Have you ever refinished furniture? Are you a fan of the shabby chic / vintage s

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   WheelerWifeposted 9 years ago

   Have you ever refinished furniture? Are you a fan of the shabby chic / vintage style?
   
   

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   Chantelle Porterposted 9 years ago

   I love upcycling furniture. I use homemade chalk paint and upcycle items I find at Savers and Goodwill. So much fun!

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   ChristinSposted 9 years ago

   If it's done right it can be very nice.  Sadly, I've seen people completely ruin original pieces that were in fine condition and that makes me cringe as a lover of antiques.  Things that get upcycled like this should be pieces that were not in good original condition or were already painted.  There is a lot of original, beautiful wood out there that people are systematically destroying for kitsch items they think they can resell, but the market is saturated with chalkboard painted items already.   For an ugly piece though? sure, there are some cute techniques to give them new life.

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      Chantelle Porterposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I really don't think people should be upcycling antiques. They have a beauty that is all there own. I think for the furniture that would  be sent off to a landfill any way, it's a good way to recycle.

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      WheelerWifeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      yes totally agree! I love antique shopping and it kills me to see old pieces painted when they probably could've been preserved to their original condition. I do like the idea for pieces that were previously painted or can't be restored to original.

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   Larry Wallposted 9 years ago

   Refinishing furniture was a skill my father taught me. I am not good at repairing old furniture, but I have sanded old furniture through several coats of different color stains, paints, etc. in order to reach the bare wood. I might possibly tun an old desk into a computer table but more often will just let it be a desk. I have converted a center drawer to a keyboard slide, but that is about as far as I will go. Old furniture has a charm that should be hidden. I never paint. I use a wood stain that matches the wood that is already mixed with polyurethane. We have a high back rocking chair that we purchased at a thrift store. It has been my most successful project.

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      WheelerWifeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Larry Wall - how neat you learned those skills from your dad!

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   RTalloniposted 9 years ago

   Yes, in a variety of ways.  I do like the shabby chic/vintage styled decor, but a little goes a long way unless it is a complete theme in a room/home.  Then anything goes and there's no end to the fun that can be had with refinishing furniture!

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