Recap.

After that DIY week in October, I've been all about it. Recovering chairs, painting, stripping furniture, polishing hardware, I feel like an Ace (hardware associate).

The first project was simple. All it involved was a chair and jamming a staple gun. A Manuel Canovas velvet covers the seat now, the chair was a find at Sleepy Poet in Charlotte. It's a great side chair, it's currently sitting at my parsons desk. If you're interested, I'll sell it for $65.

Close up of the Manuel Canovas velvet - Chinese print.

You've seen these before, these were the first in the series of painting furniture. Chinese red bamboo Chinese Chippendale side chairs, they're a pair. The intricacy of the bamboo was so much fun to paint with 4 coats of red paint. (psych.)
The seats are covered in a raised velvet quatrefoil on a sturdy cotton. Also for sale: for the pair $350, unless we're friends then I'll tell you over a glass of wine how much they'll be.

This project happened over the week between Christmas and New Years. The weather was perfect so we were able to paint outside. I was scared of breathing, looking, touching, sniffing any of the chemicals I was sanding off.  I'm not a huge wuss, I would recommend safety over getting debris in your eye.

Real happy.

It took a day to sand all of the varnish off. Not the most fun aspect of the whole project, but I did congratulate myself with a cocktail when I finished.

We painted the old radio box in black lacquer and then I went in with gold detail.

Temporary bar "cart" looks oh so sharp.

A detailed detail of the gold detail. 

Next project: the big'un. The 9 drawered dresser.

I was deterred by the intricacies of the drawer fronts. They scared me. We took off all of the hardware and used Brasso to bring out the yellow brassy color. I don't think they were meant to be polished, but it worked. As a non-lawyer, I must say I would recommend testing the Brasso or brass polish on an inconspicuous place before attacking all of the hardware like I did. 

Hardcore sanding took place. 

This thing is huge.

Here are the drawers. It seemed like they kept multiplying, must have been the fumes and the debris in my eye.

It looks so handsome, all polished and black lacquered. 

The glow from the corner is the Christmas Palm.

In the end, I must give credit to MB for not being able to sit still and semi-forcing me to complete these projects. Thank you for being antsy.