Shabby Chic Small Table

This little table was an ideal piece of furniture to "shabby chic", small and a nice easy project although sanding is a little more time consuming.

Although my Makita sander tackled most of the work, it was a little to big to get into all the "nooks and crannies", so had to be sanded by hand.

The small table once sanded was ready for undercoating and a couple of coats were applied, sanding in between each coat. You can "get away" with undercoating especially with "breathable" paint like Farrow & Ball but I prefer to start of using a good undercoat base.

Not only will undercoating ensure a good base to start from, it also adds to the "shabby chic" look. I have been very tempted to paint in various colours and allow some to show through, I have seen some great looking piece of furniture in this style.

Have to finish the Welshdresser I am working on first though!

The shabby chic table was then painted with a very good paint, similar to Farrow & Ball and just as good. For a free colour chart please email me.

Once a couple of coats had been applied, sanding in between, then next was to apply a wax finish. I use Liberon wax and very pleased with the results, a great little table in my opinion, very ornate.

The shabby chic table would look good along side with the shabby chic rocking chair or ideal for a potted plant maybe in the hallway or conservatory.

The Shabby Chic table measures 15" inches high and the top measures 10" inches by 8 1/2" inches.

Shabby Chic Rocking Chair

The rocking chair has been hand painted in a shabby chic style to create an aged look. Crafted from wood, the rocking chair is a good solid piece of furniture ideal for the home.

The old rocking chair was originally varnished and the joints were loose, ideal piece of furniture to "shabby chic". I have re glued all the joints, removed the old varnish and sanded the rocking chair.

 Then I applied two coats of undercoat paint, sanding between each coat ready for the top coat. The other week I discovered a great paint, ideal for painting furniture in a shabby chic style.

 

Its very similar to Farrow & Ball, I could not tell the difference myself and the finish looks wonderful. The colour I chose for the rocking chair was Slaked Lime, almost white and the finish was exactly what I was trying to achieve.

Once I had applied 3 coats, sanding off in between each coat of paint, the next stage was to finish with a decent wax polish. For this I used the best, Liberon clear wax which is a great product and used fine wire wool to apply.

 

The result is very pleasing on the eye, the wax has toned down the white and left a warm patina. All the shabby chic rocking chair needs now is a good cushion and there is so much choice, was almost tempted to make one myself, maybe next time!

The shabby chic rocking chair measures 40" inches high, 22" at its widest and rockers measure 29 1/2" inches. The seat measures 19 1/2" inches at its widest along the front and is 14 1/2" inches deep.

Vintage Retro 4 Drawer Filing Cabinet Industrial Polished Metal Furniture

Last month I stripped and polished a 4 drawer metal filing cabinet, its dirty work but the results are worth the effort. This filing cabinet has been stripped and polishes, apart from the back which has the original paint, I was thinking of painting this with black Hammerite paint although its not going to be seen.

I have finished this filing cabinet with a wax polish gives it a great patina, very 'industrial' but as its wax, its going to require re-waxing from time to time. Its not difficult to do and over time, each layer of wax adds to the overall look of the filing cabinet.

They can be sprayed with a laquer paint which is more durable and requires less attention but for me, its not as nice a finish, each to their own I guess. Maybe the next one I complete I will try out laquer although I did read somewhere that there's a good chance that the laquer can wear of or even start to peel if not done correctly.

This filing cabinet has had a couple of knocks and bumps, nothing too serious, the drawers are still functional. The one is on the side although if this side is placed against a wall then its not going to be noticeable. The other is on one of the drawer fronts and the 'back' plate shows through a little.

For me, it adds character and considering its age, the filing cabinet must be getting on for 30 years old if not older, its in a good condition for its age. Saying that, these old filing cabinets are very robust and not much can go wrong with them, ideal for storage in a workshop or even the home.

They do make a great 'statement' piece in the home and placed in the right spot they will attract attention. The drawers on this one are not the deep type for hanging files on, the sides are shallow and each drawer is divided into sections.

The starting price for this filing cabinet is very reasonable in my opinion and a bargain especially if you can pick it up in person. I can arrange delivery and have a great courier who can deliver to the UK Mainland at very reasonable rates, down to London from £35.00 and they will even assist with positioning the filing cabinet within the home or workshop.

Although I always accept returns if you are not pleased with your purchase, especially if not as described (sometimes happens although I always supply plenty of good photo's and accurate descriptions) so please only bid on this filing cabinet once you have viewed all photo's.

If still unsure then by all means send me an email or message through Ebay and I will be happy to answer all questions. I am online most of the times these day unless in the workshop restoring or up-cycling more 'pre-loved' (secondhand although 'pre-loved furniture' sounds much nicer) furniture.

If you have never considered buying 'pre-loved' furniture then its worth checking out because there are some great things out there. Far cheaper than new, much better than 'flat pack' and the quality is second to none, plus a good investment for some pieces because the value will not go down and looking at the market, they are rising all the time especially the Dutch retro furniture.

Anyways, good luck with the bidding if you decide to buy this filing cabinet. To learn more please visit my ebay shop -Virtually Sold

Formica Sideboard 1950's

Shabby Chic Rocking Chair Restoration Project

This old rocking chair is in need of some repair work and ideal for shabby chic. The rocking chair is not the most ornate rocking chair but its constructed from solid wood, always a good start.

Shabby Chic Rocking Chair Restoration Project

The rocking chair is a little 'rickety' and requires glueing here and there but nothing to serious and once glued the rocking chair would be solid.

At the moment, the rocking chair is varnished which is showing signs of wear and this would require stripping for re-painting in a 'shabby chic' style.

Shabby Chic Rocking Chair Restoration Project

I am almost tempted to spray this rocking chair with a bright high gloss finish and finish off with some new cushions. At the moment though, I don't have a compressor or spray gun its on my shopping list because using one can get great results.

New cushions wouldn't be a problem though, the ones in the photo came with this chair and I cannot confirm they are fire resistant, so cannot sell them. However, making some new ones would be good and there's plenty of clothes to choose from, too many to be truthful.

However, making them would be simple enough and I am very tempted to have go at this because I enjoy making things.

Shabby Chic Rocking Chair Restoration Project

Meanwhile, I will set to work this weekend and re-glue the joints and hopefully remove the varnish and prepare for painting. Its a couple of hours work and will update this post with some tips about preparation although its a fairly basic job.

Once I have prepared the rocking chair, I reckon its a couple more hours work painting in a 'shabby chic' style. Choice of colour and paint is simply down to budget and taste, if you are doing it yourself then there's plenty of choice. If like me, you are doing this for a living then its always best to keep to neutral colours and check out what colours are popular.

Shabby Chic Rocking Chair Restoration Project

I like to offer my customers as much choice as possible when it comes to colours and finishes. It makes my life much easier knowing that if I create something unique then at least once completed I know at least one person who would buy the finished product.

Delivery for these rocking chairs is not too bad using a courier and the one I use can usually deliver within 14 days UK mainland at a cost of £35.00 my next pick up date will be Friday 28th October.

The route is from Hereford to London, I intend to have this shabby chic rocking chair completed in time for shipping south. Any drop offs along this route will reduce shipping cost for furniture purchased by Thursday 27th October.

So, best get back to work and make a start on some of the projects I am currently working on, please check back here to be kept up to date.

Vintage Retro Avalon Yatton Wardrobe Bedroom Furniture

The other month I picked up this Avalon wardrobe along with along with a matching Avalon dressing table. The wardrobe is in good condition for its age, small and ideal for limited space. There are some signs of age but structurally, its sound and after a clean and treated with teak oil, its looking good.

The old wardrobe is very 'retro' in appearance and ideal for storage, it has a 'pull out' rack for the clothes and shelves labelled for underwear etc. The hinges are a little aged but in good working order.

The wardrobe still has the makers mark and for quality, Avalon Yatton were well known and produced some wonderful furniture over the years.

The Vintage Retro Avalon Yatton Wardrobe is currently for sale at a very low price, on my Ebay, please click here to view.

Vintage Retro LEBUS Sideboard 20th Century Furniture

For more Vintage Retro furniture currently for sale on my Ebay, please click here to view.

Vintage Retro Formica Sideboard 20th Century Furniture

The vintage retro formica sideboard is in a good condition for its age and looking at the style, it must date from around the 1960's possibly earlier.

There are no makers marks on the retro sideboard and I have not seen any online so still trying to identify the furniture manufacturer.

I like the design of this vintage sideboard, its very retro and functional with plenty of storage space.

The handles on the sideboard are ornate and solid metal, some furniture manufacturers used plastic handles to keep cost down.

The sideboards formica top is in very good condition which is always a good thing because scratches on formica a difficult to remove.

 

The vintage sideboard has the usual drawers, cupboards and drop down door for storage space.

There is a little damage on the one side at the back of the sideboard which is a shame but not too obvious.

The front of the one shelf has a little damage also and the one door catch requires a little attention.

These retro sideboards are fast becoming popular with furniture collectors, interior designers and prices for them are going up all the time.

A good investment compared to modern flatpack furniture, these vintage sideboards are always worth looking out for and there are plenty of styles to choose from. This formica sideboard is for sale on my ebay, to visit please use the link below.

For more Vintage Retro furniture currently for sale on my Ebay, please click here to view.

Vintage Retro 4 Drawer Filing Cabinet Polished Metal - New photos

Today I polished the metal filing cabinet and took some more photos. I was pleased with the results although its not as good as I hoped. So, just finished going over the filing cabinet again using more wire wool and polishing compound.

Almost there and starting to look very good now, will post some more photos as soon as I have taken some. Its been a busy week this week, been working on a stable door but that's another story.

For sale Vintage Filing Cabinets 4 Drawer Polished Industrial Steel prices from £89.99