My New Old Typewriter
The same day that I bought my nude loafers, the two tier fruit bowl and the leather belt for my clock makeover, I also saw this:
I didn’t buy it then but it sort of hunted me so I had to go back the next day to get it… It was only 16 euros and it works! It can be used to make text for greeting cards or craft projects. I actually already did a small easy art project that I used this typewriter for. Maybe I’ll show it later… 
Wooden Flat File Makeover
A little over a week ago I bought something I’ve wanted for a long time: a wooden flat file. The best thing was, it was only 40 euros! It’s solid wood and in good condition. It has some small damage on the surface but I think it only adds to the character. This flat file was originally used to store maps but it’s perfect for storing drawings and art supplies.
I had a very clear vision about this makeover: metal casters and a darker finish. I bought some darker wood wax and stripped the existing lacquer. Then I applied the wood wax… and the color didn’t change at all. This was how the flat file looked after the wax and the casters:
I wasn’t happy about the color. It was still too yellow. I think the problem was this: the surface of the wood was so smooth, the wax didn’t absorb to the wood and the color of the wax was also too light. I thought that after wood wax it would be impossible to stain the wood. But after some research I discovered a stain that could be used for waxed wood. The wood had to be cleaned from the wax first and the stain could then be applied. This worked pretty well and I was able to get a darker finish I was hoping for in the first place. This is how the flat file looks now:
That’s better! Now it’s not yellow anymore. Total cost was about 70 euros including the flat file and the supplies. That’s not bad since I’ve seen similar ones go for hundreds of euros.
Vintage Suitcase Makeover
Last fall I bought this suitcase from a thrift store. I liked it but I couldn’t help that it felt a bit… boring. It’s not obvious from the picture but I would describe the light color as something between white, beige and peach. Not that pretty. I thought it needed some contrast, so I painted the suitcase a cool gray. I used regular waterbased acrylic paint and mixed the color myself. Here’s the after:
Looks so much better! The cool gray is the perfect contrast for the brown and gold details!
PS. You can also see a glimpse of my latest purchase from the photos: a wooden flat file! It’s beautiful! But more on that later…
What a find | Tapiovaara chairs
Me and my husband were at a nearby flea market today when he noticed these chairs 10 euros per chair. They looked so good: black faux leather and black metal legs. We turned them to see if there was any manufacturer mark on the bottom. There was…
It says Lukkiseppo Oy, —— Suomi Finland, Tapiovaara design. Tapiovaara?!? For real??
Ilmari Tapiovaara is one of the most famous finnish designers of all time. Many of his designs are classics these days and can cost a fortune. These chairs were 10 euros per chair. What a find! Of course we took them home with us. We would have bought them anyway, even if they weren’t Tapiovaaras designs, we liked them so much.
I tried to google these chairs but didn’t find much. I guess they were designed for some public place or that these chairs are rare and there’s only a few pieces in the world. Both would explain the lack of information about these chairs. Hopefully we will be able to find out what they’re really worth and what’s the story behind them…
Drawer makeover
This is a project I’m very happy and proud of. First reason is: this is a good example of a piece with potential. Second reason: this project shows how just a little work can give a sad piece of furniture a new life. Third reason is: this project shows how beautiful furniture doesn’t have to be expensive.
I bought this drawer for total of 30 euros, including delivery. It’s wooden surface was beyond repair but it had beautiful classic lines and good bones. Perfect piece for paint I’d say! I chose to use black paint with distressed edges to highlight the lines of the drawer. My inspiration piece is Henshaw Black chest of drawers from Laura Ashley, you can see it here.
So after some filler and a lot of sanding, I painted the piece two times. I sanded it lightly in between coats to get a smoother surface. The distressing didn’t take a lot of time but made a huge difference! My final touch was to add new pulls which I found almost by accident from Biltema. I had been looking for the perfect drawer pulls for a while without success. The ones I saw didn’t look good or they were too expensive. But these were perfect in size, they looked good and they were under 5 euros for a pack of four! What a find!
Here is my drawer after:
Total costs: under 55 euros! Sometimes seeing potential and beauty in a rundown piece of furniture really pays off. This project took only a few days to complete and the results are amazing, don’t you think?
I am an industrial design student from Finland with a passion for design, decor, and DIY. In this blog I will share my diy projects and more. Feel free to comment, I would love to hear your thoughts!
Hope you enjoy and please visit again!
