Definable Living

3. Choosing Refinishing Options for your Vintage Furniture Piece

Before choosing your refinishing material (wood stain vs paint) it is wise to make the decision whether any flaws in your piece will be determining the finish, or if you will be replacing any parts with flaws.

Example: The dresser I am currently working on had a large stain on the surface of the top of the dresser. From just looking at it, I couldn’t determine whether it was a surface flaw (i.e. could be sanded out) or a penetrated flaw ( goes deep below the wood surface) and I would have to replace the top panel in order to fix it.

It turns out the large stain on top of the dresser is penetrated deep into wood. Meaning, unless I plan on painting the piece, the wood panel needs to be replaced in order to fix the issue.

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When choosing a finish, it is wise to look at many samples. Paint changes color under different lighting conditions (day lighting, incandescent, fluorescent) and so look at the colors under the lighting you will see it in everyday. If staining, rubbing the wood with a wet rag will show you what the wood looks like with only polyurethane on it. Stain on top of it will change the color from that hue.

I love to use accent colors on pieces. The particular piece I’m working on has some wood trim with a strip that would easily benefit from a contrasting color. I’m thinking of using that for my accent. For less ornate pieces, stencils can add some flair to the piece.

When you’re peeking around thrift stores and rummage sales, how do you know whether you’re looking at a great deal or a piece of junk? Sometimes it’s obvious, like with my bedside table that uses the cabinet door panel as part of it’s structure (hey, it was free and I wanted something to put my glasses on at night). Junk is quite obviously junk sometimes, shortcuts to a sale for a company that has no remorse about filling the world (and landfills shortly after) with garbage.

Other times, you have to do some investigating. When I saw the lovely little jem that is currently my “after hours” project, I wasn’t first aware of the value that was in front of me. I noticed it because I thought it was a cute little (ok, big) piece that had vintage charm and looked like it would be right at home in a 1960s boudoir, complete with a makeup table with beautiful family antique mirrors accessory trays. Simply stated, it stuck out.

I walked up to it, crouched down and look a closer look at the trim that outlines the center drawers and wraps around the sides (a detail seldom seen today). Next I took a little peek inside the drawers to see if it was in good condition. The outside finish was in rough shape and it was missing a few pieces of trim, but inside the drawers it was as if it was brand new. Peeking around the side of the drawer I discovered the magic detail, beautiful dovetail joints. In awe, I close the drawer and take a step back to look again. Certainly this piece was going for several hundred dollars and was just above the price range of the other dozens of people who have walked past it before me. I grabbed hold of the price tag wrapped around the drawer hardware, flipped it over and took a look.

WOW! It was almost a sign I was meant to have this dresser. Granted, this piece is from the manufacturing company Link-Taylor (a detail I discovered from the stamp in one of the drawers). Which was by no means an extremely high end manufacturer. They were part of a larger corporation and they mainly manufactured mid-range (but decent quality) bedroom sets. (I googled them when I came home, and although I haven’t found this same dresser anywhere else, it is quite obvious that they had various other styles and a full line of pieces). Nonetheless, someone saved up their pennies and purchased this after much thought and consideration. This was most likely a piece that was bought for a starter home when a couple was finally able to purchase their own things (instead of just taking everyone’s hand me downs to fill the house). I had no idea how this dresser slipped through so many other fingers to fall right into my hands, with such a great deal I felt as though it was a bargain I could not pass up.

I had no place to put this piece for the refinishing it was about to endure, and I wasn’t even sure how I was going to get it into my apartment (vintage buildings with tiny elevators do no one favors when it comes to moving furniture). I just knew I had to take it or I’d regret it for months to come.

*Stay tuned for a full post with detailed info on how to determine if a vintage (or new piece) is junk or a jem!

This is the start of “Ten Things I <3”

This week: Cabinetry hardware

Hardware is a great perfect way to update a piece of vintage furniture, whether hardware be your “quick fix” or the only necessary update to a piece, these products will make your furniture look absolutely divine!