Here is a project that I've been picking away at for my dear "A"! She inherited this sweet little antique from her parents and has lots of memories using it as a kid. At some point, someone in her family painted it a few times and while it may have looked good at the time, the years took their toll and the desk fell into disarray. Now, you may look at the "before" photo and ask why I changed it, knowing I'm a sucker for really shabby-chic pieces: but since this is not my furniture, and seeing how neglected it had been, I still saw the benefit in restoring this beautiful secretary desk. For one thing: the restoration will add years to the desk's lifespan by keeping it clean, repaired, free of potentially harmful chemicals, and keeping the wood conditioned. But there is also something to be said for breathing beauty back into a piece that got neglected - perhaps it is a hearkening back to those nostalgic memories one has of using a desk and how a loved one's memory seems to come alive through the connection they had with that special piece of furniture. It's natural for us humans to form attachments with certain objects: not because we love the object itself, but because we can have wonderful memories and a history behind the piece. Pieces like this do make me nervous that I'll mess something up - whether it's a colour choice or removing something original or not being able to make it brand new again - even if this isn't my first rodeo! I do feel the pressure to want the family requesting a restoration to have their expectations met. But "A" put a lot of trust in my hands and for that, I'm grateful!
So while this piece was an enormous undertaking to strip, condition, re-stain, shade, re-seal, shellac, paint, repair, and custom work the colours and fixtures to reflect it's "original" state; I really got a chance to connect with "A" and feel how deeply memorable this desk is to her. Her love for her family and her past is touching and I hope that she will enjoy seeing the desk as it once was. I am thrilled that I got to have a hand in the desk's transformation from derelict to the stately heirloom that it is once again!
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Before: I had just started stripping the top!
After; A gorgeous desk was underneath!
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After; A gorgeous desk was underneath!
To place a custom furniture order or to purchase an existing piece or photography prints, please contact me at sageandbalm@gmail.com and I'll be happy to assist you! You can also follow Sage & Balm on Facebook and at sageandbalm.com.
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