Garden and Easel Art Studio

I rescued this turn of the century Hekman writing desk from an old barn. Part of the joy in finding old furniture like this, are the surprises I find tucked away inside. A one cent post card from circa 1914, the 1943-44 program for Damascus Lodge (where the Freemasons met), the names of obscure women and a wonderful note about the White Cliffs of Dover. So much history in one little desk! I can imagine the characters and the novel yet to be written about the scores of individuals who have sat at this very desk.

Vintage 1940's newlywed furniture...also called waterfall and swing era furniture.  Let's set the mood with this little number by Ella and Louis dancing  Cheek to Cheek.  Newlywed furniture was massed produced before and after WWII.  Made quickly with a lot of fancy veneer over pine to make the pieces look more expensive, it was the furniture of choice for the many new brides who wanted to fill their newly acquired homes.  Ads like these ran in newspapers all over the states and it wasn't uncommon for 6-7 pieces of furniture to cost less than $200. That would be about $3000 in today's market. Love is in the air.                                       Listen to That's A'more! by  Dean Martin Venus...the Roman goddess of love.  To learn more about Sandro Botticelli's fa...

(In October 2018 I took the plunge and painted this vanity old world blue. I think it is prettier than ever.) Turn-of-the-Century French Vanity  With Refinished Top 37"HX49"WX19"D I bought this gorgeous piece from a local thrift center. I was excited to find cards and letters in the drawers with California addresses on them. So I assume the piece traveled from California before settling here in Tennessee. Only the top has been restored. The rest of the vanity and settee have the original paint and copper patina. You can find similar pieces for sale on  1stdibs  that have been painted or restored for thousands of dollars. This is a great find and I hope it can find a special owner who can appreciate its history. Contact me at gardenandeasel@gmail.com or via text at 931-488-8894 for more info. Gay Lena The French call this type of vanity a "coiffeuse" (or a dressing table). Handpainted roses...just exquisite! My grandmother...

This unappreciated piece of furniture caught my eye the second I saw it. I had to have it! I had to paint it! I threw out a price to the shopkeeper and within minutes we were loading it in my truck.                                                                            Painted with black Valspar chalk paint, distressed and sealed with polyacrylic...this piece is almost 7 feet tall and will make a bold statement in any room.  The top is removable...making it easy to move.  Roll top desk with drawer underneath                                                                 It's all in the detai...

Nothing says "classic" like a black and white photograph. And this piece is well deserved to be called a classic. I rescued it from the dusty corner of an antique shop and then brought back to life with a can of black paint and some good old fashioned elbow grease.  Sold March 2018! Chalk paint is the way to go. Any brand will do or you can make your own like these from Salvaged Inspirations.  I used Valspar chalk paint from Lowes in Kettle Black .  After two coats of paint, I distressed the edges with a medium grade sandpaper and sealed it with two coats of Minwax Polyacrylic.  Tres Chic! I sanded the top with my Craftsman sheet sander and then stained it with Minwax penetrating stain.  I mixed English Chestnut with Espresso to get this dark color. It is sealed with Minwax high gloss Polyurethane. I found these three little vases at my local Threads of Hope thrift store.   What a transformation! ...