never have too many plants, right? Again, plants that are easy to manage!

The old peacock chair and macrame plant hanger add to the mid-century vibe of the record cabinet. I found a simple round pad for the chair it and it’s become the cat’s chair, now. She looks like a queen as she lays around napping! She kind of blends in with the fluffy chair pad…

You can also see that the hanging plant has filled out, some. I think I’ve learned how to properly care for it but haven’t quite mastered watering it without spilling some on the floor.

I am very happy with how our gallery wall has come together. I feel this space is a nice mix of old and new. I left the space to the right of the Mona Lisa empty for now. That way, I have the option to leave everything like it is, or add something to it later. It will have to be something I really love that will go well with what I already have. I’m the type of person who will leave a wall blank until I find the right piece- and I’ve given myself that option.

Welcome back, Mona Lisa!

And sweet dreams, Ms. Luna.

Lessons Learned From My First Furniture Restoration

by Karla · May 17, 2021

Furniture restoration is a tradition in our family. My Grandfather was a talented woodworker, building and restoring beautiful furniture pieces. I watched him and my Uncle take many of these projects on. My first attempt at a furniture makeover didn’t happen until I was in my early 30s.

It was 2011 and I had enough of looking at my Grandparent’s mid-century Bassett buffet with all it’s damage. It was missing a few hardware pieces and had surface wear from years of use and water exposure. I figured I had nothing to lose and got started without thinking about it any longer.

This is the only before photo I have of the buffet. It was taken after my great grandparent’s passed and before it came to my house. The photo is really blurry, but you can see the mid-century style of the buffet and the original hardware-

The damage is hard to see in this photo above, but it was definitely there.

I sanded it as best as I could and gave it a new color using Minwax Polyshades in Bombay Mahogany. It was dark. And it got darker, as I applied four coats of the stain. If you’re not familiar with the PolyShades line, it’s stain and polyurethane in one. The surface seemed to get stronger with each coat, which was good!

I purchased all new hardware for it and proudly displayed it in our dining room and shared it on Facebook. Minwax even shared it on their Facebook page! This was 2011 so a semi-blurry photo on a camera phone was perfectly acceptable, then.

It was cool to have my Grandparent’s buffet with a refreshed surface and updated hardware. As the years have gone by and I’ve restored many other vintage pieces, I have a few regrets about this one.

It’s not all negative, so I’d like to share the pros and cons with you. Then you can decide how you’d like to take on a furniture restoration- especially, if this is a project you haven’t taken on before.

The Pros-

-This was my first restoration and because there was so much damage, there wasn’t much to lose! I was nervous about taking it on but this buffet was the reason I overcame that fear. My advice to anyone taking on a restoration for the first time, is to use a piece that is damaged and can only get better with a little (or a lot) of TLC.

-I learned how to work with stain and polyurethane. I understood the importance of sanding in between coats and how to apply it for a beautiful and protective finish.

-The damage was gone! The sanding stripped the old finish and gave me a fresh surface to work with. The surface looked nice and uniform and it looked nice in the dining room with our dark wood table and chairs.

The Cons-

-I removed all the old mid-century hardware, including the beautiful gold diamonds that were nailed into the top flat panels! (OMG!) Looking back, I realize this was a mistake. I actually threw them out! If I could do it over, I would have kept the diamonds and either searched for the replacement knobs and pulls, or found some with a mid-century style to keep with the look of that period.

-I probably wouldn’t have stained it a new color, but just applied a clear finish over the original wood surface or lightly stained it. I have come to appreciate the original look intended for these old pieces and I feel I stained it too dark. You can’t see the wood grain as well, now.

-I would have taken the time to research this piece and learn more about it’s value in keeping it close to original. I wouldn’t have been so hasty. I’ve learned it’s best to take the time to do that so you don’t take the value away from certain furniture pieces.

I am not a wood purist by any means! This is not to deter you from painting furniture or making a piece modern if that’s what you want to do. It’s yours and you have to live with it and be happy about it.

My hope is to share the lessons I’ve learned from my first restoration and hope that these positives and negatives will help you decide how you want to proceed with your furniture project!

I would advise you do some research, first! Find out what you have and search the look during that period and see if you want to keep with that look. Maybe you have a real treasure and don’t want to lose value in your piece, like I did.

I hope to find pulls and knobs that give it a more classic look. I have been on the hunt the last few months and I even found some different hardware pieces that my Grandfather had in his workshop! Some of them are pretty old and I feel what I have might fit the original look of the buffet.

Hopefully, I’ll update this with a classic look, some day!