There is a special place in heaven for those with the patience to strip furniture down bare and refinish. We are not those people. In fact, we are [I am] the worst when it comes to refinishing things. It's like I forget that "refinish" has the word "finish" in it. I don't understand how DIY bloggers say they did a refinishing project for a "couple hours" "one weekend" [hugely exaggerated air quotes] and it comes out looking like Sistine Chapel level of masterpiece. We have so many "refinishing projects" in our garage it's kind of embarrassing. I've started just unloading one at a time in our booth at Pastimes for someone else to inherit the madness. There's a three year limit for holding onto things, people. If it's still sitting in your garage after three years, I think it's safe to say it ain't ever getting done.
Anyways, when we started rehabbing our latest flip, we wanted to give the kitchen a special, unique feature. Something you can't find in another remodeled or new-build home in the area. I had been eyeing these antique corbels at Pastimes for a year. Normally I'm all for chippy old paint, but I didn't like the color that they were. And the chippy vibe wasn't going with the whole modern, clean look of this house. Once the price dropped on these bad boys—and conveniently while we were discussing design plans for the peninsula—I took it as a sign. A sign that maybe this would be the first refinishing project I'd actually accomplish since this kitchen remodel depended on it, ok guys?
Here is what the corbels looked like before. The layers of paint were like an onion and the struggle was definitely real.
Well. Let's just say I started the process, but Jim had to rescue me from my embarrassment. I seriously have a problem. And yes, I'm sometimes one of those annoying spouses who has some grand project idea and loses steam only for Jim to have to swoop in and finish it. Once I realized that there were many layers of paint underneath the ugly brown I knew this was out of my wheelhouse. Plus I'm going to throw in the whole "having to care for a newborn" excuse, too.
After 6 rounds of Citristrip, sanding, and probably getting lead poisoning, the antique corbels were completely bare, no thanks to me. And they looked gorgeous! We are definitely people who much rather have the natural wood show than covering everything in chalk paint and we definitely think it paid off in this kitchen.
Close up of freshly sanded down corbel.
Antique corbels in their final resting place and looking perfect with all the other natural wood elements in this home.