Staining an Old Bench

Tara, this one goes out to you! We could all use friends like Tara. Every few days, she sends me a link on facebook about a piece of bargain furniture I need to check out. She knows my taste! This was one of her treasures. A 150 year old footstool (I call it a bench) selling for $50. After a few email conversations with the seller, I was able to purchase it for $40.00 I'm not the best negotiator, but when I saw how easy it would be to re-cover, I didn't mind. Matt was not impressed when I brought it home. It was very unsturdy, and couldn't really be used:

And that begs the reason why Matt had to join in my re-do. After Matt took the entire thing apart, we set to work on individually hand-sanding each piece. With all the grooves and fine detail, it was a chore:

Once it was sanded and cleaned, Matt put it back together using new screws and wood glue to make it functional again. Promising the last owner that I would at least consider staining it back to its original color before painting it, I did exactly that. Using a dark honey walnut, I stained the base outside today. It's amazing how a little bit of sunshine and 40 degrees feels like summer in Pittsburgh after such a long, snowy February, but it was great to feel warmth on my face again. Here is the piece stained, and here is the new fabric. If you remember my lampshade project a few months back, the fabric is probably familiar. Guess I had spring on my mind indeed. Once we move, I'll recover it again in a large geometric print. After all, furniture that lasts 150 years deserves a few different makeovers in its lifetime.

Places and People to See in Pittsburgh

Good morning and happy Friday,

So I don't have any pictures to share today, although you won't have long to wait for a project post; BOTH Matt and I are working on a beautiful bench that's over 150 years old. It needed to be taken completely apart, to better secure it for everyday use. Once it's complete, I'll show you all the steps. I'm so excited to share my first furniture project with the hubbie!

Until then, I have to rave about two local vendors here in the Pittsburgh area that have won my heart, and ultimately, my pocket book. I'm all about local businesses, local artists, salvaged pieces and community restoration, and these two business owners have clearly thrown their passion into their work.

First is The Kitchen Annex in Homestead, PA, right on 8th Avenue. Not only can you shop for all the latest kitchen trends, it's adjoined to The Tin Front Cafe, so you can grab a great cup of coffee while you are there. Check out this great article about the family owned and operated stores:
http://www.svmatters.com/2010/01/annex-cookery-is-reborn-in-homestead.html

While at the Annex, I fell IN LOVE with the most beautiful dining table by local artist Rob Brandegee.

While it will take a lot of pennies and time to save for one of his pieces, it would be worth the wait. You can check out more of his work on his website:
http://www.robertbrandegeedesigns.com/

He has a loft studio in the Southside, located on Mary Street, if you ever want to see his designs in person. Hopefully one day you'll be able to see one of his beautiful dining room tables at the Lusk House!

Happy Weekend!