Before & After Furniture....taking Trash to Treasure with some Chippy White Paint

I have often thought it would be a great idea to use the "before" picture of our furniture and treasures on the actual price tag. I bet we would get a whole lot less people asking if we can "do a little better on the price". The problem is of course, remembering to take the "before" photos when you have finally motivated yourself to paint in the Texas heat (104 today, 107 tomorrow).
I did remember to take a few (after I already started priming), because I have promised I would be a nice girl and share. I knew exactly what I would do with this piece the moment I saw it. It was a "lovely" honey coloured country pine before I primed it.

Had these really ugly drawer pulls. I call them eagles, and I really hate them (though I have seen Michele Jones just paint over them with white, and it didn't look too bad).And the finished project. When I came into the shop with this in the back of my car, Cindy who works for the travel agency side of our businesses, said "There was a million people in here yesterday, and one of them drew you a picture". She handed me a piece of paper and it literally had this piece, drawn right down to the bottom shelf. The customer wanted it to put a flat screen TV on. It turned out to be a little short for her TV (that must be one BIG TV!) So we still have this in the shop!
I got this piece in East Texas at one of my favorite haunts called Big Daddy's Flea Market.
Added an applique, reworked the seat with a vintage chenille bedspread, distressed and painted. It was only in the shop about 5 minutes yesterday, when a woman who collects vintage telephones came in and had a fit over it, so it has already gone to a new home.

We buy every round table with lion's paw feet that we can find. Our customers can't seem to get enough and of course, every Paris Apartment decor needs at least one. The one on the bottom of this photo is just fabulous with heavily carved paws on balls, three rows of edged moulding and a great patina. It was not very pretty to start, but lo, I forgot to take a photo.

This is an old insert from a roll top desk.
A little white paint, some ivory button handles, and it is a great desk organizer! I found one of these old west German scales a couple of months ago and reworked it. The customer who bought it was so excited because there are some many fun ways to use it, from soaps in the bathroom, to candles or potpourri. This one is even better than the last because it has crystal inserts in the stand. First I had to take the whole thing apart, so I could keep the crystals clean and paint the rest.
Then put it back together. I love it when something "tacky" can get a new life and become Chic!

Come visit us at the Red Shed! We have just a few spots left on our Junk Bonanza Shopping Trip to Minneapolis. Let us know if you are interested. We are also in the process of finalizing the dates for our Paris Flea Market Trip 2009, so keep your eyes open! New treasures are arriving daily at the shed. My next post will be some of those as well as more of our new authentic vintage French finds!
Have a great weekend!

Valarie