Saturday, February 11, 2012

Henry Link Bamboo Dresser

Another project for this weekend that will for sure be finished is this Henry Link Bamboo Dresser. Here is a before picture. By the way - on top is a drop leaf table that a friend of mine pulled out of a dumpster for me. Friends rock.


So this was a really rough piece. Mrs. Smith and my son picked it up last Summer at a garage (shed) sale for $5. I know - there are people out there that paid top dollar for this same dresser - I hope you are not one of them. There were leaves in the drawers, a mud wasp nest in the structure behind the bottom drawer - all kinds of dirt. This picture above is after I used my shop vac, and a wire brush to prep it. No sand paper on this piece, the paint was just a little too "chippy", so I thought a wire brush would do the trick, and it did.

So here it is after just one coat of CeCe Caldwell's Carolina Sun Yellow, which is appropriate for this piece since it originated in South Carolina at the Henry Link factory. Did I mention it has a Formica top (that is a type of shiny plastic for those of you that didn't know).


Looks nice huh? Still wet on the bottom when I took this photo. Notice how muted the color is. It went on like mustard (the color, not the texture). So I am applying a CeCe Caldwell's clear wax to this piece. I just like wax because it gives furniture a professional looking finish, and it feels good and protects the paint from dings and chips. This is actually the first time I used CCC paint, and I liked it a lot. I was testing it to see if TheSmithHotel would be a retailer for Northern California. And the verdict - yep. We will probably take delivery of our first shipment in early March and we will have it at Oregon Street Antique Mall and our online store. More about that later.

So I am waxing this piece when a sudden thought comes to me - I feel like i want a cup of tea! Why you ask? After all, I don't drink tea unless I am sick, and even then I prefer coffee. I am a coffee snob, love it, drink it, breath it. I have used a French Press for the last 2 years, and recently started using a single pour filter. Just love coffee! So why the thought of tea? The wax smells like honey! I like honey in my tea when I do drink it, so I thought about tea. This wax smells so good. The first ingredient is Beeswax. It is all natural with no petroleum, so no dizzy sensations. It is really good stuff and very easy to apply. Here is a picture after the wax was applied.


Look at how vibrant this turned out! Someone is going to love this piece when it goes in the shop. You have to let this wax cure, so in the morning I will finish it off and put the hardware back on. I didn't even mess with the hardware, Mrs. Smith said it looked good in its current capacity, so no changes there. Be back tomorrow for a finished product, stop back by to check it out.

Saturday Morning - bright and early before anyone was up - I stepped out into TheSmithGarage with my cup of joe. I buffed out the wax that I had applied the night before and put the hardware back on (as is). This piece looks smooth - very smooth. The wax settled in and the tone softened quite a bit overnight. Here is the finished product:


Someone will really enjoy this in their Beach Theme room. I hope you enjoy as well.

Mr. Smith

Linked to
Beyond The Picket Fence
You Are Talking Too Much
Redoux
Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Feature Fridays
Primitive & Proper
Funky Junk Interiors

Since I am not an "expert" on CeCe Caldwell's paint quite yet - here are some other blogs I follow that already carry CeCe Caldwell's and have a few more words to say about the product.
Orphaned Decor
Bungalow 47
Vintage Shabby Chicks

25 comments:

  1. Looks awesome. I have never heard of that paint..can you elaborate about it?
    tammy

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    1. Tammy - check out the links I added to the end of the entry - I just started using CCC this weekend - you can check out these other sites for now, but you will be seeing alot more of it in future posts on my blog as well. Thanks for the question - now off to buff out my wax and start mod podging a desk.

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  2. Thanks for your sweet reply on my blog. I love how this yellowish dresser turned out. I think CeCe...is on to somthing. Her paint is more affordable than ASCP..what your your thoughts on using them both?

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    1. I have used a lot of different paints over the past few years. I think I just love painting with chalk paint after all these years of latex and oil-based paints. What really stands out is the finishing process - after the paint has dried. Chalk paint is so easy to work with when it comes to sanding and waxing.ASCP is a little thicker from the get-go, but you can thicken CCC by leaving it open for a bit. Each color covers a little different - I noticed this on both paints - based on the color of the paint and the base of the wood. CCC is 100% "green" - no acrylic at all. The CCC wax smells like honey - which is awesome. I will share more as I paint more with it over the coming months.

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  3. This dresser turned out fantastic! I love how that paint gave it such a mellow soft look. That color just might be what I need.

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    1. Ann, it's close to the Longenberger color, it depends on the color of the piece before you paint, and the finish, but you can get really close.

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  4. Hi Mr. Smith...so nice to have met you via Lucky 7 Design!! The dresser is absolutely fabulous!! Love the Carolina Sun color...thanks for your nice post on CeCe Caldwells paints...we really want to get it out there:-))

    Julie and Sharon

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  5. Turned out gorgeous. I will have to break some out. We were going to do a little table set but it sold before we could get it done. Very nice. You are going to love hhis for your shop...brings in a lot of folks and you get to play with the paints all day.

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  6. About 10 years ago I was given this same dresser. It looks pretty shabby now. We are the 3rd family that has used it. I can't wait to pick out a color to paint it. Love the color you picked and the paint job. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!

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    1. thanks for stopping by Sally. Very cool history - good luck on your color choice, this yellow just seemed to fit.

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  7. Nice redo!!! I love the yellow! New follower! ~Lori

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    1. Thanks for comment. I will try not to dissapoint - always something new going through TheSmithGarage.

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  8. SO Jealous!!! I so want a Henry Link Bedroom set!!!
    Ok not one with wasps and mud and leaves in it, but then again I've never been called 'picky'.

    Very nice job!
    New follower, A
    Solongfarm.blogspot.com

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    1. It's going in the store today at Oregon Street Antique Mall - upstairs at TheSmithHotel. Thanks - it really was baaaad! And now it is quite stylish.

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  9. love that yellow! it's so pretty- great dresser!

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    1. thanks Cassie - thanks for hosting the party. great seeing all the other things folks are doing out there.

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  10. Love this dresser!! I have never heard of that paint, I'll be looking it up!

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    1. It's new this year - eco-friendly paint that competes with ASCP - very good stuff - easy to use and finish with - wonderful wax. Thanks for stopping by. Come back in a few weeks and I'll have lots of new projects to share.

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  11. This is gorgeous! I so wish you didn't live all the way across the country from me!!! Great job. Visiting you from You Are Talking Too Much.

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  12. Love the finished product! I am looking at this exact furniture on Craigslist (9 piece set) to refinish for my daughters room. I googled the designers name an happily found your blog and the redone dresser! I personally have not seen the furniture and saw that you mentioned it had a Formica top. What did you do with it? Can you remove it or did you just paint it? If you painted it won't the paint be easily scratched off? Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks

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    1. I painted it with the CeCe Caldwells paint, sanded it with 220 which gave it a hardened finish, then waxed it with CeCe Caldwell's Clear Wax. It had a very good finish. It would probably scratch if you carved it with a knike blade, but otherwise, the chalk/clay paint really gives it a stone-like finish - right over formica. Good luck with your set - sounds fun.

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  13. I have 6 pieces of the Henry Link bedroom furniture and it is the original mellow yello. I would love to repaint it, what do I do with the formica top ??

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