Friday, October 7, 2011

New Hope for an old Hope Chest

I absolutely love when people think of me before they get rid of things.

There is nothing better than scoring a beautiful find and doing nothing more than answering your phone!

My grandmother (a different one than I have been referring to in the previous posts) called me the other day and asked me if I would like to have her old hope chest.  She said it was a Lane cedar chest that used to be whitewood, but after being in the attic for many years it had yellowed.  She wasn't sure if I had anything that I could do with it.

To me it was a "DUH?!"  An old cedar chest that I have been given permission to paint... not to mention family ties :o)

I pulled up and it was so much better than I could have imagined.  Hello Sunshine :o)


This piece is screaming vintage cool!


All original hardware ~ including the lock labeled LANE.


Remember back when I said it was a chest?  Up 'til now, it just looks like a dresser, but wait... I tricked you :o)


~*swoon*~

I really can't get enough of opening this chest.  The blast of cedar smell and that rich, red color.... I pretty much heart it :o)


The inside looks like it was just brought home from a show room.  Seriously, it still has the tag hanging it.   Not because it was never used.  This thing was packed to the brim with a wedding dress, cards, letters, baby clothes, handmade family blankets, and a ton more. 


I LOVE a good yellow piece of furniture.  But this particular yellow was faded and dirty.  It needed some love.

This was my first attempt with using the homemade chalk paint that is spreading like wildfire.  I put 2 tablespoons of Plaster of Paris into a sample size of paint.  The color was called celtic gray, but on this chest in looks a little more blue and in my bedroom it looks a little more green.  I will share my frustrations with the color gray very soon.


The homemade chalk paint was amazing.  It spread so beautifully.  Once I painted it on, I sanded over it with some 220 grit sandpaper.  I have never felt a piece of furniture that was so smooth and soft.  I hear it distresses really well too, but I didn't want to take my sander to this piece... weird, I know.


I left all the hardware in it's original color.  I'm not sure if it's the right decision or not.  I'm gonna let it simmer for awhile.  What do you think?  Should it go brushed bronze?


I glazed over the gray with a little black glaze.   I'm always a little worried about a piece of furniture until I glaze it.  The glaze gives it so much depth and really makes it pop.


Man I love the inside of this thing!!


This isn't it's permanent home, it has a place in my bedroom.  But since that room is far from a pretty sight right now, it's gonna stay here until I'm ready for it.


Sorry, sometimes I get a little carried away with the photography :o)  I love to take pictures.


I can't believe what an amazing gift this was and I hope my grandmother is pleased with what I did with it.  It might be my new favorite piece of furniture!


On a side note, I have officially bought my first piece of furniture to sell!  As the pockets are empty right now, I had to invest small. This baby should be done soon.  I hope somebody loves her :o) 


Purchasing a new camera lens today... can we say EXCITED!?!?

Also got to meet my favorite rock star last night before what turned out to be an awesome show.  Next to my family and refinishing furniture, Butch Walker is my favorite thing ever! 


But what was the biggest thing I learned last night by going to a rock concert in Athens, GA (home of the Georgia Bulldogs).... I'm not 18 anymore!

14 comments:

  1. Oh wow. What an awesome piece of furniture, and to have family ties??? Awesome. Love the hardware and the overall vintage look. Great paint job...you are a lucky lady!

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  2. That chest is AWESOME! I have one from my Great Aunt and thiiiinnnk I'm going to paint it. I mentioned it to my mom cuz her granddaddy made all of our bedroom furniture and she said to wait until they were gone before I painted any of it... hmmm....

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  3. The chest is beautiful! You did a great job! :0)

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  4. I have never seen a hope chest like that. What a treasure!

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  5. That is a beautiful hope chest, and how great that you got it from your grandmother! I'm sure she's happy it is staying in the family. They sure made nice furniture back then, didn't they? I like the paint treatment you did. The hardware just depends on how much of the original chest you want to keep. Great descriptions and photos...I swear I could smell cedar. :)

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  6. wow this turned out great! I really love it. Thanks for sharing!

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  7. Beautiful! It turned out very lovely and you have given it hope!

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  8. Wow! Now that's a groovy restyle and a groovy piece of furniture. I like the hardware as it is, but go ahead marinate in it for awhile. I have also made my first batch of CP and I used Pl of Pr (hope you don't mind the abbrv) and the paint was just great. Stop by for a blog visit, I'm your newest follower!!

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  9. Thank you so much for the inspiration! I have an old Hope Chest that was given to me by my grandmother as well. It was given to her by two old ladies that were in their LATE 90's. She then passed it to me. It has seen better days. It is a dark wood on the outside, but its not the normal wood, its very thin, almost paper like. And has been used and abused. It makes me realize that this is mine now, and I can do something to it! THANK YOU SO MUCH! ( Im going to make those curtains as well!)

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  10. I love that it was your Grandma's! Totally thought it was a dresser, yup tricked me! Good job with it! Thanks for linkin' up on Kammy's Korner.

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  11. It's crazy, I got a free Lane Cedar Chest from the side of the road as some guy was setting it out. It wasn't in perfect condition on the outside, but the inside looked EXACTLY like the inside of yours. I couldn't believe my luck. Check it out here. http://amysspoonfulofsugar.blogspot.com/2011/06/from-free-to-fab.html

    You have a ton of talent. I found your blog through my friend Amber over at Pine Place. I've spent time I should have been doing dishes perusing your blog. So thanks!

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  12. Love what you did with this. You really transformed it. Trying out mismatched cabinet hardware might be fun. I've never heard of brushed bronze, it that a paint technique applied to the original hardware?

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  13. What an updated look with the paint.
    ~Kimberlee

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  14. I love the art deco feel of this piece. Nicely done. Great job! ~Pepper

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