Thursday, March 11, 2010

80 Year Old Cedar Chest Makeover

I had the wonderful privilege of inheriting my grandmother's 80 year old cedar chest.
It came to me in very poor condition. There was a leg broken off, hinges disconnected, veneer chipped and missing and part of the trim molding was missing.
My husband thought it was beyond repair; and maybe the dump was the best place for it. I'm a very sentimental person and said "but it was grandma's!"
It sat in my husband's shop for quite some time, but then one day I was surprised and delighted to find my husband (who's very good at restoring and building furniture) busy working on the chest. I don't have a photo of it at it's worst, but here are a few of the chest in the restoration process.



The veneer was in such bad shape we decided simply to remove it altogether.

We then sanded the cedar wood followed by 3 coats of Valspar black satin paint.

Here it is all finished sitting pretty in my living room.


What do you think of my transformation?

Joy

I'm linking this post to
DIY Day @ ASPTLTransformation Thursday
Show and tell @ Blue Cricket Deisgn
Home is...

Trash to treasure @Reinvented

Tools are for Women Too


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28 comments:

  1. what a special piece to have - it looks so good restored and with the black paint too.

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  2. It turned out lovely! I have my Grandmother's cedar chest that has issues with the veneer. This could be just the thing. It looks like it will last many more years to pass on to one of your grandchildren. :)

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  3. How beautiful! I love that this is inherited & an heirloom from a grandmother. It looks so nice with the new paint!
    xoxo,
    Lamp Tramp

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  4. She looks wonderful in black! You saved her from the dump!
    ~anita

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  5. It's stunning now! Just beautiful. I know you are so proud of how she turned out since it was your grandmother's piece. I'm happy you were able to save her and give her some love.

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  6. It looks great! I love old chests. By the way, I'm married to a pastor as well...a youth pastor.

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  7. What a gorgeous project...wow!! I used to be afraid of spoiling wood by painting it. Now I would spray paint just about anything!
    The chest turned out so nice, I am impressed. I only have 3 children at home and it is tough to be able to refinish projects in my not-so-spare-time! Btw...I am a nurse turned SAHM too :)

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  8. What a beautiful makeover...a family piece that you will treasure for life! Hopeyou have a wonderful Easter with your family!

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  9. whoa, great piece. love it in the black, you did a nice job!

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  10. I love making something old new again! It looks wonderful! Robyn and Daisy from www.foresthillsroad.blogspot.com

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  11. This turned out amazing! I love hope chests. The black looks fantastic. Would love to have you stop by the Sunday Showcase Party. Hope you are enjoying your weekend! Great transformation!

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  12. So sweet, great job! Thanks for linking up!
    Bonnie

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  13. It's beautiful! I love it. He did a great job restoring it. I'm sentimental too. I would've never dumped it. Thank goodness you didin't either.

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  14. How sweet that your hubby spent the time restoring it for you when his first thoughts were that it was beyond repair.

    It turned out beautiful! What a special treasure.

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  15. Love your cedar chest. My sister got my mom's ... I so remember the smell inside! thanks for linking up at RE this week!

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  16. It's perfect. I hope to get my mom's (or her mom's; she has both at the moment) one day.

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  17. Wow! Love it! I would really like to see this on Modern Craftswoman Monday. Please link it up if you have time. Rory

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  18. Awesome! I am so jealous because we are re-painting a beat-up dresser right now, and we can't get a smooth finish!! How do you do it?

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  19. Beautiful! Your husband did a great job. I know
    you will treasure it forever.
    Annette

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  20. We love the cedar chest and will be featuring it on remodelaholic.

    www.remodelaholic.com

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  21. We loved what you did to the cedar chest and we are going to feature it on remodelaholic.

    www.remodelaholic.com

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  22. It's beautiful! I am glad you kept it!

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  23. I love it. I have my grandmothers hope chest in my bedroom, It has followed me know for 15 years, and all that time I have been needing to fix the veneer on the lid. I love that you painted yours, I just can't bring myself yet to paint mine. I don't know I just maybe reconsidering it now.

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  24. That came out NICE!! I am so glad you didn't succumb to hubby and send it to the dump! :D

    So, question...I have this really cool looking sideboard, currently hanging out around the side of the house, harboring laundry. It has veneer totally peeling up, and I haven't known how to deal with it. Can I just strip it all off? It doesn't ruin it forever? The wood underneath is nice and solid. I am just not sure I will do something drastically wrong by attacking it like that! :D

    Thanks!

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  25. The legs on that piece are soooo adorable! Great transformation! :D

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  26. so well done! much better!

    rose
    http://www.finecraftguild.com

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