I Need a Bookcase

I’m on a mission: to gradually donate all my horrible, boring and uninspiring flat-pack furniture to a local charity, whilst replacing them with interesting and unusual vintage pieces.

I have been really enjoying hunting for really cool unloved furniture, but I do seem to have come to a bit of an impasse. I desperately need to replace my 3 shelved flat-pack bookcase which, aside from being extremely flimsy and boring, is on the verge of collapse. I don’t really want to start a new large scale project until I have found something that could be used as a bookcase. That’s the problem, I’m running out of space!

I enjoy reading and love books. I recently had a book cull (which has made the local Oxfam store very happy) and almost halved the number of books I own. But it still isn’t enough. I now have books in draws, books in boxes and books in cupboards.

So, with storage space for new books almost non excitant, I made the only logical decision that any well adjusted and right minded individual would make. I bought a new book! And not just a little paper back, OH NO, I large hardback copy of Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic Interiors.

Although I am creating far more problems for myself than I probably should, in my defence I say only this: It is a fantastic book with loads of very inspirational ideas which will no doubt end up, in some form or another, in this blog.

I only hope I find a bookcase soon, before I find myself buried under hardback covers and pages of print!

The Turquoise Bureau

This Bureau was painted last summer. I bought it from a second-hand furniture warehouse and it was a horrible dark brown, as well as being pretty beat up. It was however, structurally very sound and it worked perfectly (they don't make them as strong as this anymore)! I believe it dates from around the 1930's, but if anyone has any further information on this then please get in touch and I'll change the date.

I painted the bureau in red, then blue and finished in a really funky turquoise and, when distressed, the two under colours came through the turquoise which gives it a lovely effect.

The whole piece has been finished in a coat of beeswax for protection.

 

I gave the inside a lick of paint as well, finishing it in the red and blue that I used as under coat for the outside of the bureau. Again, the inside has been given a coat of beeswax.

The handles were spray painted gold and distressed with using black acrylic.

My New Blog

Hello and welcome to my new blog!!!
For quite a long time now, I have been slowly re-invigorating some of the old pieces of furniture that I have had lying around my home. I have even begun to look for quirky second-hand pieces that I can repair and up-cycle into new pieces of funky furniture.

I have been regularly uploading images of my furniture to my facebook page and have received very positive feedback. Many of my friends have also commented on the unusual vintage furniture that I have in my home.

This is not to say that I have not made any mistakes while I've been re-funking furniture (I've made more than I can remember)! But I have thoroughly enjoyed the learning process and continue to develop ideas and skills as I complete more pieces.

So here it is, a blog to showcase my furniture. I hope, in time, to add lots of photo's of my finished pieces of furniture, as well as workshops and tutorials on how to re-funk your own furniture. I also hope to set up an online shop where some of my pieces will be available for sale.

Please follow this blog, or check back regularly, as new items will be uploaded regularly!

See you soon,

Steve.