Nuri Furnishings; Refurbished, Restyled, Reloved

Before & After

Say hello to this 'Federal Style' dresser – a true survivor of DIY disasters! Its previous owner went wild with stains, leaving it looking like a messy art project gone wrong.

With some serious sanding, wood staining, and a few coats of mineral paint, this dresser got a much-needed makeover. Now, it's so much easier on the eye! Finished off with a generous coat of Tung Oil, it boasts rich tones that lend warmth to this restyled piece.

This unassuming old, chipped brown dresser was transformed into a beautiful statement piece, once some TLC was poured into restyling it.

After stripping the wood, it was plain to see it was in need of deep nourishment and the pre-stain conditioner and combination of two oil-based stains did just that. The beautiful 'book match' wood veneer pattern on the drawers was enhanced, and the 'forest green' mineral paint contrasted beautifully to make the piece 'pop' with rich colours.

A chair; salvaged and refurbished. After a deep clean to the fabric and multiple applications of stripper to the legs, this beauty showed great bones. The fabric was sprayed using fabric dye. No stain was applied to the newly uncovered raw wood, just a couple of coats of Tung Oil to give it a nourished looking traditional finish.

Meet this laminate dresser, transformed from boring to bright and beautiful! First came the scuff-sand, followed by two coats of bonding primer to lay the foundation. Two paint colours: tan and apricot were mixed to create this beautiful hue . After painting, the dresser was sealed and protected with a few coats of polycrylic to give it a satin sheen. The new 'leaf' handles were spraypainted brass, for a more modern and unique twist.

This 1940s dresser, gives a nod to farmhouse and country cottage styles. A sanding brought out its natural wood beauty. Soft sage green was applied to the sides and trim, & the drawers got a refresh too – a lightening treatment, followed by a subtle paint-wash for a weathered look. The wood was sealed with a flat water-based polyurethane finish, and a clear wax topcoat applied to protect the paint. The original drawer pulls got a little spa treatment with white vinegar and boiling water, before finding their way back home.

Looking forlorn and dusty in a thrift shop, this old record console caught my eye. I knew my husband really wanted one, but he'd been put off by the hefty price tag that came along with purchasing from new. Black was his colour of choice. So, I took the plunge, brought it home, and got to work tranforming it into what would become his birthday surprise. Initially I hesitated to paint it, prefering the idea of lightening the wood, but alas the underlying wood was poor quality and marred by black lumber-yard marks that even resisted the might of oxalic acid or wood bleach treatments.

Peeling off the back panel revealed it's history in the form of an old ticket stub to a New York 1950s Jazz Club and remnants of a fat cigar, lounging lazily in a pool of it's own stale ashes. My mind was transported to visions of a smokey basement bar, filled with racous laughter and late-night melodies.

This old sewing table was nothing at all special, but it was my first ever go at 'up-cycling' a peice of furniture.

It was just done for fun, and because it cost $4- at a little Church thrift shop. Little did I know at the time that I'd catch the 'upcycling' bug after completing this first, small project!