I truly enjoy finding furniture for other people.  The thrill of the hunt through thrift stores, antique malls and garage sales might not be for everyone, but it is right up my alley which is why I am now offering furniture finding services.  If  you are in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and are in need of antique/vintage furniture pieces, but don’t have the time to search or are overwhelmed by the process of looking, please contact me.   For a small finders fee I can help you find those perfect pieces ranging from something as small as a mirror or side table to something as large as a dining set.  My mother did a splendid job in teaching me how to spot a true antique over a reproduction.  She is also the master at using  just enough moxie combined with stubbornness and southern charm to negotiate with vendors and get the best price.  Luckily, I am my mother’s daughter and I would love to use that skill set so I can pass those savings on to you.

Okay, enough of my sales pitch, let’s get on to the fun stuff such as the most recent piece I found for my friend:

A while ago I purchased a painted, white chocolate cabinet at an antique fair which now serves as a bedside table in my guest room:

One of my dearest friends has always been complimentary of my cabinet and asked that I let her know if I ever spot one (they aren’t always easy to find).  A few weeks ago I was elated to find this chocolate cabinet in one of my favorite thrift stores.  It was missing its original top and was definitely in need of  some TLC, but the lines were perfect and it still had the original hardware.

Now, I admit I almost selfishly kept it for myself, but what was I going to do?  Become a chocolate cabinet hoarder?  So, I snapped a photo of it and sent it to my friend who quickly gave me the green light.  In turn, I snatched this beauty up on my friend’s behalf and brought it home.

Well, you know me, I couldn’t very well leave it in it’s current state.   The first thing I did was remove all of the old tape residue on the back.  I can only assume the glass was once loose so someone just taped it in place.  No doubt that tape stayed on for years because it was practically petrified.  To remove the residue I just sprayed some WD-40 on a paper towel and gently rubbed it on the residue.  I used a plastic scraper to scrape off the more stubborn pieces.  Note:  Plastic is the key word here.  A metal scraper could cause all sorts of damage!

I then used a damp cloth to wipe down the entire piece to remove dirt particles.  Once done, I went over the piece with Restor-A-Finish in Walnut by applying it with 0000 steel wool.  Next, I coated the entire piece with Feed-N-Wax to add a little protection and give the wood a much needed drink.  Finally, I used a touch of Brasso to shine up the existing hardware.

My most exciting find was discovering these dowels were made of copper, not wood as I originally thought.  I love finding surprises like that!

Just look at the before & after comparison of the entire piece.  I think it looks beautiful!

You can still see some of the imperfections, but that is what antiques are all about.  I can’t wait to get this cabinet to my friend.  I just know she is going to love it.