I almost didn’t refinish this piece because I knew the thick mahogany lacquer would be work! But once I uncovered the walnut grain, I was hooked! Before pic at end of post. Finished in a two tone raw wood and a General Finishes Antique Oak Water Based Stain wash. I am loving this tone! All repairs completed with Mohawk refinishing products then sealed with polyurethane. Vintage green toile paper and antique brass ball knobs complete this with vintage perfection!
"Custom-built solid white oak media cabinet complete! Stained Espresso and finished with satin polyurethane from General Finishes"
As far as furniture refinishing goes, I would say almost half of my clients request stain over paint. Of those clients, they mostly want to “get rid of the orange color” and opt for a different stain choice. In order to accomplish that for these end tables, I stripped and stained them using a mix of two General Finishes colors, Onyx and Walnut. The stain was sealed with High Performance Top Coat for durability.
"I’m overwhelmed at the beauty, hand built craftsmanship, and history of this piece. She’s an early 1900’s English oak secretary who traveled to the United States at some point in her life. Papers found inside place her in a Liverpool, England meat market around 1915. There was a spill from an oil lamp with a small fire at some point. The lamp oil stain remains under the new base plate of the hutch. A tiny ink spot remains as well on the writing desk. All historical marks of her life. This...
Antique Brown Water Based Stain
Before & After: A Little Table with a Big Makeover!
This small but mighty table just got a fresh new look! Refinished with care, it now has a smooth natural finish that’s perfect for any space. This table belongs to my client, who said it has been in her family for generations and it will live in her home as a plant stand.
Stain: Whitewash by General Finishes
How precious is this vintage chest now? Before pics at end of post. She is a family keepsake, belonging to my clients’ mother. I restored her father’s barrister bookcases and she wanted a piece from her mom restored as well. She came to me a bit beat up and broken but look at her now! Stripped and sanded down to beautiful wood which I stained in General Finishes Antique Oak. I love the neutral, aesthetic tone of this stain! The walnut legs were a sweet surprise and I left them natural with...
This is called The Beverly, shown here in White Oak with a whitewash stain and Satin Topcoat. General Finishes White Wash & Enduro Satin Poly.
This stunning 48” antique tiger oak table has been stripped, sanded, lightened and refinished in the warm, rich tones of Antique Oak by Genneral Finishes, bringing out the natural beauty of its tiger oak grain. I've never seen anything like the elegant pinwheel base - it adds such a unique touch, making this piece a true statement of craftsmanship and history. The entire piece has been topcoated with Polycrylic Max by Minwax for the ultimate protection.
1,2, & 3 coats of General Finishes Antique Brown Water Based Stain. A great visual representation of how stain darkens and changes color with more coats.
"Here it is!! Isn’t it grand?!
I’ve done several of these antique sideboards but I think this one is my favorite!! Not sure if it’s all the ornate moldings and hardware or the incredible burl wood grain! I found this one while I was out sourcing furniture at a semi local shop I like to go to and I couldn’t pass it up even though I definitely didn’t have room in my truck…lol
The original finish was pretty beat up and it needed a few repairs which was no problem! I stained this in my go to...
"Gorgeous vintage black vanity paired with the cutest little antique mahogany chair.
Vanity is General Finishes Lamp Black with with Provincial Water Based Stain legs and top. The legs and top are finished with a satin poly giving a nice contrast against the flat body."
I don’t get to refinish MCM often but when I do I’m always so happy especially when I can get them back to their original glory.
Stain- General Finishes Antique oak
Topcoat- arm-R-seal
In a world filled with reproductions, nothing rivals the timeless beauty of an authentic mid-century vintage piece. This stunning dresser, crafted by the renowned United Furniture Company, is a true testament to the era’s design brilliance.
Thoughtfully refinished in “Antique Brown” by General Finishes, the rich tone highlights the wood’s natural grain, breathing new life into this classic. With a spacious design featuring three large drawers and six smaller ones hidden behind elegant doors...
Restoring an Eastlake has been on my furniture bucket list and bringing the life back into this family heirloom for our client was a dream!
Circa 1870-1890, Eastlake furniture is marked by geometric shapes and simple lines, much different from the flamboyant Victorian styles of that era.
The dresser came to us having previously been slightly refinished. The top, small drawers, had been refinished in a cherry stain that didn’t match the rest of the piece, hardware had been changed and had...
I had a really hard time dating this incredible piece. I couldn’t find any writing, makers mark, or dates on it.
What I could find is the hand cut dovetails telling me it’s likely before 1880. The overall style also leans towards Neo-Greek with the intricate foliate carvings and fluted columns. This style was popular around 1850-1880. I could be completely wrong because I’m still learning, but regardless✨she’s OLD and she’s GORGEOUS.✨
When I got it, it was an insanely dark...
"I loved the unique style and shape of this chest of drawers, but I was not a fan of the traditional pecan finish. So I decided to strip and sand it down to the bare wood before staining it in a new ebony dark finish. I used General Finishes water based wood stain in the shade “Tobacco” and finished it off with new antique brass hardware." - Rhett’s Refinishes
"Antique oak will always be one of my favorite styles! This solid buffet is a great storage piece and definitely makes a statement with the gorgeous original beveled mirror (can be used without mirror).
Stained in General Finishes water based stain “Antique Oak”, and finished off with antique bronze hardware." - Rhett’s Refinishes
"This antique maple buffet was hand crafted and signed by its original craftsman in 1912. Pieces like these are always worth saving to me and bring so much more character to a home. I started by sanding off the old orange finish. Then used General Finishes Antique Oak Water Based Stain which gave it a warm brown finish." - Rhett’s Refinishes
"This antique Boone Hoosier cabinet is constructed of solid oak. Boone cabinets of this style date back to the 1920s. And this one is in amazing shape for its age.
After stripping and sanding the old finish off, I used General Finishes Water Based Stain “Antique Oak” to revive the wood tone with a classic warm oak finish. The interior hutch top was painted Lilly Moon Paint “Black Lace” for contrast." - Rhett’s Refinishes
"Well this one turned out amazing as now it’s a one of a kind piece looking for a new home. This nearly 100 year old dresser was a project that needed a complete rebuild so we changed it up a bit and decided to repurpose all the drawers to build the bottom portion of the cabinet. For finish it came down to all General Finishes products. Custom mixed water based stains using Whitewash, Brown Mahogany & Walnut. Finished with 3 sprayed coats of GF High Performance poly for durability." -...
"Another stunning antique oak piece! I got a great deal on this antique Boone Hoosier cabinet at a local estate sale. These cabinets date back to the 1920s - oh the stories this piece could tell.
After stripping and sanding the old finish off, I used General Finishes Water Based Stain Antique Oak to revive the wood tone with a classic warm oak finish. And used Lilly Moon Paint “Black Lace” on the interior for contrast." - Rhett’s Refinishes
"This little beauty came to us with water spots and a crackled, failing finish. We stripped this quartersawn oak gem down to bare wood and sanded up to 180 grit sandpaper. Our client chose General Finishes Hickory Water Based Stain and the top coat is General Finishes Enduro Wood Coatings Pro Series Polyurethane Clear.
Our client will be able to enjoy this heirloom piece in all its delicately crafted glory for years to come." - JF Refinishing Co.
"Sometimes a piece just needs a little refreshing to bring back its original beauty! ✨
Ashley reached out to me looking for a dark wood desk/table. When I found this unique “lady secretary desk” from 1945, we were both sold! Although we wanted to keep a dark stain, it still needed a good sanding/scrub down to raw wood to get the new stain to adhere (and to freshen it up after 78 years of use!). Thank you Ashley for trusting me with your vision!! Now she can live on for another 78 years ...
"Solid Oak…. It’s my favorite wood! I love the grain pattern, no mistaking it.
I love the color, rich and warm. This table top needed a refresh, but only the top; the skirting and the legs were in great condition. The top had some sun damage, and a failing sticky finish.
But, when you only refinish one part of a pice of furniture, you can easily run into a mess of unmatched finishes. Old finishes have years of sun oxidation (fading) and oil based clear coats yellow over time, between the...
Bigfoot Fun! Made from pine and poplar woods, stained with General Finishes Brown Mahogany, and protected with our most favorite product - General Finishes High Performance Satin Topcoat! Michigan made from start to finish!" - Knots & Grains Woodworking
This oak table needed a facelift! She got one with Valspar Incredible White and...
"The American Empire furniture era pulled a lot of style ques from French and Grecian designs while maintaining cleaning lines with less gilding. This allowed the focus to fall primarily on the variety of side pillars and predominantly walnut and mahogany veneer. The style found popularity beginning in the 1820s and carried throughout the 1870s with a small revival in the 1890s. Based on construction methods of this chest, I estimate it to be circa 1850 - 1880.
Featuring the iconic...
"Can you believe it’s not antique?!? I was scrolling through Pinterest the other day looking for some new furniture designs to build and found this one! I think I literally went to Menards the next day to get all of the wood and supplies to build it! lol The octagon panels were my favorite part about this piece but I couldn’t imagine cutting out all those angles so I asked another local business to cut them out and they are perfect!!! We stained in a mix of General Finishes Provincial and...
"My favorite part about this refinished dresser? Probably the new stained top in Antique Oak Water Based Stain. The wood grain is gorgeous! The rest of this dresser was painted in General Finishes Seagull Gray Milk Paint. My client picked this one from my unfinished inventory, and said she was fine with new hardware. I recommended cleaning it up first to see how they looked, and now the handles look brand new!" - Flipping Unbelievable
"This pine tall dresser has been sanded back and refinished in a walnut stain and sealed and protected with a hard wearing topcoat, new brass handles have been added, my first time trying General Finish products, love how they turned out !" - W.Holme Design
General Finishes Walnut Water Based Stain and High Performance Topcoat Flat.
"Sofa table was stripped down to bare wood, stained using a combination of General Finishes Antique Oak and Graystone Water Based Stain, and then sealed in High Performance Top Coat. I’m so glad my client decided to have these pieces refinished and stained so that gorgeous wood grain could be highlighted."
"Got this one a few weeks ago off marketplace and it was pretty beat up but still in good structural shape…I really wanted to do a full wood refinish but the top is the only part that wasn’t solid wood so I decided to go with the dipped look look and I’m pretty happy with that decision! I Painted the upper section in melange paints Antique Black and stained the wood section in General Finishes Antique Oak and sealed it all up in a super smooth layer of matte top!"
"Isn’t that wood grain fantastic?!! When I purchased this piece it was stained in a medium brown color but you couldn’t really see the wood grain so when I stripped it down I knew a light natural finish would show off all that beautiful grain!
We gave it a wash of General Finishes Antique Oak Water Based Stain then sealed it in matte top coat and sprayed the original hardware matte black for an updated look!" - NB.Restorations by Nathan Bridges
"Who doesn’t love a beautiful mid century piece?!? The quality of this piece is perfection! 100% solid wood and the drawers work perfectly! We decided to refinish this piece to show off that fantastic wood grain! We used General Finishes Antique Oak Water Based wood stain then sealed it in our favorite matte top coat! I love how this warm natural wood tone pairs up with any color pallet and it will always be in style!" - NB.Restorations by Nathan Bridges
I always enjoy doing these building projects! Earlier this year I built the arched bookcase then I saw this piece on a few different high end accounts and I loved that raw antique wood look so I decided we could maybe-possibly build it! I started by drawing out the plans then headed to Menards to get a truckload of wood so I could get started! It took a total of three days to complete this piece…I achieved the antiqued wood look by ruffing it up quite a bit with a handheld garden rake, a...
Isn’t this piece absolutely spectacular?!?? This piece would make such a huge statement in any room it’s placed in! It stands at nearly 8ft high and approximately 5ft wide…
When I saw this piece on marketplace over a month ago I knew it had sooo much potential, but it was a little out of our budget for a flip piece. I thought about it for a few weeks then decided to get it! It was in pretty decent shape but it needed a new back…I started by stripping the original finish then I sanded it down...
"Another gorgeous stained buffet is finished!! This was stained in Espresso Water Based Stain from General Finishes." - Sweet Blossom Chic Furniture and Decor
Circa 1885 this solid oak buffet was manufactured by Olbrich & Golbeck in Chicago. 138 years has passed since it's inception and it has stood that test of time effortless with quality craftsmanship. It features three drawers including one velvet lined silverware drawer and two doors concealing open storage. The light oak stain is complimented by William Morris Strawberry Thief liners and the original brass hardware. All interior components have been cleaned and oiled for excellent...
"Here are more gorgeous stained chairs. These were stained in onyx by General Finishes. These are just 4 of 6 along with a huge gorgeous table stained the same.
You can find these same pieces and more unfinished furniture at Four Sisters Furniture & Custom Framing. They can be custom finished in stain or paint." - Sweet Blossom Chic Furniture and Decor
"A little late in sharing, but I was able to refinish this dining room table for a client just in time for their Thanksgiving celebrations! I disassembled the table in order to make it easier to strip everything. After removing the old finish and stain completely, I combined two General Finishes Water Based Stains (Onyx and Walnut) for a dark brown color. I sealed everything with High Performance Top Coat for durability and put it all back together. Love the new look!" - Flipping Unbelievable...
"Such a good transformation! I squared off the bottom portion to give it an updated look, completely replaced the top since the previous one was laminate and not stainable, and new hardware. The bottom was painted in General Finishes Basil for a fun pop of color and the top was stained in Brown Mahogany. The new top looks so good it almost looks fake! This was done for my client’s daughter, a surprise for her birthday and that’s such a sweet idea!" - Flipping Unbelievable
"This buffet was generally in pretty good shape, just had some fading from the sun and some small scratches. After sanding it all down, I stained it in General Finishes Black Water Based Stain. Sealed it with a satin top coat to give it a nice glow!!" - Upcycling by Amy
"Stained it with General Finishes Antique Oak Water Based Wood Stain. The hardware was boiled in vinegar and water to remove the junk and get it back to its original beauty. The paint was stripped off the legs and they were stained too. Everything was sealed with General Finishes High Performance Topcoat." - Amanda Jones Furniture
"Lovely, vintage 7-drawer dresser refreshed using General Finishes Milk Paint in Basil. The top was sanded bare and stained with General Finishes water based stain in Antique Oak, then sealed with their High Performance Top Coat in Flat. The beautiful, original antique brass hardware was left as is." - Garage 9 v2
Adorable, antique lowboy. This piece dates to the late 1800’s/early 1900’s and is solid oak.
The top and drawer fronts were sanded to bare wood, and then stained with a mixture of...
"My client brought me a worn and well loved rocking chair to restore back to its original condition or as close as possible. I spent a good amount of time stripping every speck of the previous alligator finish on this. Then I stained it using General Finishes Antique Brown Water Based Stain and sealed with High Performance Top Coat. It looks brand new again!" - Flipping Unbelievable
"The chunky nightstands are complete! We added some feet to them to give them some additional height. Painted with Fusion Mineral Paint’s OAKHAM. The tops and the handles are stained with General Finishes Espresso Water Based Stain." - T&C Re-Creations
We finished up this adorable dresser/secretary yesterday. it will be going to its new home Sunday.
The top drawer is unique. It has a drop down front on it and opens up to serve as a secretary
The bottom 3 drawers are spacious for clothing or extra storage.
The top is stained with General Finishes Black Cherry stain and the body and drawers are painted with Fusion Mineral Blue Pine.
Custom buffet in Lilly Moon Black Lace and General Finishes Provincial Water Based Stain. I’m so glad my client chose to showcase the doors and drawer fronts here - how stunning is that wood grain!
