Makeovers

Mom’s Childhood Rocker

I was so honored to be asked to restore this sweet little rocker for my client.  It had belonged to his mother when she was a child and had just lost its luster over time.  He wanted it restored to the way it most likely looked when she was a child.

mom’s childhood rocker with woven seat

Since I was not replacing the seat, I hand sanded the rocker so as not to damage the weave with any sort of chemical stripper.  Although a very long process, it allowed me to carefully maintain some of the character that had developed over the years.  After all, we weren’t looking to make it appear brand new.

After I sanded the wood down, I selected a stain that would bring out the natural look of the wood while still coordinating with the seat.  After applying the stain, however, the seat appeared disproportionately faded.

mom’s childhood rocker with woven seat

With the client’s blessing, I gently applied a bit of stain to the seat to help the two parts blend together.  I was very pleased with the result.

My initial instinct was to seal the wood with a completely matte finish, thinking it would be more appropriate for the original timeframe of the rocker but found that it made the wood look flat and a little too unfinished.  I went back over with a satin sheen poly and found that it hit the mark perfectly.

mom’s childhood rocker with woven seat

This rocker will now hold a place of honor in my client’s home as a nod to his mother’s childhood.

 

Hold My Wine, I’ve Got This…

Amy

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