THANK YOU for providing an experts view in regards to painting antique furniture. This has always been my viewpoint--and you wouldn't believe the 'push-back' I get from others---none of whom have the slightest clue about the furniture refurb process----as though it were some sort of CARDINAL SIN to keep every wood piece that wasn't purchased at Ikea in it's 'natural' state. While I wouldn't dream of slapping coats of chalk paint on my Aunt's Chippendale side table, it is ridiculous and downright wasteful NOT to give older pieces that would otherwise be unusable or unloved a fresh finish for a new life.
I agree whole heartedly! I think the cardinal sin would most likely be to let a piece sit with a failing finish until it ends up in a landfill just because you don't believe in painting it! ❤
I have seen other refinishers use one or two applications of oxalic acid to remove dark stains. Just something you didn't mention and might want to try at some point. Although a bit of a purist, I would much rather see an old piece refurbished and painted to have a new life. Loved how the dresser turned out ... but then all your pieces are all winners!
@@wintertexan7980 Agree!! I am somewhat of a purist as well. Especially if it's well a constructed piece made of finer materials, regardless of its age. For me, many of those wood finishes are too beautiful to cover up...especially if there's little-to-no repair work to be done. There is no need to slap paint on EVERYTHING.
This is a FANTASTIC makeover. Perfect example of how sometimes we have a vision in mind that doesn’t pan out, but can still become a beautiful piece that remains in use for years to come. I’m personally sick to death of the “paint ruins antiques” mentality, as though we haven’t been painting furniture since the BEGINNING of furniture! It’s true that some pieces should never be touched but the vast majority of the furniture out there isn’t worth more than the 80-150 bucks of fb marketplace that they are listed for, in current, dilapidated condition. Museum worthy, high value pieces are RARRRRRRE, but so many people act like every mass produced, depression era little dresser is worth a fortune and it’s just simply not.
You showed respect for this vintage piece. I can’t think of many people who would have embraced it in its “before” condition. The final product is gorgeous, and beautifully done. Two thumbs up from this admirer. 👍🏻👍🏻
The decision to paint did not come easy for you. Thanks for giving this piece such thought and love. It looks great and has a new life. That’s what counts.
Having enjoyed several of your videos, now TH-cam is feeding me furniture makeover and restoration videos by the dozen and i have sampled some of the others. May i just say that i really appreciate the production value of yours. You program and edit to keep the video a story of the piece of furniture and your process with it, very nicely done and making you stand out from the crowd. Plus i love your cheerful personality.
Andersonville, Tennessee here! Beautiful transformation! You know I believe in doing whatever it takes to restore a piece and make it functional. Every time I paint a vintage piece, I think of Taylor Swift's song: "Haters gonna hate, hate, hate--so shake it off!" And I do and get to painting! 😂
You didn't change the style of the piece, it still looks like a Victorian dresser, the antique it is. What you did is take it from old and tired to new and fresh. Looks amazing.
First: not every antique is valuable, unless it is a much beloved family piece - then it is unique to that family. Painting this piece gave it another whole "Lifetime" to be loved & cared for and You did a beautiful job saving it. Lovely and graceful, honoring the piece itself & the new owner that will love it as it is. Thank you again Katie, Your work is an inspiration to us all. Stay safe, stay well & Please, keep up the beautiful work! ♥♥♥!!!
You have given it a lift with the milk paint. And it a classy aged look, not faux shabby. Dead impressed with your hard work, problem-solving process & the end result. ❤
I grew up with furniture that my mom found in the trash. It was mostly Victorian, and my mom would often paint it. She never even thought about restoring it. Even back then, those old pieces looked way less scary to my eye when they were painted a cheery colour. Job well done Katie! You are an inspiration. P.S. the joinery is actually enhanced by the adjacent paint.
Painted furniture has been around for hundreds of years, as long as the 1600s. If a piece can only be saved by painting it, well, that’s what needs to be done. I love natural wood furniture as well as painted furniture. I say, to each his own. I love watching a beautiful piece being restored but I also love a painted piece that has been done well. I love it, I feel you did a great job!
Not every piece of antique furniture deserves a natural finish. They weren’t all intended to have their grain shine through. 💁🏼♀️ You extended the life of this one.
I find that people who complain about painted furniture have no knowledge of the history of furniture. Painted furniture has an amazing history! It makes the appreciation of painted pieces so much more meaningful. This is a beautiful piece and you’ve preserved it’s history and it’s future.
Just because a piece is an antique doesn't mean it was a precious sacrosanct piece made of valuable wood even when new. Your artist's eye and hard work added to its value and made it viable for years to come; in the state you found it, no one would have kept it except in the garage and then on the burn pile! Now it is beautiful--I love what you did with the all-over oil finish, too. Great work, Katie.
People have very old fashioned ideas about more than just wood. Some would have us in the dark ages forever. 😆 Every time I see any bare wood, I immediately want to paint it.
Refinishing furniture the way you do it is an art. You as the artist are the one to decide what is the correct finish for a certain piece. You have taken this rather dilapidated old dresser and turned it into a lovely piece that most of us would be very happy to have in our home. Your work is great, I enjoy watching each video
Totally agree on refinishing. A friend gave me an 1890s roll top desk. It was in several pieces. I had to tear it apart and completely redo it in order for it to be functional again. Furniture is to be used. If it looks like crap, it's just going to rot in a garage somewhere...
It looks great as you've finished it. I may be the only one, but I didn't mind the dark stain that you couldn't remove. The look after you sprayed it with shellac would have been a great stopping point for me. It had its own rustic charm.
I’m of the opinion that it’s your furniture, you can do what you want with it! Your piece turned out lovely! I’m glad you added the gold on the drawer keyholes at the end.
Definitely you extended and conserved this dresser. Frankly, you didn't have much choice. I think you made your decisions regarding this piece with thoughtfulness and consideration. Well done Katie.
Furniture pieces are objects that are meant to be used and not end up in the land fill. If the piece is authentic, made of good quality materials, and enough of it is intact, then it is worth restoration to its original state. In this case, you investigated its condition properly and noted that the wood was already marred with a deep stain that could not be removed. From then on, it's fine to update. The fact that you saved the original hardware and used "old fashioned" milk paint were both thoughtful uses of materials. You did an excellent job!
I COMPLETELY AGREE with painting antique furniture pieces if they are too far gone to stain. Thank you for keeping it real and sticking to your guns with what you believe is best! Take care and much love from Colorado Springs!
I love this makeover to an absolutely INSANE degree!!! You did NOT "ruin" it - it was tired and you turned it into an antique that feels fresh enough to last for another 100 years or more! You absolutely restored it 🥰
I loved how this piece turned out - so very pretty! I am amazed at the rudeness of others as they push their OPINION about painting furniture! I am in a decorating group on Facebook and a woman shared a photo of a gorgeous armoire with lots of carving. She painted it white and distressed it. It looked absolutely amazing and honestly, the beautiful carving really stood out with the distressing. She rescued the piece from an old barn where it was slowly wasting away (there was even a snake living in it - yikes!). So she basically saved it from the landfill. I was totally shocked at the nasty, rude comments about how she ruined the piece by painting it. She had pretty thick skin when it came to the comments, but I couldn't help think to myself what a strange world we live in, that the antique purist police have to shoot down something that brings others happiness. I always hear the "painting it will bring down the value" comment. Exactly where does everyone think people are selling these pieces of furniture at - Christie's Auctions? Most of us are just wanting to add them into our home decor while making it fit our design style. I happily paint furniture and some I don't. All of it brings me joy!
Definitely an upgrade. This is the sort of piece that I, personally, would have passed by - thinking it's too much work or it would never go with anything else in my home. If a piece is solid and previous 'upgrades' don't destroy it, it's worth trying to refinish and bring back to orignial. But...in your case, nothing you tried worked. Painting, aside from setting it on the curb, is the only option and a fine option it turned out to be. It's beautiful and a piece I would be proud to display in my home and, more importantly, use. Thanks, Katie.
Furniture is meant to be used. Unless it is a museum piece, i think you should do whatever you have to to make it function. I think the piece looks great.
GOSH, KATIE! You certainly gave it your ALL to refinish this Grand Dam to her former glory. Time and unskilled peeps were not kind to her. 😢 I appreciate your supreme effort to keep “ original”. It must have been very disappointing for you after all your hard work, time, and even expense to admit defeat. She still turned out BEAUTIFUL!!! Your skill is phenomenal! Great work ❤.
I think that this piece deserves a special spot in someone’s home. Thank you for renewing it to last hundreds of years into the future. Milk paint looks very interesting
It looks great! My take on the whole antiques and paint is this. If it’s still in great shape and it can be restrained, then do it, if you want to. You own it, you get to choose. For this piece, I don’t think many people would want it in their home with the old finish, but your work made it into something desirable in modern culture so it doesn’t end up at the dump.
Unfinished this beauty would have ended up as storage in a garage, not proudly shining as she once did! You gave it EVERYTHING you had in your vast knowledge arsenal….. I think the classic design done in a modern color scheme really creates a new era! The same care of giving it a quality paint job makes it a complete STUNNER!!!!!
When I first started refinishing furniture, I would never have painted a piece. However, these days I don't hesitate to paint furniture especially if the finish is compromised to the point of the dresser, you just finished. Actually, I have an oak dresser that I've had for over 40 years and plan to paint it this summer. Times have changed...go with what is best for you! Your dresser came out just beautiful.
You definitely gave this new life. Purists would say don't paint wood. You are to be commended for your patience in trying to stain it. End result is perfect farmhouse chic. Well done Katie.
I love the fact you tried to return the piece to it's original finish. Seeing all the different techniques tried along with final realization this was not possible enabled us to see the beautiful paint chosen. Love your work😘
It looks wonderful! Kudos to you for trying for so long to maintain the wood. Sometimes it just isn't meant to be. I would proudly have a piece like that in my home. Well done!
Such an improvement! In my area, people just won't buy a piece (antique or not) if it looks bad. It's hard enough to get them to buy used pieces that look great. I hope someone loves that piece for many years. :)
Í agree with Karen. You did much, much more than most people would to try to save this piece's integrity. That you selected milk paint furthered your preservation attempts, and the history of the piece. Your cleaning the hardware was right on. The pressed pieces were a garish gold, just your cleaning improved them vastly! What you did to get the handles to match showed your professionalism. In short, a most beautiful piece.
The dresser now looks great. Just because a piece of furniture is old does not mean it also has inherent value as an antique (even if it once belonged to someone’s grandparents!). You did the right thing. Watching your videos also makes me realize my vague intentions to refinish old pieces of furniture that we have will never come to pass. I don’t have the the skills, the equipment, the experience, or the eye for aesthetics that you so clearly possess. You do great work.
There was no value in the way it was. You created value. I also feel because it’s old doesn’t mean it can’t be painted. You realize as I do that many pieces are made out of different types of wood and very difficult to restore. Plus it is very much a pleasure to look at a beautiful piece. If it has been painted I enjoy it, if it has decoupage and stamping on I enjoy it, and I love all natural woods. So thank you for your artistry
I love the final piece! You did great and put a lot of thought into this and every project you do! I’m a fairly new fan and am watching more of your videos! And liking them too!! ❤️❤️❤️
I love what you did here. No better way to “preserve” our old pieces than to use them. And that often means painting them to help them fit in our decor.
This piece looks fabulous! I appreciate how you went through the whole process. The part regarding the drawers, where you put the piece of wood in so the drawer would not go back too far was helpful.
As always you did a wonderful job. You gave it a new life that the new generation will love. Definitely kept it from a landfill. I have one similar to it and has few cigarettes burns on it so I'll keep what you did in mind when I go to refinish it
I don’t understand how it could be possible to think you did anything other than extend the life of this piece by refinishing it so beautifully. Another piece saved. 😊❤
No doubt you improved this piece. You went above and beyond what anyone would have done to restore it but it was not cooperating. This piece, as it was, would probably have been trashed. I am glad to see someone did want to sell it realizing it had value due to it's age but they were clearly lucky that you came along and gave it life again....and maybe for another 100 years. Katie, it looks great!
Absolutely stunning. I wouldn’t have thought to make it as rustic as you did, and it’s perfect! And it’s my opinion that you didn’t waste your time - you gave it your best effort to give the piece a more natural wood look, and it just wasn’t meant to be! I think you have a good eye for design and I always trust your choices. ❤
You did such a great job ! I love that you used milk paint and hemp oil, both materials that would have been available at the time this piece was made !!!
It’s the quality of the antique that should merit its complete preservation. But I think a coat of paint has also happily disguised some real treasures for future generations to discover.
The wood seems to say what it needs. You did such a great job “reading” what the wood had to say. The joinery is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing the journey. Lovely results.
I SO AGREE WITH YOU! I have an antique from my great-grandfather. It is late 1800 early 1900’s. It is this VERY dark piece. My family has HATED it for years. I was SO torn about painting I have let it sit in my house for 15 years with everyone almost despising it. One day someone left a bottle of cleaner on it. Somehow the tiniest little hole was in the bottom of the cleaner bottle. I had a piece of glass on top thinking I was protecting it. But that cleaner found it’s way underneath. By the time I noticed it, it had completely destroyed the finish on top. I was MORTIFIED. I cried for days. I finally looked up what the piece might truly be worth and I could have “Maybe” got $1,500 for it MAX. But I wasn’t ever going to sell it, especially for that little. So I started stripping it. The top is GORGEOUS Walnut. We couldn’t even see that through the really dark finish. I had a knee replacement and so it has sat for a while now (with a cover on it!) haha. And am planning a paint/wood combo on it. Since the frame is another type of wood. I got smart and asked my 22 year old daughter what colors she would like it to be if she inherits it. Luckily I loved her Idea and I am going for it. If I had left it, NO-ONE in my family would have ever wanted it. This way it will remain in the family and be loved and enjoyed. After I made that VERY DIFFICULT for me decision , I had the most amazing peace in my heart, mind and soul. I knew that’s what my great-grandfather wanted. He wanted it to be loved as he did. And he didn’t care about it remaining the same forever. And that’s what I needed to move forward with it. I have learned a very important lesson from this. Sometimes an antique dresser will be more cherished, loved and used if it’s Beautiful to the owner. I will also put down some shellac, so if anyone on wants to refinish it at a later time. I no longer cringe when I see antiques painted. You did a Wonderful job with this. It is SO much prettier than it looked in the before picture. I don’t think there will be many people that wouldn’t love this now. Where as before, the buyers would be severely limited. And it’s good for another 100 years. Way to go and save a sad situation with the dark stain into a stunning piece of furniture. And you put so much time into trying!! You are so talented and it shows in your work. Thanks, as always, for your teachable videos. And for donating so many back to those in need. You are amazing.
This is a beautiful compromise on a stubborn piece. You can't do what you can't do. This one would never have reverted back to the original wood, so I agree with you that it needed a fresh new longer life. Great choice, Katie!
I especially loved the original hardware and the fancy joints (can't recall name) and agree with you that you extended the life of this Victorian Era dresser (after doing all you could not to paint over the wood) and brought it forward into the current century.
How could anyone find fault with your efforts! It turned out so much better than, perhaps, it deserves to :) Someone is going to adore this piece - well done! 🙏
I think it looks beautiful!! I love the colour you chose, and the gold handles/escutcheons look great with that colour. I don't see a problem with painting wood: for one thing, it's not a wildly fancy wood that you are painting over - in fact, years ago, that kind of wood would maybe already have been painted, but to look like a more expensive wood, so what is the difference? And in fact, a lot of antique wood pieces were originally painted too - or at least that is the case in Europe... And you kept the wonderful details like the joints (I've never seen that kind before!) and the original handles. So for me, you've extended and improved its life and I hope no-one will have anything bad to say about your decision! Thank you for sharing your process. I love your videos!
This was a study in trying your best to get clear of past impressions that were not original. I appreciate and can benefit from your labors. The final dainty but strong persona is an eye opener. And I thought to self:"You already got that hemp oil,never used yet". Thank you. I look up to my Canadian friends and their care of what could have been lost treasures.
You did a beautiful job. The dresser really wasn’t in usable condition with that original finish. By giving it a makeover, you saved it from the landfill!
I agree with you. Sometimes all the wear and tear over the life of a piece cannot be undone. I often do wood/paint combo for that reason. Great look !You gave it a new life !!
THANK YOU for providing an experts view in regards to painting antique furniture. This has always been my viewpoint--and you wouldn't believe the 'push-back' I get from others---none of whom have the slightest clue about the furniture refurb process----as though it were some sort of CARDINAL SIN to keep every wood piece that wasn't purchased at Ikea in it's 'natural' state. While I wouldn't dream of slapping coats of chalk paint on my Aunt's Chippendale side table, it is ridiculous and downright wasteful NOT to give older pieces that would otherwise be unusable or unloved a fresh finish for a new life.
I agree whole heartedly! I think the cardinal sin would most likely be to let a piece sit with a failing finish until it ends up in a landfill just because you don't believe in painting it! ❤
@@traceyrice9359 Well said!! Agree 100%!
I have seen other refinishers use one or two applications of oxalic acid to remove dark stains. Just something you didn't mention and might want to try at some point.
Although a bit of a purist, I would much rather see an old piece refurbished and painted to have a new life. Loved how the dresser turned out ... but then all your pieces are all winners!
@@wintertexan7980 Agree!! I am somewhat of a purist as well. Especially if it's well a constructed piece made of finer materials, regardless of its age. For me, many of those wood finishes are too beautiful to cover up...especially if there's little-to-no repair work to be done. There is no need to slap paint on EVERYTHING.
100%!!!!!! THIS!
This is a FANTASTIC makeover. Perfect example of how sometimes we have a vision in mind that doesn’t pan out, but can still become a beautiful piece that remains in use for years to come.
I’m personally sick to death of the “paint ruins antiques” mentality, as though we haven’t been painting furniture since the BEGINNING of furniture! It’s true that some pieces should never be touched but the vast majority of the furniture out there isn’t worth more than the 80-150 bucks of fb marketplace that they are listed for, in current, dilapidated condition. Museum worthy, high value pieces are RARRRRRRE, but so many people act like every mass produced, depression era little dresser is worth a fortune and it’s just simply not.
You showed respect for this vintage piece. I can’t think of many people who would have embraced it in its “before” condition. The final product is gorgeous, and beautifully done. Two thumbs up from this admirer. 👍🏻👍🏻
As always you did a beautiful job!!!
No one can say you didn't try. I love the imperfections you left, it gives it charm. Beautiful finish.
I think it looks great! It was a daunting project, but you are a professional, so you made it perfect!
The decision to paint did not come easy for you. Thanks for giving this piece such thought and love. It looks great and has a new life. That’s what counts.
Having enjoyed several of your videos, now TH-cam is feeding me furniture makeover and restoration videos by the dozen and i have sampled some of the others. May i just say that i really appreciate the production value of yours. You program and edit to keep the video a story of the piece of furniture and your process with it, very nicely done and making you stand out from the crowd. Plus i love your cheerful personality.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the kind words, I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos!
Andersonville, Tennessee here! Beautiful transformation! You know I believe in doing whatever it takes to restore a piece and make it functional. Every time I paint a vintage piece, I think of Taylor Swift's song: "Haters gonna hate, hate, hate--so shake it off!" And I do and get to painting! 😂
You didn't change the style of the piece, it still looks like a Victorian dresser, the antique it is. What you did is take it from old and tired to new and fresh. Looks amazing.
First: not every antique is valuable, unless it is a much beloved family piece - then it is unique to that family. Painting this piece gave it another whole "Lifetime" to be loved & cared for and You did a beautiful job saving it. Lovely and graceful, honoring the piece itself & the new owner that will love it as it is. Thank you again Katie, Your work is an inspiration to us all. Stay safe, stay well & Please, keep up the beautiful work! ♥♥♥!!!
You have given it a lift with the milk paint. And it a classy aged look, not faux shabby. Dead impressed with your hard work, problem-solving process & the end result. ❤
I grew up with furniture that my mom found in the trash. It was mostly Victorian, and my mom would often paint it. She never even thought about restoring it. Even back then, those old pieces looked way less scary to my eye when they were painted a cheery colour.
Job well done Katie! You are an inspiration.
P.S. the joinery is actually enhanced by the adjacent paint.
Painted furniture has been around for hundreds of years, as long as the 1600s. If a piece can only be saved by painting it, well, that’s what needs to be done. I love natural wood furniture as well as painted furniture. I say, to each his own. I love watching a beautiful piece being restored but I also love a painted piece that has been done well. I love it, I feel you did a great job!
You cleaned it up and made it attractive.
you kept it out of a landfill!! You always do beautiful work and I would love it in my home!!
Not every piece of antique furniture deserves a natural finish. They weren’t all intended to have their grain shine through. 💁🏼♀️ You extended the life of this one.
I find that people who complain about painted furniture have no knowledge of the history of furniture. Painted furniture has an amazing history! It makes the appreciation of painted pieces so much more meaningful. This is a beautiful piece and you’ve preserved it’s history and it’s future.
Just because a piece is an antique doesn't mean it was a precious sacrosanct piece made of valuable wood even when new. Your artist's eye and hard work added to its value and made it viable for years to come; in the state you found it, no one would have kept it except in the garage and then on the burn pile! Now it is beautiful--I love what you did with the all-over oil finish, too. Great work, Katie.
I think you made a really good decision to use milk paint ..you turned this piece into a gem! 👍
Great job. You can’t destroy the value when it was in such bad shape it had no value. You gave it life & value.
People have very old fashioned ideas about more than just wood. Some would have us in the dark ages forever. 😆 Every time I see any bare wood, I immediately want to paint it.
Refinishing furniture the way you do it is an art. You as the artist are the one to decide what is the correct finish for a certain piece. You have taken this rather dilapidated old dresser and turned it into a lovely piece that most of us would be very happy to have in our home. Your work is great, I enjoy watching each video
Totally agree on refinishing. A friend gave me an 1890s roll top desk. It was in several pieces. I had to tear it apart and completely redo it in order for it to be functional again. Furniture is to be used. If it looks like crap, it's just going to rot in a garage somewhere...
It looks great as you've finished it. I may be the only one, but I didn't mind the dark stain that you couldn't remove. The look after you sprayed it with shellac would have been a great stopping point for me. It had its own rustic charm.
I think you have enhanced it beyond what refinishing the wood could have possibly done! It looks stunning.
Anyone who loves a country vibe will love this. Much better that you made it over.
I’m of the opinion that it’s your furniture, you can do what you want with it! Your piece turned out lovely! I’m glad you added the gold on the drawer keyholes at the end.
No, no! This was a great rescue! You saved this piece. Made it beautiful and functional again. Love it! You have lots of patience. 😊
Definitely you extended and conserved this dresser. Frankly, you didn't have much choice. I think you made your decisions regarding this piece with thoughtfulness and consideration. Well done Katie.
Furniture pieces are objects that are meant to be used and not end up in the land fill. If the piece is authentic, made of good quality materials, and enough of it is intact, then it is worth restoration to its original state. In this case, you investigated its condition properly and noted that the wood was already marred with a deep stain that could not be removed. From then on, it's fine to update. The fact that you saved the original hardware and used "old fashioned" milk paint were both thoughtful uses of materials. You did an excellent job!
I COMPLETELY AGREE with painting antique furniture pieces if they are too far gone to stain. Thank you for keeping it real and sticking to your guns with what you believe is best! Take care and much love from Colorado Springs!
Thanks for reclaiming its life. It will now go on to be appreciated for many more decades.
Paint when it needs it!
It’s a joy to watch you paint. Takes me back to watching my dad when I was a little kid.
I love this makeover to an absolutely INSANE degree!!! You did NOT "ruin" it - it was tired and you turned it into an antique that feels fresh enough to last for another 100 years or more! You absolutely restored it 🥰
This piece can get chippier over the years and still look great. You turned it from trash to treasure!!
I loved how this piece turned out - so very pretty! I am amazed at the rudeness of others as they push their OPINION about painting furniture! I am in a decorating group on Facebook and a woman shared a photo of a gorgeous armoire with lots of carving. She painted it white and distressed it. It looked absolutely amazing and honestly, the beautiful carving really stood out with the distressing. She rescued the piece from an old barn where it was slowly wasting away (there was even a snake living in it - yikes!). So she basically saved it from the landfill. I was totally shocked at the nasty, rude comments about how she ruined the piece by painting it. She had pretty thick skin when it came to the comments, but I couldn't help think to myself what a strange world we live in, that the antique purist police have to shoot down something that brings others happiness. I always hear the "painting it will bring down the value" comment. Exactly where does everyone think people are selling these pieces of furniture at - Christie's Auctions? Most of us are just wanting to add them into our home decor while making it fit our design style. I happily paint furniture and some I don't. All of it brings me joy!
Bravo! Not only have you extended the piece's history, you saved it from the landfill. Now, that's True Green!
Definitely an upgrade. This is the sort of piece that I, personally, would have passed by - thinking it's too much work or it would never go with anything else in my home. If a piece is solid and previous 'upgrades' don't destroy it, it's worth trying to refinish and bring back to orignial. But...in your case, nothing you tried worked. Painting, aside from setting it on the curb, is the only option and a fine option it turned out to be. It's beautiful and a piece I would be proud to display in my home and, more importantly, use. Thanks, Katie.
Beautifully enhanced. The piece could not be saved as it was and now it will make a wonderful addition to any home for decades to come.
Furniture is meant to be used. Unless it is a museum piece, i think you should do whatever you have to to make it function. I think the piece looks great.
GOSH, KATIE! You certainly gave it your ALL to refinish this Grand Dam to her former glory. Time and unskilled peeps were not kind to her. 😢
I appreciate your supreme effort to keep “ original”. It must have been very disappointing for you after all your hard work, time, and even expense to admit defeat. She still turned out BEAUTIFUL!!! Your skill is phenomenal! Great work ❤.
I think that this piece deserves a special spot in someone’s home. Thank you for renewing it to last hundreds of years into the future.
Milk paint looks very interesting
It looks great! My take on the whole antiques and paint is this. If it’s still in great shape and it can be restrained, then do it, if you want to. You own it, you get to choose. For this piece, I don’t think many people would want it in their home with the old finish, but your work made it into something desirable in modern culture so it doesn’t end up at the dump.
Unfinished this beauty would have ended up as storage in a garage, not proudly shining as she once did! You gave it EVERYTHING you had in your vast knowledge arsenal….. I think the classic design done in a modern color scheme really creates a new era! The same care of giving it a quality paint job makes it a complete STUNNER!!!!!
When I first started refinishing furniture, I would never have painted a piece. However, these days I don't hesitate to paint furniture especially if the finish is compromised to the point of the dresser, you just finished. Actually, I have an oak dresser that I've had for over 40 years and plan to paint it this summer. Times have changed...go with what is best for you! Your dresser came out just beautiful.
You definitely gave this new life. Purists would say don't paint wood. You are to be commended for your patience in trying to stain it. End result is perfect farmhouse chic. Well done Katie.
I love the fact you tried to return the piece to it's original finish. Seeing all the different techniques tried along with final realization this was not possible enabled us to see the beautiful paint chosen. Love your work😘
Oh I can relate to the pain of sanding for hours. I probably would have screamed at the dresser at that point and kicked it 😂
Turned out beautifully 😊
Looks fantastic! I see absolutely nothing wrong with giving a worn out and unusable wood piece of furniture a new and updated facelift! Well done!!
It looks wonderful! Kudos to you for trying for so long to maintain the wood. Sometimes it just isn't meant to be. I would proudly have a piece like that in my home. Well done!
Such an improvement! In my area, people just won't buy a piece (antique or not) if it looks bad. It's hard enough to get them to buy used pieces that look great. I hope someone loves that piece for many years. :)
Í agree with Karen. You did much, much more than most people would to try to save this piece's integrity. That you selected milk paint furthered your preservation attempts, and the history of the piece. Your cleaning the hardware was right on. The pressed pieces were a garish gold, just your cleaning improved them vastly! What you did to get the handles to match showed your professionalism.
In short, a most beautiful piece.
The dresser now looks great. Just because a piece of furniture is old does not mean it also has inherent value as an antique (even if it once belonged to someone’s grandparents!). You did the right thing. Watching your videos also makes me realize my vague intentions to refinish old pieces of furniture that we have will never come to pass. I don’t have the the skills, the equipment, the experience, or the eye for aesthetics that you so clearly possess. You do great work.
There was no value in the way it was. You created value. I also feel because it’s old doesn’t mean it can’t be painted. You realize as I do that many pieces are made out of different types of wood and very difficult to restore. Plus it is very much a pleasure to look at a beautiful piece. If it has been painted I enjoy it, if it has decoupage and stamping on I enjoy it, and I love all natural woods. So thank you for your artistry
I love the final piece! You did great and put a lot of thought into this and every project you do! I’m a fairly new fan and am watching more of your videos! And liking them too!! ❤️❤️❤️
I love what you did here. No better way to “preserve” our old pieces than to use them. And that often means painting them to help them fit in our decor.
Looks lovely !
I think you made the perfect decision on this dresser!! It is beautiful and you saved it from ending up in a landfill.
You went above and beyond to keep the wood, unfortunately it was impossible. It’s still a beautiful piece thanks to you!
This piece looks fabulous! I appreciate how you went through the whole process. The part regarding the drawers, where you put the piece of wood in so the drawer would not go back too far was helpful.
You definitely extended the life of that piece of furniture--beautiful transformation!
As always you did a wonderful job. You gave it a new life that the new generation will love. Definitely kept it from a landfill. I have one similar to it and has few cigarettes burns on it so I'll keep what you did in mind when I go to refinish it
I don’t understand how it could be possible to think you did anything other than extend the life of this piece by refinishing it so beautifully. Another piece saved. 😊❤
No doubt you improved this piece. You went above and beyond what anyone would have done to restore it but it was not cooperating. This piece, as it was, would probably have been trashed. I am glad to see someone did want to sell it realizing it had value due to it's age but they were clearly lucky that you came along and gave it life again....and maybe for another 100 years. Katie, it looks great!
Absolutely stunning. I wouldn’t have thought to make it as rustic as you did, and it’s perfect! And it’s my opinion that you didn’t waste your time - you gave it your best effort to give the piece a more natural wood look, and it just wasn’t meant to be! I think you have a good eye for design and I always trust your choices. ❤
you went above and beyond to try to save this piece in its natural state!! it's looks elegant and will sell for sure.
No, you gave it more life. Beautiful is in the eye of the beholder. And just like people, everything and people hold value. She's Beautiful
I love what you did with this piece ❤
You did such a great job ! I love that you used milk paint and hemp oil, both materials that would have been available at the time this piece was made !!!
Long journey with this one. Good choices at the end. Thanks for sharing.
This piece turned out to be a real beauty! I loved how you improved it, giving it many more years of life!
It’s the quality of the antique that should merit its complete preservation. But I think a coat of paint has also happily disguised some real treasures for future generations to discover.
You have a fine artist's eye for beauty through transformation. The piece has a new life and is gorgeous.
The wood seems to say what it needs. You did such a great job “reading” what the wood had to say. The joinery is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing the journey. Lovely results.
Most def extended its lovely historical journey and will be loved and appreciated by some lucky person❤❤❤❤❤
Honestly, I like the bare wood. You did an amazing job taking all the wear and tear off and cleaning the hardware.
Definitely the right way to go Katie. It was never going to work as a stained piece and is beautiful the way you made it.
I don't think anyone would've wanted it in its original state. You did an amazing job! It looks awesome.
Labor of LOVE. An amazing and beautiful transformation. You have the patience of a saint. 😇
I SO AGREE WITH YOU! I have an antique from my great-grandfather. It is late 1800 early 1900’s. It is this VERY dark piece. My family has HATED it for years. I was SO torn about painting I have let it sit in my house for 15 years with everyone almost despising it. One day someone left a bottle of cleaner on it. Somehow the tiniest little hole was in the bottom of the cleaner bottle. I had a piece of glass on top thinking I was protecting it. But that cleaner found it’s way underneath. By the time I noticed it, it had completely destroyed the finish on top. I was MORTIFIED. I cried for days. I finally looked up what the piece might truly be worth and I could have “Maybe” got $1,500 for it MAX. But I wasn’t ever going to sell it, especially for that little. So I started stripping it. The top is GORGEOUS Walnut. We couldn’t even see that through the really dark finish. I had a knee replacement and so it has sat for a while now (with a cover on it!) haha. And am planning a paint/wood combo on it. Since the frame is another type of wood. I got smart and asked my 22 year old daughter what colors she would like it to be if she inherits it. Luckily I loved her Idea and I am going for it. If I had left it, NO-ONE in my family would have ever wanted it. This way it will remain in the family and be loved and enjoyed. After I made that VERY DIFFICULT for me decision , I had the most amazing peace in my heart, mind and soul. I knew that’s what my great-grandfather wanted. He wanted it to be loved as he did. And he didn’t care about it remaining the same forever. And that’s what I needed to move forward with it. I have learned a very important lesson from this. Sometimes an antique dresser will be more cherished, loved and used if it’s Beautiful to the owner. I will also put down some shellac, so if anyone on wants to refinish it at a later time. I no longer cringe when I see antiques painted. You did a Wonderful job with this. It is SO much prettier than it looked in the before picture. I don’t think there will be many people that wouldn’t love this now. Where as before, the buyers would be severely limited. And it’s good for another 100 years. Way to go and save a sad situation with the dark stain into a stunning piece of furniture. And you put so much time into trying!! You are so talented and it shows in your work. Thanks, as always, for your teachable videos. And for donating so many back to those in need. You are amazing.
You did the right thing. It looks beautiful, and you made a worn out chest of drawers attractive and useful.
This piece looks so much better with what you did. I think you’ve given it so many more years of use! Great job.
This is a beautiful compromise on a stubborn piece. You can't do what you can't do. This one would never have reverted back to the original wood, so I agree with you that it needed a fresh new longer life. Great choice, Katie!
I especially loved the original hardware and the fancy joints (can't recall name) and agree with you that you extended the life of this Victorian Era dresser (after doing all you could not to paint over the wood) and brought it forward into the current century.
It came out beautifully!! The beautiful handles really dress up this nostalgic and pretty dresser.
How could anyone find fault with your efforts! It turned out so much better than, perhaps, it deserves to :)
Someone is going to adore this piece - well done!
🙏
I think it looks beautiful!! I love the colour you chose, and the gold handles/escutcheons look great with that colour. I don't see a problem with painting wood: for one thing, it's not a wildly fancy wood that you are painting over - in fact, years ago, that kind of wood would maybe already have been painted, but to look like a more expensive wood, so what is the difference? And in fact, a lot of antique wood pieces were originally painted too - or at least that is the case in Europe... And you kept the wonderful details like the joints (I've never seen that kind before!) and the original handles. So for me, you've extended and improved its life and I hope no-one will have anything bad to say about your decision! Thank you for sharing your process. I love your videos!
DEFINITELY gave this piece a chance to live another life, keeping it out of the landfill. Beautiful job!
You made the right decision. Now the dresser will continue to serve a purpose and looks beautiful!
This was a study in trying your best to get clear of past impressions that were not original. I appreciate and can benefit from your labors. The final dainty but strong persona is an eye opener. And I thought to self:"You already got that hemp oil,never used yet". Thank you. I look up to my Canadian friends and their care of what could have been lost treasures.
You did an amazing job. You saved a beautiful piece from ending up in the trash! Bravo!
nobody would want a poorly done finish that did noy look good. so you improved the finish by painting. so good job
Wow! You did the right thing painting it and the Knapp joints are now a highlight!
I love what you have done with this piece. You have definitely extended it's beautiful life. It's beautiful!
I think it is absolutely gorgeous. I think whoever put that dark number on it really didn’t know what they were doing! You did a great job!❤
It’s your furniture so do as you wish. Thanks for sharing the struggle, we learn so much from these 👍🏻
Looks beautiful. I totally agree that it needed to be painted. Restored finishes are wonderful when possible but it is not always so.
You worked so VERY hard on this and it’s gorgeous! No one could have used it, and now it’s a real treasure! I agree with you for sure.
You did a beautiful job. The dresser really wasn’t in usable condition with that original finish. By giving it a makeover, you saved it from the landfill!
I agree with you. Sometimes all the wear and tear over the life of a piece cannot be undone. I often do wood/paint combo for that reason. Great look !You gave it a new life !!
It’s beautiful and I applaud your patience in trying to preserve the original look. Now it will go to a new home instead of landfill!
You definitely extended the life of the piece. It’s beautiful.