When you are given something as lovely as this for free, sprucing it up and give it a whole new look on life is pure joy!
I don’t get my hands on Eastlake style pieces very often, but I find them to be wonderful. Usually a heavy oak grain, floral carving and simple lines make these pieces easy to spot.
I refinished a set for a client, and as she was picking up a few pieces she brought me this one, “just to see what I could do with it”. It had been around for a while, used as a TV stand, and was ready for a new home.
The first thing I did was try to repair the top edge using this method.
It actually turned out pretty well, and I was ready to paint until I dropped something on it (I can’t remember what chaos was going on in the shop) and the whole repair snapped off. So on to plan B.
Using my skill saw, I cut off the routered edge, and gave it a more simple squared off shape. If I didn’t just tell you, you would never know.
I decided on Seagull Gray Milk Paint for this piece, to lighten it up. Seagull Gray is the lightest of grays, a cool tone and goes well with many colors.
I’m keeping this piece for our new house – the girls get a new nightstand. So this gray will go well with the white and pink of the room (more on this later).
Two coats was all it took. The grain still is peeking through in many areas, but I like the look – it shows the true wood underneath.
The edges were distressed, and the floral carvings were hightlighted with some Antique White Milk Paint using a small brush – nothing fancy, I just went over those areas so they would stand out a bit more.
The hardware I took off wasn’t original, there were some extra holes hidden there. I used these clear glass pulls and popped them into place. I left the holes (you really don’t notice) because I thought it somehow added to the charm of this piece.
Most pieces with age like this aren’t perfect, this has lived a good life, so instead of covering all the age – I just added a little paint make-up and called it good.
I love an imperfectly perfect piece don’t you?
Jenni
