How to Refinish Solid Wood Furniture Legs + Arms

We ordered the velvet (yay!) and we'll be dropping off the chair at Kessels Upholstery soon.  But first our little garbage chair needed some love.  We stripped and re-stained its light wood legs and sanded and oiled its solid wood arms.  But somewhere along the way I goofed . . .

First up, the legs.  They were weird light wood, did you spot that?  They didn't go with our other furniture and they didn't go with the chair's arms.  We unscrewed them and gave them a good sand (using 120 and then 220 grit sandpaper) and applied stain.  For the stain, we used the same brand that worked wonders for Hubby's DIY welded desk (Saman), this time in "dark walnut".  We picked the stain because on the sample board it looked like the same ashy brown hue as the arms. 

Nope.

Before we delve into that, here are the application details:

1. Hubs and I sanded the legs, removing the previous coating entirely until we had bare wood.
2. Using a foam brush, I applied the stain along the entire length of the leg (I started doing only the bottom or top half and then they didn't match, so I worked the whole length, and applied stain all the way around).
3. Once the whole leg was covered in stain, I wiped off excess with a clean, lint-free rag.
4. I let it dry overnight and then applied a second coat. 
5. I let it dry overnight again, then Hubs applied Danish Oil as a finish coat (I'll explain the oil below).

Actually refinishing the wood legs was easy.  They look amazing and the darker stain hides some of the dints and scuffs we couldn't sand out.  The dark stain covered all problems areas (this is why I like to wear dark pants).  The problem is, now the legs are darker than the arms!

The arms were trickier because they were stained and marked.

We gave them a really good sand - first with a 120 grit and then following up with a 220 grit.  I used a sanding block to help keep the pressure even.  It took some love (we each took an arm and sanded for an hour or so), but it was worth it!  These solid wood arms looked gorgeous again.  But really, really light.  Something made abundantly clear once the legs had been stained really, really dark.

After sanding, we wiped them clean with a damp rag and let them dry.  Then I applied some Danish Oil, which is a lot thicker than Teak Oil, as per the instructions:

1. I applied a really thin coat with a lint-free cloth.
2. After 5 minutes, I wiped off the excess.
3. I let them sit overnight, then I rubbed the arms with a cloth to "burnish" them.
4. I repeated this process, adding a second and third coat.

Here's the other side, all oiled and lovely:

The arms turned out lovely.  But still a bit lighter than anticipated and a much warmer hue than planned.  I thought even after oiling they would stay ashy, but the oil has a yellowness to it.  Now the dark/light clash has switched!

Oh well.  I love the arms (the wood grain is gorgeous) and if, when it's all upholstered, I don't love the legs I can remove them and re-finish again, or just replace them.  What I learned from this is to buy the stain after the wood I'm refinishing is stripped and sealed, for a better match.  I also learned I love Danish Oil!  We also applied some to our little random stool/table and it made the wood that much richer.  Supposedly it builds a durable, water-resistant finish (and has a satin sheen when it's dry, so nothing too glossy). 

P.S. Here are the two products were used: Saman water-based stain in Dark Walnut (also available at Canadian Tire) and Tried and True Danish Oil (also available from Lee Valley). 

Easy and Delicious Meatloaf Recipe

Growing up, the "good" dishes and "everyday" dishes dichotomy was short-lived in our house after our "everyday" dishes proved too cheaply made to actually withstand the everyday, and our sturdy "good" dishes, that actually could weather the daily use, languished in the cupboard.  When the last crummy "everyday" dish bit the biscuit, my Mom decided to just use and enjoy the fancy Villeroy and Boch dishes she had received as wedding gifts (this cute floral pattern and the simple cream version with the same shape).  In 25+ years hardly any of these dishes broke, no matter how rough we were on them, and every family meal (even pizza night) felt special.  When I moved out, my Mom scored some nice Villeroy and Boch dinnerware at HomeSense for me, in a classic white, and Hubs and I have been enjoying many an elegant pizza night on them for years.  When Villeroy and Boch contacted me to review something new, I jumped at the chance.  I was offered a choice between six options, including adorable Anumut orange-trimmed salad plates and Colour Concepts cranberry hued glassware.  I chose the Urban Nature Platter and Bridge set because I thought they would pair nicely with my current dinnerware and colourful linens.  I'm planning open shelving for the lakehouse kitchen and figured these would make a subtle statement on display too!

Hubs and I were both shocked at their scale and heft when they arrived:

These pieces will definitely not get knocked over easily at our next dinner party (it's that German engineering!).  I love these two serving pieces because they work well separately and together.  The platter is excellent for piling on burgers for a summer BBQ and I've already used the bowl for holding fruit on the counter.  I'll admit, while I'm a proponent of using good dishes, I don't always use special serving ware.  I often favor oven-to-table Pyrex or Jadeite, but some meals just look plain ugly when they emerge from the oven . . . like my meatloaf:

Taking two seconds to place the meatloaf on my new platter and toss a salad into the bridged bowl has the same effect using good china everyday does: making a simple meal that much more special.  Hubs and I want to enjoy whatever time left we have in the townhouse, so we've been prying ourselves away from the television and eating at our dining room table!

I've never used place cards, decorated the table with confetti, or even put the cutlery in the right order (I'm a lefty).  I use my Villeroy and Boch dishes with vintage napkins, glassware and cutlery, paired with a colourful, DIY tablecloth (similar to this one).  Simple.

Where do you stand on the good dishes/everyday dishes spectrum?

P.S. Here's my yummy meatloaf recipe:

Approx. 3 lbs ground turkey
1 diced onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/4 cup mustard
1 cup dried parsley
1 cup shredded carrot
Salt and pepper

Mix all of the ingredients in one bowl and shape into a loaf in a large greased baking pan.  I read somewhere that using a glass pan larger than the loaf helps heat circulate.  Cook for 1.5 hours at 350°F (use a meat thermometer to be sure it's cooked).  Then, if you're anything like us, you can then get totally lazy and throw together some lettuce, pecans, dried cranberries and feta cheese with a balsamic vinaigrette and call it a day.

Villeroy and Boch provided the Urban Nature platter and bridge for review, but I was not asked or encouraged to write positive things.  That my Mom and I are long time fans and have our own Villeroy and Boch dinnerware is a fun coincidence!

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Instant Gratification: Mid-Century Furniture Makeovers

For some reason, I seem to lose track of time more than most people.  I'm constantly writing the wrong day, month and year on my cheques.  I never believe the actual date - it can't be August 5th already, it just can't (I had to check that twice).  Even though time flies, things seem to move slowly.  Projects take awhile.  Meatloaf leftovers seem to take forever to be eaten (cake is a different story).  This house feels like it is taking ages to sell.  When I choose other blogs to read, I like someone who keeps a pace similar to mine, so I feel like I'm along for the ride (and that I'm not left behind, like a sloth wading through molasses as I tackle my own DIYs).  But occasionally I want instant gratification: hit me with a slew of delicious before + afters, don't make me wait.  Let me live vicariously, for one coffee break at least (that will go by in a blur). 

While I make you wait, I thought I'd share some beautiful mid-century furniture makeovers I stumbled across on Remnant, the blog of a husband and wife team who specialize in mid-century wares.  Ready?

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Incredible, right?  See more on their blog.  Oh yes, and they also make the prettiest reclaimed wood tables I've seen.  They had me at hits of turquoise.  Is it weird to assume people this prolific are supernatural?

Swoon more here

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How to Make an Old Fashioned Floor Plan with Graph Paper

I know there are a million online floor plan generators out there, but I like my old-fashioned way: my Mom draws a scaled version on graph paper, then I measure my furniture and create scaled cut-outs which I colour with pencil crayon.  When else will I get a chance to bust out my pencil crayons?

I've been working on more detailed plans for the lakehouse, especially layouts.  I want to figure out what furniture will transition and what won't work, so I can sell things before the move.  Also, we're moving to a much smaller city, so now's my chance to source things I might not find there.  I'm getting organized!

The living room layout gave me a bit of difficulty because intuition says the sofa should point toward our fancy-pants lake view, but I want it pointing toward the television so I can watch Rookie Blue.  There's no room above the fireplace for the television because that's where the fireplace vents that circulate the heat are located.  There's no room on either side, either, unless I want a smaller tube TV shoved into the corner (hear that? That's Hubby sobbing at the thought).  And then there's a wall of windows . . .

Eventually I came up with this layout (and it took a surprisingly long time!):

The sofa will be against the windows but pulled out a foot or so.  Our Ikea wall unit will make the trek with us and live opposite the sofa.  We're ditching the teak side tables in lieu of handmade ones that will tuck in closer and higher (bottom left).  We're moving the mint chair, mint table and one of my favorite paintings of Hubby's grandpa's into the living room to create a little lake-facing-nook beside the wall unit.  We thought about a sectional, but with a sofa and accent chairs, we can move the chairs to face the window when we want to relax with a book and stare dreamily at the waves.

The soon-to-be-made-over velvet chair will take centre stage.  Eventually I hope to get a grey leather sofa that is lower, with more mid-century lines, to replace our cream one.  In the meantime, we're planning to make or buy a new ottoman in a more modern shape and fabric. 

Crate & Barrel

Anthropologie

This goes without saying: I'm painting out the wood flanking the fireplace.  I'd like to paint the stone and the whole wall a deep charcoal grey, but Hubby is opposed to painting the stone because it matches the exterior of our house.  For now, the gold will get de-goldified, the ceiling fan and dining room light are first to hit the chopping block, and we'll say good-bye to all of the skinny oak trim!  Any volunteers to paint out the trim on those top windows?

Right now we're still in limbo, unsure when we'll actually start working on the lakehouse because we have not sold the townhouse yet, but I don't mind: it's giving me a chance to get prepared.  I need to keep repeating that so I don't start feeling antsy about the uncertainty.  I hate uncertainty, but sometimes good things come from it. 

For a little distraction, look how adorable the original townhouse plans look!  I saved these from 2009.   The ottoman is the only piece of living room furniture that is the same.  But the dining room table and chairs are identical (just oriented differently). 

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July is Done. Did We Have Fun?

July was pretty productive for us!  We wrapped up a few townhouse projects (but still have more) and staged the house for sale.  It was hugely satisfying to finally finish the bar cart . . .

paint the basement door mint and add some handy cork . . . 

and finally see my Hungarian embroidery become the prettiest pillow ever . . . 

We gave the main floor powder room one final spruce.  This photo shows the original "before" and after, but check out the post to see how this space has evolved slowly over the last four years.

With my Dad's help, I also addressed a few cosmetic fixes: hiding a pipe with trim and painting the baseboard heaters.

Our house hasn't needed much staging, but we took on the arduous task of swapping the bedrooms to their rightful position - moving our King sized bed into the proper master and sliding the Queen guest bed into the secondary bedroom we've called home. 

I miss the view from the old room, but the swap has the added benefit of letting me show off our headboard better!  Our old bedroom didn't leave much room at the foot of the bed for me and my camera to fit.

The dining room and kitchen weren't touched for staging, but the living room was decluttered and staged a bit.  A huge round mirror replaces a personal (and potentially distracting) Hungarian poem stenciled onto a mirror we antiqued. 

We now officially own our lakehouse!  And another lakehouse I thought was a contender now has a new owner too.  Here's a peak inside.

I also held a giveaway with Olive Leaf Stencils . . .

. . . and reviewed Annie Sloan's Colour Recipes book.

With the review, you saw a peek at the colours I'm considering for the turquoise kitchen!

We also made sure we had fun, and we spent a week seeing our favorite bands at an Ottawa musical festival.  Zooey Deschanel in person, pinch me!

It was also fun to see Apartment Therapy feature my laundry room curtains out of the blue!! 

August will be just as busy!  I still have a basement makeover to show you, plus a project that improved the look of every room (and only required some paint and patience), some furniture refinishing, and hopefully even a velvet chair makeover.  I'm behind in my Money Talks series - I think chatting about mortgages might be appropriate!  And as soon as the townhouse sells, I will share the nitty gritty about that.  Soon we'll start tackling the lakehouse too . . .

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