How to Restore a Sideboard to Natural Wood

Julie from La Fleur Rustique was kind enough to describe the stages in the restoration of a wooden buffet. First of all, before we start, here are a few words from Julie: “My clients asked me to transform an old, old-fashioned kitchen set they found, to be to their liking. They wanted me to put it back. on natural wood the kitchen table as well as the sideboard. So here is the sideboard which was stripped and sanded to be then varnished. I also installed new handles, and painted the original hinges.”

Julie, from Fleur Rustique was kind enough to share with us the steps she followed to complete this magnificent piece.

By reading the following you will also discover how to restore furniture to natural wood with Colorantic.

First of all, before we begin, here are a few words from Julie:

My clients asked me to transform old dining room furniture that they found on the internet and which they wanted to update. They were thinking of restoring the table and sideboard back to natural wood.

In this blog, I present to you the buffet which has been updated, at the request of my customers.

Products Used

Preparation

First, remove the hinges and handles from your furniture, if applicable.
Sand the entire piece of furniture well using the electric sander and 80-grit paper. Dust well and start again with 120-grit paper to smooth all surfaces. Be sure to dust thoroughly before continuing.

Finishing the Base of the Sideboard

Once the furniture is well dusted, it is time to apply a first coat of varnish using the flat brush, Snow White.
Wait at least 30 minutes before applying a second coat of varnish.

Finishing the Top of the Buffet

For the top, apply two additional coats of varnish.

If you wish, you can paint the hinges as well as the handles. In this case, La Fleur Rustique decided to keep the hardware in its original condition.

That’s it! If you follow the above steps carefully, you will have a piece of furniture worthy of La Fleur Rustique. Sometimes, instead of giving away a piece of furniture we no longer want, we can simply return it to its natural beauty!

Here are Some Tips for Mixing Styles

When it comes to mixing styles, keep in mind the principle of “less is more”. Indeed, the duo vintage / modern is a winner if it is well balanced. Sometimes, just one decorative item is enough to change the overall feel of a room. The key is harmony, we definitely don’t want your interior to look like a museum!

If the old piece of furniture is the central element of your room (for example, the bed in the bedroom or the table in the dining room), the secret is to incorporate accessories or accent furniture that are more modern around it.

Mixing styles can also mean transforming an old object from its original purpose, to give it a more fashionable use: suitcases as side tables, a sewing machine as a desk, a fireplace as a bookcase…!

Shades and textures are a great help in mixing styles. If your décor includes many modern and antique elements, opt for a more neutral colour palette to avoid clashing.