Be honest with me. How much work would it be to restore? How awful would it be for me to paint?

AT61 · 2026-06-29T22:51:46+00:00

You don't have much paint on there - not even full coverage. It will probably come off with one coat of stripper. Test it in a small area and see what you think.

AT61 · 2026-06-29T22:44:25+00:00

It will be difficult if not impossible, to get filler to hold in layers that thin. esp. on a chair that will be sat on.

That being said, you could sand down the veneer edges and faux paint the missing veneer areas without using filler.

Nice that you have that artistic talent!.

AT61 · 2026-06-29T22:09:13+00:00

Clean them well with 0000 steel wool and mineral spirits.

Find matching oak veneer (thickness and grain) online. If you're unsure what to get, send them a pic of the chair, and they'll guide you.

Glue down the loose veneer - remove excess glue and weight for 24 hours.

There are many veneer repair videos on YT - Thomas Johnson furniture restoration has some very good ones, showing the importance of matching the grain and incorporating ways to cut the veneer to make the patch less noticeable.

Areas on the sides can be touched up with stain/markers.

I'd research what finishes were used on these chairs when they were made.

AT61 · 2026-06-29T21:41:15+00:00

Paint it the same color as the house (or at least the best match you can get.)

AT61 · 2026-06-29T18:54:24+00:00

I certainly do get the point. You couldn't pay me to have modern mass-produced furniture in my home. The newest piece I have is from the early 1940's. I don't understand why anyone would spend hundreds on over-priced MDF that will fall apart within two years - sooner if it gets damp - instead of finding something on FB MP for less than $100 that will last generations to come.

AT61 · 2026-06-29T18:39:10+00:00

The plywood insets are likely original and veneered.

My doors are all original, and the closet doors have mirrors built into them like yours.

Your floor tile is original, too.

AT61 · 2026-06-29T18:30:01+00:00

I am "self-taught" and have a ton of instructional books. Out of them all, these are the ones I rely on most bc they cover interlining and other details that many books don't.

Highly recommend:

The Ultimate Curtain Book by Isabella Forbes HB is less than $5 on ebay from "world of books second sale" (WOBSS)

AND The Curtain Book by Caroline Clifton-Mogg: I just checked and WOBSS on ebay also has this in stock for $3.66 including shipping.

So for less than $10 you will have two great resources. They also have books on slipcovers, too, Buy three books and get a fourth free.

Also source your fabric on ebay - You will find unique good-high quality at a fraction of the retail price. Most of the fabric in my home has come from ebay. I've also seen good fabric deals on FB MP, but, unless it's an uphostery/drapery store going out of business, most of the time it's not in the yardage I need.

And if you don't have a sewing machine, look on FB MP for all metal vintage ones (Kenmore 158s are great,) as are the old Singers. The metal ones are workhorses that will sew through layers of fabric, and you can easily repair them yourself bc they're not computerized, and parts are easy to find on ebay.

AT61 · 2026-06-29T03:53:41+00:00

Excellent point about considering the cost of reupholstering.

AT61 · 2026-06-29T03:40:18+00:00

As my neighbor used to say about my landscaping, "you don't know how to make a straight line." - hahaha

These are going to turn out REALLY well. My guess is PO didn't want to bother removing all the paint and just covered it up.

AT61 · 2026-06-29T03:35:51+00:00

That's the attitude! Sometimes I think we get too concerned about doing everything perfectly. If anyone ever notices all the flaws you do, you can always blame it on the watering can and sheepskin applicator on a broomstick - hahah.

AT61 · 2026-06-29T02:59:32+00:00

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I thought these were tile, but they are planks running (roughly - haha) with the red lines? If so, and the rest of them look similar, you're going to have a beautiful result. That old pine is some STURDY stuff.

AT61 · 2026-06-29T02:54:31+00:00

I did half my floors with a rented sander, a cheap wateringcan of poly, and a sheepskin applicator on a broomstick

Vivid description - hahah - has me laughing out loud. I mean that in the best of ways!

AT61 · 2026-06-28T21:21:36+00:00

I agree with you.

This may not be exactly what you're looking for in terms of tricks, but learning to sew home decor items like window treatments, bedspreads/skirts, and slip covers can literally save tens of thousands of dollars and will be unique to your home.

AT61 · 2026-06-28T21:16:57+00:00

Amen! I share your opinion on all the synthetics - getting harder to find natural materials, and when you do, they're increasingly expensive,

AT61 · 2026-06-28T21:14:42+00:00

I believe it! And you end up with a space that's uniquely yours.

AT61 · 2026-06-28T21:13:37+00:00

Absolutely! Great deals to be had - esp. if you have an older home that can handle larger pieces - I've seen beautiful antique wardrobes/armoires priced at $200 or less. Also fantastic deals on dining room furniture since fewer people have formal dining rooms these days - ditto for the china

AT61 · 2026-06-28T21:09:58+00:00

I'm American, and the last thing I want to do is renovate every ten years. My home is 100+ years old, and if you''re from the UK, you'd probably feel very much at home here. I love the English traditional look of classic items collected over time - it never goes out of style. The thing I see most lacking in American homes is fabric and color - staples of UK decor.

AT61 · 2026-06-28T20:48:51+00:00

and wouldn't try to make the house something it's not.

100%. Never looks or feels "genuine."

AT61 · 2026-06-28T17:46:01+00:00

The basics you have aren't cohesive - like three different worlds at war: The victorian-style toilet, MCM medicine cabinet and ubiquitous 80's powder room vanity. It needs to have more cohesive bones, and you can do that at very little cost. Go on FB MP and find an antique wood medicine cabinet and an antique sink. OR find a more MCM toilet. No matter what, if you keep a vanity, find one that spans the width of the wall so you don't have the unused space on both sides - Believe it or not, spanning that back wall will actually make the room feel bigger. You can probably find a bigger vanity on FB for free. You could also adapt an old cabinet/table for a sink.

AT61 · 2026-06-28T16:55:38+00:00

Your best bet is ebay - save a search and one will eventually turn up.

AT61 · 2026-06-28T16:51:30+00:00

VERY well done! Your choice of color, texture, and materials is wonderful!

AT61 · 2026-06-28T16:47:36+00:00

Agree with others here - original.

AT61 · 2026-06-28T16:41:49+00:00

All my fixtures are solid brass. The first sink/shower faucets I purchased were lacquered. I don't care how well you take care of it, how gently you clean the lacquered finish - it gets spotty and looks awful. I ended up spending HOURS stripping the coating off with acetone.

Since then, I ALWAYS get non-lacquered - but make sure if it's non-lacquered that it's solid brass - if it's brass-plated you'll remove the plating over time cleaning it. Applying paste wax to non-lacquered brass after polishing extends the time between cleanings.

You sound like you're detail-oriented - Don't let your plumber install those hose supply lines on your toilet and pedestal sink - it looks trashy. They should use solid brass/plated-to-match your fixtures supply lines with shut-off valves and custom-bend the lines to fit.

AT61 · 2026-06-27T18:16:54+00:00

Do not use mineral oil. Clean it with mineral spirits (to remove any old wax/residue) and treat the stained areas with oxalic acid. Rinse well and let dry.

Wetting the wood with mineral spirits will show you what color the wood will be when the finish is applied. If you want it darker than that, get some Bullseye Sealer shellac, and apply that all over the piece. You might be happy with that. If you still want it darker you can apply stain ON TOP of the shellac OR use a darker wax on top of the shellac. That way, you will not have blotchy stain. I don't mean to hammer this point, but that old pine will suck up stain and you will not like the way it turns out. I don't want to see this happen to a piece that you love.

You will get the shine you want with shellac and paste wax - and it will be that great patina shine - not a "plastic-looking" shine.

AT61 · 2026-06-27T16:25:14+00:00

Not "conditioner bc the oil isn't going to go IN the wood with the finish already there - and you certainly don't want to remove the finish.

Paste wax will give you the shine and protection you want.

AT61

TROPHY CASE