Furniture Makeovers Archives | Page 2 of 110

Furniture Makeovers

1970 home renovation

1970 kitchen renovation | the antique baker’s table island

You’ve been seeing little peeks of it, but let me show you the refinished antique baker’s table and how it looks in the kitchen. As a reminder, I found this antique baker’s table at the Lucketts Spring Market a few weeks ago. I had purchased a pine counter from a blog reader for $200 (you can see that HERE), but I wasn’t convinced it was the island. It was worth picking up, though, so I had something to use until I found just the right one and I wouldn’t feel pressured. Plus, it will make a fantastic folding counter for the laundry room or in the garage as a workbench. It was a no-lose purchase. But, when I was at Lucketts, finding the kitchen island was still on my list. As I shared in my post about shopping at the Lucketts Spring Market, I initially looked at antique shop counters,

June 15, 2023 77 Comments

Furniture Makeovers

stripping an antique pine baker’s table

Who is ready for a furniture makeover tutorial? I haven’t had one of those in a while, but you can find a bunch of old ones HERE! If you’re new here, working on furniture used to be my specialty. I do refinishing, painting, upholstery, repair, slipcovers, and all types of rehab. When I moved to Minnesota, though, I shut down that part of my business and I only work on pieces here and there for my own home. I do still enjoy it to a point, but it’s not what I want to do all day every day anymore. After working on this table, my back and arms confirmed that! So, I bought this beautiful antique baker’s table at Lucketts to use as our new kitchen island. I knew that I didn’t want the black-painted base, but I also knew that was something I could address pretty easily. While I

May 23, 2023 41 Comments

All Things Home

my French dining room chairs

If you’ve followed me for while (even through this most recent move out of our MN home), you know that I’m pretty game to sell just about anything. I can’t tell you how many times Jeff has come home to an empty space where a piece of furniture once sat. He’s gotten to the point that he just shrugs and goes about his day. But there are a few pieces that I haven’t parted with, even with some pretty good offers being extended. Four of those pieces are the French chairs I’ve had in my PA dining room as well as my MN dining room. They were chairs that I hunted down for years, customized, and I can’t imagine myself selling them. Since I got them years ago and they went through a slow transformation that was documented over several posts, I thought I would share the full story of

July 25, 2022 21 Comments

Decorating

painting a vintage dough bowl

I’ve had this vintage wooden dough bowl for a few years. My mother-in-law gave it to me when they were cleaning out Jeff’s grandfather’s house. She thought I would like it and she was right. It is a practical size and shape and has a pretty patina. I’ve always thought it would look pretty with some blue paint on the bottom and, so I finally pulled it out and painted it a couple of weeks ago. I was in a mood to work on a project and this was one that’s been on the to-do list for far too long. Here’s how the vintage dough bowl started… I love how wooden pieces wear over time. Can’t you see some color on the bottom? I adore primitive wooden bowls and trenchers wearing their original milk paint, but they are always so expensive. This is a nice way to get that look

August 18, 2021 18 Comments

All Things Home

cleaning a smoke smell out of wood furniture

When you buy used furniture sometimes musty, dusty, pet, and smoke smells come with it. When it comes to severe pet and smoke odors, I’ll usually pass on a piece. They are notoriously hard to completely remove from furniture, especially upholstery. But, there are times when a piece sneaks through my filters or I’ll make an exception if I think I can remedy the issue. Jeff picked up this Facebook Marketplace find for me and, while I told him to check for sturdiness and a few other things, I didn’t tell him to check for odors. As soon as we brought it in, I would have to address the lingering stale smoke smell that came with this beautiful antique quartersawn oak table. So, I thought I would take you along and share how I go about cleaning a smoke smell out of wood furniture. This is the table I spotted

August 3, 2021 18 Comments

All Things Home

putting furniture pieces together

The piece of furniture I’m asked about most is the large antique cabinet in my studio. I totally understand why. It’s an impressive piece and one I would ask about if I saw it! If you read this blog regularly, you know its secret. It’s not one piece, but two. Not only is it two pieces married together, but two pieces that were found 1,000 miles and about three years apart. The bottom piece is a storage counter out of an old hardware store in Maryland. The top is a bookcase from the Wilder School in Minnesota. I bought it from a former student of the school who attended when it was just a one-room schoolhouse. I assured him it was going to someone who appreciated that. (The wood on both of these pieces was revived with Miss Mustard Seed’s Hemp Oil. The interior of the upper cabinet was painted

June 23, 2021 16 Comments

All Things Home

furniture makeover | painting an old stool

We had an uncommonly warm weekend, so I decided to finally work on painting this stool that’s been hanging out in my garage, waiting for some attention, for almost a year! I picked it up on one of my first antique outings when the stay-at-home orders were lifted. I had no idea what I was going to do with this stool, but I think it was $12 or $15, so it was hard to pass up. It’s sturdy, has a great shape, and pretty turned legs, and I almost always find a good use for an old stool. They are a great size and height to use as a small side table or a plant stand, so I have them all over the house! I liked the shape but I did not like the beige paint color. It wasn’t the worst beige ever, but I wanted to change the color.

May 4, 2021 21 Comments

All Things Home

slipcovering the living room sectional

Whenever my schedule starts to open up, I seem to fill it beyond capacity in no time. It can be a blessing and curse, but I can’t seem to help it! I like having a lot of things to work on and to bounce between. I work more efficiently when I am forced to stay on task to get everything done. I have certainly filled up a slow February, though, with organizing, accepting more commissioned art pieces, recording art lessons for a future class, getting ready to launch a new look on this website, and working on the layout of the book. It’s been busy, but I’m enjoying the work. So, my next big home project will have to wait for a few more weeks before I can start it… I’m going to make a slipcover for the living room sectional… When selecting the sofa, I decided to go with

February 23, 2021 23 Comments

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Now Available for Preorder

Move Slow & Make Things

A book about creativity, intention, and making things with care. Sign up to receive updates, preorder details, and exclusive bonus content.

From the Studio

Artful pieces for your home and everyday life.

From original paintings and art prints to Pup Club releases and curated goods, each piece is created or chosen to bring warmth, creativity, and character into your home.

From the Studio and Home

Shop the Feed

A handpicked collection of items styled and shared throughout posts, projects, and social feeds. Every product is thoughtfully chosen to reflect a timeless, collected aesthetic.