Season 7 Week 4: Furniture!

Can it be the final round of season 7?! I can't wait to see what the three finalists have come up with for their furniture projects. Be sure to vote at the end!

Number 1: Ribbon Storage Station

I'm so excited to have made it through to the final week of One Month To Win It! Furniture is kind of a big deal, so I was pretty nervous about this week. I had a lot of ideas and a hard time deciding. I wanted to make something I really needed. The ribbon in my craft room was a jumble of mass chaos, so a storage solution seemed like the perfect choice! I made a run to the home improvement store, dusted off our power tools and got down to business!

Ribbon Storage Station

I used a couple of 1x6 lengths of wood (cut down to size at the store for free) and created a basic bookcase. I added a couple shelves near the bottom and drilled holes for dowel rods, which I capped off with wood finials. I finished it up by adding scraps of crown moulding at the top and bottom. I sanded the whole thing down and painted it.

On one side, I added corkboard, which I cut to fit. I also added a removable yard stick so I can easily measure the amount of ribbon I need without needing to remove the spool.

The dowels slide right out to easily swap out ribbon spools and I left plenty of space to add more rows as my collection grows. I added some jars to hold more supplies and a couple of baskets, which I labeled with chalkboard tags.

I absolutely love that all the things I need to work with my ribbon are all in once place! This was my first go at building custom furniture and I think I'm hooked! For less than $50, I built something that is exactly what I need with none of the stress of trying to find something that just kind of works for me.

And I LOVE seeing all my pretty ribbon lined up, ready to use!

Number 2: Media Dresser

Media Dresser

I feel soooo lucky to have made it to the finale of One Month To Win It! I was really on the edge of my seat for the results of last week's voting, so thanks everyone!

For the furniture theme, I wanted to tackle the media center in our family room. We had recently wall mounted our television, so no longer needed a unit for the TV to stand on. I searched Craig's list for a piece of furniture that could be repurposed to fit underneath and found this charming little antique dresser.

Now don't go getting all upset at me for painting an antique - it wasn't in the best of shape, and whoever had stained and sealed it previously had not done it any favors. I used paints from the Martha Stewart line and painted the drawers fronts and side panels a high gloss buckwheat flour and the body of the dresser cast bronze.

I removed the top drawer to house our DVR and DVD players; reusing the drawer bottom to make a shelf. I wanted the components to be somewhat hidden but still able to receive the remote control signals and also be able to access the DVD player to change disks. To accomplish this, I built a frame and used L-brackets at the corners and a mesh screen called hardware cloth to back it. I sprayed the hardware and screen with oil rubbed bronze spray paint to go with the new drawer pulls I installed. The door lifts up on hinges so we'll be able to reach the components. I think the L-brackets give the piece a look similar to campaign furniture.

I lined the shelf and both the drawers (which had seen better days) with linen fabric decoupaged to stay in place. The drawers will hold our DVDs, spare remotes, and a cozy blanket for snuggling up on the sofa to watch a good movie!

This has been such a fun challenge - regardless of the final outcome, it has been a pleasure to participate on One Month To Win It Season 7!

Number 3: Grain Sack Painted Dresser

Hello again, OMTWI readers! I’m elated to be back for the final round of competition!

This round is the furniture round, and I couldn’t wait to get started on this piece. I picked up this Craigslist dresser on New Year’s Day… for fifty bucks (score!). I wish I’d have remembered to take before pictures before the stripping and sanding began, but just picture layers and layers of yellow and tan paint, if you need a visual… Hopefully, the end result will make up for it ;).

I love vintage textiles, and found my inspiration for this dresser in the rustic beauty of striped French grain sacks. The simplicity of the design is timeless… and that’s what I wanted to bring to this piece. After sanding and priming, I painted the dresser with two coats of Martha Stewart’s Glass of Milk. Once dry, I taped off my lines and dry-brushed the stripe (Martha Stewart Wrought Iron). I then lightly distressed the surface with sandpaper and added a burnt umber glaze for patina. New antique brass hardware (98 cents a piece!) added a nice finishing touch.

My plans of staining the wood top were foiled when some hidden leftover paint decided to peek through my walnut stain… I didn’t want to chance sanding the wood too thin so I decided on another plan. I dry brushed the wood top with the Wrought Iron paint and added a polyurethane finish, buffed to a soft sheen. The end result was a nice, weathered effect with a smooth as glass finish.

I’m quite excited about my new dresser… and it’s new home in my front entry, a great reminder that it is possible to not only make do with old items, but to make them beautiful as well.

I hope this project inspires you to give new life to an old piece with a little paint and elbow grease… and I really would be honored to have your vote in this final round.

Thanks to all of the OMTWI team for hosting this great event and best of luck to the other contestants!!

It's time to vote.....it's a tough choice.