Good day,
My name is Kara, and I would like to cordially invite you to hang out with me at Lilac Shack where furniture blooms in beautiful bouquets of dressers, chests, vanities, mirrors, buffets, tables, desks and anything else that catches my eye, which is pretty much any piece of furniture with which I come into contact. Though my personal taste in decor has changed and bobbed around as my stages in life have evolved, there has remained a deep core that has never wavered. My decorative heart and soul have always been captured by antique and vintage items. I have shopped these items all of my adult life, and have never grown weary of them. I hold no bias as to where I find furniture to refinish. From donations, to thrift stores, to dealers to street chic (my synonym for curbside), to flea markets, to specialty shops, to auctions, I will purchase and collect from just about anywhere. I have not ascertained dumpster diving. Yet.
Some pieces are an easy call, beaming with quality, cleanliness and character. Some not as much. Some pieces are skulking in a dank corner, or putting on a brave smile under filth and rigged fixes. Some I pity and just can't bear to leave behind without offering them a fighting chance. They all snuggle in tight in my van to come home with me. And while the obvious beauties babysit the less inclined in the workshoppe, they are all equally exquisite in their own right. They all get to watch remarkable transformations occur amongst themselves. A warm TSP bubble bath, primping of repairs, a fluffy towel of paint or stain, powdering of wax, and voila. A whole new old piece is bursting at the dovetails to find a loving home.
I have a rather eclectic approach to decor, not wanting to leave anyone out. That's part of what brought about Lilac Shack Furniture. I just love too many styles and colors and want to put it all in my house. So instead, I will be fair and share some with others.
I believe many styles can play very nicely together in a home. I like and own some more modern things, but my style tends to meander back down yesteryear lane with an emphasis on older loveables. I love that they have been loved by who knows who. I love that they have been handed down through generations. The things they must have seen and heard! I love that they sat idle in attics and barns awaiting to be found and hauled away to a new home and purpose. I only hope I can serve these fine pieces as well as they have served others all of their lives.
Let's face it, furniture is a necessity and should provide comfort atop practicality. The pieces we choose express a part of us. We should enjoy the life-long process of filling our homes with pieces that speak of not only our style, but of our hearts. I'm sure I have some things that people may glance at and think what in the world? But to me, they are irreplaceable and will always stand poised on my red carpet of decor.
As much as I appreciate a fine piece in its original state, sometimes it could truly benefit a perk-up. My philosophy about painting furniture is this: I respect, honor and cherish fine craftsmanship, wood grain, and a shmancy veneer design. I adore patina. The natural aging effects on a piece stop my little estate sale running feet dead in their tracks. Dings, gouges, crackles, chips, peeling, color fades, etc. make my heart flutter and bring a flush to my cheeks.
As far as dressing up a piece in paint, I take much into consideration first, as I also believe in preserving the integrity of the craftsmanship and materials used to create it. However, if a piece is not going to be used because of a case of the shambles or brown furniture uglies, what then is the purpose of keeping it? To ban it to a basement or attic where it could warp, mold or disintegrate? What a shame. I say, paint it. Use it. Perty it up and showcase its fine self. Each piece has a personality and presence of its own. Painting it using quality products and techniques will bring out the best of the details which make it special. I seek to turn sad furniture into happy furniture.
Sometimes, by stripping off the gunk from years past, amazing discoveries await. The original natural beauty buried under veneer, varnish and even bad paint jobs is revealed. Often times, these tossed out of sight pieces can be pleasantly revived and integrated into your living space by redressing them to suit your current decor needs, taste and style. Function and beauty are a superb combination with these redone stragglers. Value is placed on the sentiment of a piece, the integrity is in its purpose and place in your family's daily life. How better to honor a piece than to display and actually use it?
I have no problem livening, reviving and redoing a piece to make it useable by painting and staining it. I value an antique just as much as the next person, and I admire natural wood, but I also hold the philosophy that sometimes brown is just brown and old is just old. When that is the case, paint should it embrace.
If you would like to ask any questions, advertise through my website or blog, or if you would like me to paint a precious piece you own, I can be reached by email which is given on the contact page.
Thank you for choosing to spend some time with me.
Again, a very warm welcome to my site and my quest in restoring and refinishing great old as well as not so old furniture, from my Shack to your home.
Blessings,
Kara
My name is Kara, and I would like to cordially invite you to hang out with me at Lilac Shack where furniture blooms in beautiful bouquets of dressers, chests, vanities, mirrors, buffets, tables, desks and anything else that catches my eye, which is pretty much any piece of furniture with which I come into contact. Though my personal taste in decor has changed and bobbed around as my stages in life have evolved, there has remained a deep core that has never wavered. My decorative heart and soul have always been captured by antique and vintage items. I have shopped these items all of my adult life, and have never grown weary of them. I hold no bias as to where I find furniture to refinish. From donations, to thrift stores, to dealers to street chic (my synonym for curbside), to flea markets, to specialty shops, to auctions, I will purchase and collect from just about anywhere. I have not ascertained dumpster diving. Yet.
Some pieces are an easy call, beaming with quality, cleanliness and character. Some not as much. Some pieces are skulking in a dank corner, or putting on a brave smile under filth and rigged fixes. Some I pity and just can't bear to leave behind without offering them a fighting chance. They all snuggle in tight in my van to come home with me. And while the obvious beauties babysit the less inclined in the workshoppe, they are all equally exquisite in their own right. They all get to watch remarkable transformations occur amongst themselves. A warm TSP bubble bath, primping of repairs, a fluffy towel of paint or stain, powdering of wax, and voila. A whole new old piece is bursting at the dovetails to find a loving home.
I have a rather eclectic approach to decor, not wanting to leave anyone out. That's part of what brought about Lilac Shack Furniture. I just love too many styles and colors and want to put it all in my house. So instead, I will be fair and share some with others.
I believe many styles can play very nicely together in a home. I like and own some more modern things, but my style tends to meander back down yesteryear lane with an emphasis on older loveables. I love that they have been loved by who knows who. I love that they have been handed down through generations. The things they must have seen and heard! I love that they sat idle in attics and barns awaiting to be found and hauled away to a new home and purpose. I only hope I can serve these fine pieces as well as they have served others all of their lives.
Let's face it, furniture is a necessity and should provide comfort atop practicality. The pieces we choose express a part of us. We should enjoy the life-long process of filling our homes with pieces that speak of not only our style, but of our hearts. I'm sure I have some things that people may glance at and think what in the world? But to me, they are irreplaceable and will always stand poised on my red carpet of decor.
As much as I appreciate a fine piece in its original state, sometimes it could truly benefit a perk-up. My philosophy about painting furniture is this: I respect, honor and cherish fine craftsmanship, wood grain, and a shmancy veneer design. I adore patina. The natural aging effects on a piece stop my little estate sale running feet dead in their tracks. Dings, gouges, crackles, chips, peeling, color fades, etc. make my heart flutter and bring a flush to my cheeks.
As far as dressing up a piece in paint, I take much into consideration first, as I also believe in preserving the integrity of the craftsmanship and materials used to create it. However, if a piece is not going to be used because of a case of the shambles or brown furniture uglies, what then is the purpose of keeping it? To ban it to a basement or attic where it could warp, mold or disintegrate? What a shame. I say, paint it. Use it. Perty it up and showcase its fine self. Each piece has a personality and presence of its own. Painting it using quality products and techniques will bring out the best of the details which make it special. I seek to turn sad furniture into happy furniture.
Sometimes, by stripping off the gunk from years past, amazing discoveries await. The original natural beauty buried under veneer, varnish and even bad paint jobs is revealed. Often times, these tossed out of sight pieces can be pleasantly revived and integrated into your living space by redressing them to suit your current decor needs, taste and style. Function and beauty are a superb combination with these redone stragglers. Value is placed on the sentiment of a piece, the integrity is in its purpose and place in your family's daily life. How better to honor a piece than to display and actually use it?
I have no problem livening, reviving and redoing a piece to make it useable by painting and staining it. I value an antique just as much as the next person, and I admire natural wood, but I also hold the philosophy that sometimes brown is just brown and old is just old. When that is the case, paint should it embrace.
If you would like to ask any questions, advertise through my website or blog, or if you would like me to paint a precious piece you own, I can be reached by email which is given on the contact page.
Thank you for choosing to spend some time with me.
Again, a very warm welcome to my site and my quest in restoring and refinishing great old as well as not so old furniture, from my Shack to your home.
Blessings,
Kara