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A Dangerously Good Product
My decorating buddy Kevin happened to score some original Briwax at a yard sale and he was so thrilled with the results he held off on finishing the job so I could see the before and after (below). Briwax is a one-step staining and finishing product that makes easy projects easier. Kevin stained the inside of a cabinet with one coat of dark Briwax (left). The colour and finish are really impressive. A British product with a Royal Warrant, Briwax is hard to find here in North American; a list of distributors can be found on the company's website. In Toronto Briwax is available at Lansing Buildall (258 Sheppard Avenue East) and Primetime Paint & Paper (299 Queen Street East). But that's not where this post ends. Kevin's cabinet holds a very clever secret . . .
Full post and comments...Let’s Roll Up Our Sleeves
Thursday, August 18, 2011 by Chris
The Toronto District School Board has opened up its fall course roster and there are six spots left in the 11-week upholstery class running Saturday mornings from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, beginning September 17. The class costs $223 and covers the basics including furniture stripping, frame reinforcing, cutting, sewing, laying fabric and foam. I'm already signed up and I'd love to have some styleNorth cohorts to keep me company. Taught by a master upholsterer, the classes are held at the Burnhamthorpe City Adult Learning Centre (500 The East Mall) in Etobicoke, a pain to get to but what are you going to do?
Full post and comments...Accentuate the Positive
Sunday, August 7, 2011 by Chris
When it comes to reinventing vintage casegoods, nobody does it better than Toronto's Burnett. What shop owners Cathy and Gordon Runge do with a bit of black, white or gray paint impresses the hell out of me; they don't merely revive shabby tables and cabinets, they reinvent them. I grilled Cathy for tips on how to tackle such a project and here's what she had to say . . .
Full post and comments...Nothing LaZ About This Makeover
Tuesday, July 26, 2011 by Chris
As I mentioned in my posts about my first upholstery class at RE:Style Studio, my workshop buddy was a rock 'n' roll dad from Hamilton named Jay who hauled his beat-up La-Z-Boy recliner into the city hoping to give it a new lease on life and learn as much as he could in the process. Can you imagine tackling something this complicated for your very first project? Well, Jay was up for the challenge and he was in good hands with instructor Andrea Ford, who helped him wrestle — sometimes rather literally — that chair into submission.
Full post and comments...Learning to Refinish? Start with Teak
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 by Chris
If you're at all interested in tackling a refinishing project, keep your eyes open for a teak piece in need of some TLC. And never let a little damage stand between you and a piece of teak you might be considering for your home -- it's a snap to remedy if you just follow these simple steps. Just sand and oil, no staining, no worries about streaks in your top coat, never a problem.
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Thursday, September 1, 2011 by Chris
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