Part 2: Grandma's Washstand!

Last time I took off all of the hardware off the washstand and gave it a good wipe-down.  Today, we are cleaning the hardware! 

Now my pictures only encompass the door knobs, but I did the same thing for all the pieces.

The started looking like this....

  

Yuck.  YEARS of grime, tarnish, oils from hands, etc. had made their mark on the hardware.

First I soaked them in a vinegar water.  There's probably a 'safe' proportion, but I just guessed.... warm water and vinegar.  Then I started scrubbing a bit with a toothbrush.  

Better....

 I realized I needed something a little bit abrasive to really do the trick, so I took everything out of the vinegar, and while still wet I sprinkled them with table salt.  Then I scrubbed some more, periodically wetting my brush in the water or adding more salt.

 Much better!

(you can see one of the drawer handles in the background, covered in salt)

Now some of them still look, meh, because the finish was just plain worn off... still not sure what I'm going to do there.  I'm torn between restoring and a complete makeover.  Lucky for me, I don't have to decide yet! 

I have two color schemes that I like right now.  One is to paint the whole thing a bright white, and replace the hardware as is.  I don't know what the wood looks like yet, or how it was originally, but that is how I always knew it to be at Grandma's house.

The second is to paint it all a bright white but to paint the recessed areas a bright white-mixed with a titch of yellow.  Hardware either original, painted to look new, or painted a whatever color matches best.  Thoughts?  Ideas?  Opinions?

Go Back to Part 1

Furniture Makeover! Grandma's Washstand

My sweet Great-Grandma passed away this spring, and when we went out to visit family this summer my Grandma mentioned that this washstand needed so TLC and it could be beautiful again.  I took one look at it and fell in love!  I casually mentioned that it would be something I was interested in and hoped she had noticed!  Later that same day she said that I could have it!  So we shoved all our luggage and this washstand into the back of our car for the 10hr trek home!

The left door is broken, as you can see.  It actually looks like it has been fixed before, but the side panel of wood has separated from the rest of the door.  My plan is to strip everything first and then see what I'm really up against later before I figure out how to fix it.

Now all I need to do is strip the LAYERS of paint!  You really can't tell from most of these pictures, but the paint is really.... gunky?  You know that look when someone has painted a piece of furniture... and painted it.... and painted it!  I am interested to see what I come up with once the paint is removed!

First things first!  Take it apart and remove all the hardware!  The drawer pulls and door knobs came off no problem!  The hinges.... well... first, who puts hinges on with nails??? Who?? (screws people, screws.)

Second, who's idea was the two and half inch nail?????  Seriously?  I tell ya, I've pulled a few nails out of wood in my day, but this was almost more than I could manage.  The nature of the project and the size/surface area I had to work with mad pulling these buggers out nearly impossible!

Got 'em!

More to come!  Any ideas on how to paint it/finish it when I'm done?  Comment below!