Though I've seen a lot of beautiful furniture restorations in my time, I've never seen anything quite as charming or lovely as this amazing makeover.
It all started with a piece of trash just sitting on the curbside, awaiting its executioner (also known as the weekly garbage truck). But when blogger and crafter Larissa saw this piece, she knew it was destined to be much more than landfill fodder.
On her website, Larissa calls herself "a Christ-loving, homeschooling, sewing, junking/thrifting, cooking, gardening mama to 6 children, who's married to her best friend."
Her faith and her family inspire her to reimagine old furniture pieces and breathe new life into what some might consider trash — like the beaten-up antique desk you're about to see.
Would you like to have something like this in your home? Let us know in the comments below — and please SHARE if you think this is adorable!
When Larissa's friend told her this beat-up old desk was down the street, just waiting for the garbage truck, she knew she had to act fast.
The moment she saw it, she knew it would make for a perfect restoration project.
After lugging it home in her suburban, Larissa got to work.
She started by finding other discarded pieces to go with the old desk, like this old vanity mirror a friend had given her.
Next, a thrift store sold Larissa this old stool for half-off.
It was a little rough around the edges, but the legs were almost a perfect match to the desk.
Her mismatched vanity was complete — thanks to the help of her daughter, whose feet you can see poking out as she holds up the old mirror in this photo.
To remove the layers of gunk and scratches covering the desktop, Larissa and another little sidekick got to work with a sander.
Next, she tackled the drawers. Since they were missing most of their trim, she decided to remove it altogether.
After that, she repaired all the nicks with wood filler and stain.
After painting the desk a rich, creamy antique white, she added dimension to all the intricate carvings.
After that, it was time to reupholster the old stool. She was happy to remove only two layers of old fabric (rather than the seven she's had to remove during past projects).
Lastly, it was time to add some special final touches. With a sweet French stencil, some gold paint, and a sponge brush, her transformation was nearly complete.
All her new vanity was missing were some new drawer pulls. For those, she turned to a lovely Art Deco piece she had (which is soon to undergo its own special makeover).
When Larissa's work was done, you would never guess that this beautiful vanity was ever in three separate pieces!
With its warm, soft colors and delicate script, what was once bound for the landfill is now a stunningly romantic vanity.
All in all, Larissa is very pleased with the final outcome. She can picture "a young maiden perching herself upon the bench and composing a sweet love letter to her beau."
If you'd love to have a vanity like this in your home, please SHARE!
