Words about contentment inspired this series that celebrates ingenuity, creativity, and resourcefulness. Join me in the comments and share what you've done with what you have.
A dining area update for the little house has been schemed upon for a while now. After three and a half years, it's time for a bit of a lift and change to keep things fresh and life functioning at its best. In typical Carmella fashion, I'm making the change intentionally and will unfold it over time - no lickety-split full-room makeover shebang or any sort of hoopla as that. Just a quiet update, punctuated by mini-celebrations as each piece is found or freshened.
Speaking of, the first large pieces of the update were recently that: found antique Thonet-style bentwood chairs. They are the perfect replacement for the heavy, poorly-made placeholder chairs we'd been using. They are comfortable, rich with age and patina, and their scale is a far better fit for our space.
The only downside? They were dry and a bit splintery from years of neglect. Clearly, something had to be done - can't be having splintery seats. After putting all the options of refinishing, varnishing, lacquering, and painting aside, I went for what I had: paste wax.
This is the same tin of paste wax I used over three years ago for the barnwood shelves in our kitchen. If you want the look of deeply worn, long-aged wood, without the risk of splinters, this is your product. I liberally rubbed the paste wax onto the wood with a clean cotton cloth, then buffed it to a mellow luster. The wax hardens and seals the wood, preserving it without hiding it.
This paste wax is neutral, so doesn't add any tint of its own, but when it's applied, it suddenly brings forward the nuances of the wood's natural color, and the piece is somehow richer for it - the kitchen shelves are a defined weathered gray, the chairs are a beautiful nutty brown.
As I sit at the table later this morning (in my no-longer splintery seat), sip my tea and spread jam on my toast, I'll be having a mini-celebraton, indeed.
Do what you can with what you have.
P. S. EXCITING NEWS: Shelter No.4, the last of the small house plans in the Shelter Collection will be releasing on the blog tomorrow! Come back then for a peek at what you've been waiting for!
Have you been looking for a tastefully designed, small house plan that lives large? You may just find what you've been seeking in the newly-released Shelter Collection - four small floor plans designed for gracious living in 900-1400 square feet, the first, second, & third have released, the fourth is coming soon. Peruse the collection here.
