Queen Anne Chameleon Table

Oh, Hi!

You may think I've been lazy and not doing many projects in my blog absence, however I actually have a line of completed projects that I have not posted yet. 

I have been lazy though. Most of my projects lately have been refinishing/refurbishing pieces instead of building them from scratch. 

This first one is what we are using as our coffee table. We scored it at a yard sale and it was EXACTLY what I was hoping to find when we set out that morning. Oval and Queen Anne legs. YES!

She's got nice legs!!

It was a little dark and woody for our taste. We have A LOT of wood in our house already so our taste in furniture has shifted to a more colorful/painted look in order to avoid wood-grain overload (a very serious condition I hear, takes a negative toll on overall vision).

{ Mid-refinish :: Still needs the stain }

Olympic ONE paint/primer combo: Cavern Moss
Rust-oleum Ultimate Wood Stain: Sunbleached

I like the natural wood look generally, but it's even too much for me. With this table we decided to stain the top to keep it still a little woody but we chose a grey that is very different that your traditional stains. It did not absorb and darken the grain of the wood, but sat on top and lightened up the piece. It's water resistant and so we haven't even applied a poly top coat, we don't even use those cute COASTERS (which I made) all the time!

Add a little Cavern Moss green to those curvy legs and viola! Our new coffee table complete.

We call it our chameleon table because the stain on the top is so versatile. It has a sheen to it and depending on the light it can take on many different looks. Sometimes grey, sometimes silver, sometimes more natural wood looking. For this reason I really think this table would look great anywhere! 

~ Make an offer if interested in purchasing in the St. Louis Metro area ~

Projects Due

I have been MIA from blogging since the move back to the Midwest, but A LOT has been going on. We have been living in my parents' old house which still has all their stuff in it, so we haven't gotten to do a lot of homing yet.  But shortly it will become a lot more barren and inspiration for projects should start blossoming.

I DO have ONE project under way right now however! It is not completed but I'll give you a sneak peak...

... I know it's not much to go on, but a finished product should be coming soon!

We've moved!

No longer is Oahu the home of Ames Reclaims... instead I am setting up shop in the St. Louis area! We have just arrived and have a lot to do before we are settled, but I hope to start creating new pieces very soon.

An added bonus of moving back to this area will be having access to my dad's workshop. Tools GALORE!

This move should lead to higher quality and a higher volume of products. Now I just need to scope out the St. Louis used material resources...

My Essentials for Building

You might assume that I have a lot of tools. Maybe a garage full of hardware, drills, screwdrivers, and saws? Often people think they can't take on minor construction projects because what they own doesn't match the workshop they think they need. But the truth is; you do not need a multitude of specialized tools to build furniture. It'd be nice of course(!) but it's not a prerequisite.

You are more capable than you think, you only need the guts to give it a try!

I have made most of my pieces with only the bare essentials. I live in a 600 sq. ft. apartment and have no room to store a bunch of tools. I do my work and assembly mostly in the backyard, but sometimes right smack dab in the middle of my living room!

The tools I own are: 

--a power drill/screwdriver
--power sander
--tape measure
--hand stapler
--wood glue {yes, I consider it a tool}
--hammer
--paint can opener
--paintbrush

--hand saw with angle brace

That's it. That is what I make my furniture with. I borrowed an electric saw once to cut off part of the screen door, but all my other sawing is done with muscle! These items take up about one cubic foot of space in my closet.

This is going to sound cheesy, but the most useful thing in your arsenal is going to be your creativity. Sometimes you have to look in the scrap bin for pieces to easily modify, think outside the confines of traditional building methods, and find a way to make it totally you.

Someday soon I am looking forward to gaining access to more tools because I won't deny that they will make the process much easier. In the meantime, I hope that these pieces can inspire you to take on the challenge of a project even if you have the bare minimum!

Birdie Branch Burlap Art

Having a lot of texture in a home is a wonderful thing. It adds more interest to a room and I think it lends to the homey, comfortable feel that is always the end goal for my rooms.

One of my favorite materials, for it's wonderful texture, is burlap. I used it on this project and had quite a bit left over. I wanted to put it to use in other parts of the apartment and so I decided to make some framed burlap art, a way to add texture to... the walls!

I found an old wood 8x10 frame and covered it with watered down white paint to give it a white-washed look. Then I cut and measured my burlap to fit the frame I painted my base picture of the olive branch directly onto this piece of burlap using white acrylic paint. Next, I painted a few smaller pieces with the birdie and the heart. Layering separate pieces allowed me to play with the arrangement and added extra dimension. There's no need to even glue it in place because the burlap sticks well to itself.

Viola!

This project is so simple! Even if you are artistically challenged and run away from anything that involves freehand, you can make it look good by stamping a picture or saying onto the material. Or you may purchase this one of course!

You can see more pictures of mine sprucing up my TV stand here.

~ $10.00 ~

Going Social

Do you like what you see? Please show us some love by liking us on our brand new Facebook page!!

Mahalo for your support,

- Ames

Beachy Oval Rag Rug

Not only do I like making furniture, but sometimes my crafty side gets me making decor pieces as well.


This rag rug was crocheted using recycled fabrics. The blue, tan, and white colors were inspired by a beach side cottage but this rug can accompany a wide array of décor. 

The materials used are an assortment of cotton and denims resulting in a wonderfully textured rug. The fabric strips have raw edges that add warm charm to this cozy rug. One side has the exposed fabric "joints" for a more raw look, and the other side is smoother. 

I hand crocheted this whole thing, and since I wanted to make it tight, it took a long time to accomplish (I am not the fastest crocheter around). The texture feels nice underneath your feet! I want to make more of these because I think it's a great recycling project and it's a more useful product than the normal scarves that I end up crocheting. I just wish they didn't take me so LONG. I will be experimenting with different fabrics in the future.

All materials were acquired at my local thrift and they were all thoroughly washed and dried before being up-cycled so they should not shrink, but I recommend laying it flat to dry for best shape. 
Rug was made in a smoke-free home. 

Design Ideas: Works well in front of doors, as a kitchen mat, or an accent piece to any room. Use this rug under a small table to anchor it into your room. 


Dimensions: 25”x34” oval

~ $40.00 ~

Country Jalousie End Tables [set]

I have a special place in my heart for small tables... they come in handy on many odd occasions, they are cute, and they're super easy to move around.

These petite tables are adorable!

The tops are made from wooden jalousies. When I found them at the store (guess which one...) they were painted tan. I sanded off the paint to reveal their pretty wood-grains below. I think it's a shame they were ever painted in the first place!

For the legs I wanted to do something fun, so I bought some used balusters!

Since pieces from railings and windows are coming together to make these tables they will also serve as good conversation starters when you have company over.

Design Ideas: Display them as couch end tables in a small apartment, nightstands for a child's bedroom, or have them flanking a chair as I have shown!

Dimensions: surfaces = 10.75" x 15.5", height = 18.25"

~ $55.00 ~

For the SET
SOLD

Weathered Wood Side Tables [Set]

{grain detail}

{screw detail}

These tables are my FAVORITE things I've made so far! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them and wish I could keep them forever.

I made them from naturally weathered wood boards. They have fabulous texture and when I coated them in poly (many layers to minimize splintering of the rough patches) the grain and colors took on a whole new dimension of beauty.

I have no idea what these boards were used for in their past life, but each one has a hole through it. This ended up becoming a functional feature that allows you to feed unsightly lamp/charger cords through them. A few of the holes do have old screws still poking through (pictured) so these tables might not be suited for a child's room where curious fingers could get scratched.

Modern, rustic, shabby chic, or eclectic; this set can transcend many different design styles. Sometimes all a super modern room is missing is one earthy accent, and these tables would definitely do the trick.

Design Idea: Slide cloth bins or baskets underneath for additional storage! Pair this set with my Cheery Yellow Door Headboard and it looks fabulous!


Dimensions: 10 3/4" W x 19 3/4" L x 21" H

~ $80.00 ~

For the SET
SOLD

Cheery Yellow Door Headboard

This was a project I was dreaming of for a while. It turned out different than I originally planned, but when you go to find old pieces to re-purpose, you never know what you will come across and where it will lead you.

The original plan for this piece was to use louvered doors, but instead I came across an old screen door (at the awesome Re-use Hawaii again) and my mind immediately set to thinking of all the cool ways I could design the inner space of the door!

{My scribble ideas}

We brought it home (after the slight ordeal of trying to make it fit into our car), took the screen out, and there it sat... for a couple months. I was debating my plan of action. Colors, textures, and what to do with the open space where the screen once was?

Until finally I got the motivation to go for it and created this:

The color is Valspar Tiffany Yellow and there are two cushioned backrests upholstered in a dark brown burlap. The rest is left as open space so the color of your wall will show through. This is a very unique headboard and will definitely make a statement in your bedroom! Supportive legs allow the headboard to lean up against the wall or they can be screwed or drilled into the bed frame.

I LOVE the way this came out. The way the headboard is wider than the mattress really makes an impact and looks great with proper height nightstands.

Headboard is pictured on a queen size bed (legs are designed for queen bed frame). Could work for a king size bed if not connected to bed frame.

Design Idea: If you want to further customize and showcase your new headboard's past life, add a vintage nob to the original door nob hole!

Dimensions: 75 1/4" W x 44 3/4" H (legs are 21" of the height)

~ $200.00 ~
SOLD

Rustic Redwood Floorboard Table

This is the first piece I built here in Hawaii, and it was for a personal purpose. We are living in a small apartment with an odd layout and there is only one good place for a tv. I don't think there is a tv stand out there that would fit the criteria that we desired for this space. It had to be just long enough to span the wall and we wanted it shallow. A deep stand would have made our apartment feel SO much smaller.

I set out looking for my materials at Re-use Hawaii. [If you are on Oahu and have any upcoming projects go check there for your materials first, they are so awesome! They have a big variety, low prices, and by using reclaimed pieces you are helping to prevent unnecessary waste from going to our landfills.]

I found some old redwood floorboards and thought they would make a great surface for our table.

I got out the hand saw (that's right, no power saws for this girl! I'd use them if I had them, but we have no storage space for one) and got to work.

The end product is very versatile. Perhaps you also have an awkward space in your home, that needs a petite table like this? It could be a tv stand or a display shelf, and its country charm can be incorporated into many different design styles.

The sides are painted tan and the top and shelf are coated in polyurethane for a smoother surface.

Design Ideas: Hang burlap at back of shelf to add texture (as pictured). Or get some great baskets to use as drawers for extra storage.


Dimensions
Width = 29.25"
Depth = 10"
Height = 18"

~ $65.00 ~
SOLD

*Table is not meant to be used as a bench.

Welcome

Ames Reclaims now has a blog... Hooray! I have multiple other websites in the works, but until I perfect one (or even decide on one that I can live with... that is also functional) I will be using this as my main wesbite!

I am currently getting ready for a move so furniture building has been put on hold, and furniture selling has become a priority.

I will soon be posting some of my creations with loads of pictures and full details on each piece.

Email subscribe to keep up to date with all my latest additions.

Something to note: If an item is for sale it will have a label at the bottom of the page that says 'Currently FOR SALE.' Once the piece is sold I will update the label to SOLD.

XO,
- Ames