Rescue, Restore, Redecorate: Amy Howard's Guide to Refinishing Furniture and Accessories

by Amy Howard

Overview

Welcome to Amy Howard’s Rescue Restore Redecorate lifestyle! Whether you dream of restoring an heirloom to its former beauty or just want to modernize a flea market treasure, Howard has the design and refinishing secrets you need.

Here are all the furniture finishing recipes, techniques, and tips that have made Howard’s classes sold-out success stories, and made Howard herself the go-to guru of refinishing and “use what you have” upcycle redecorating. Try your hand at unique painted and faux finishes, and experiment with gold leaf, distressing, and marvelous graining effects. Chapters include:

• The Thrill of the Hunt
• The Creative Pantry
• A Repertoire of Finishes: The Basics and Beyond
• Chalk-Based Paint
• Gilding
• Lacquer
• Milk Paint (Casein Paint)
• Antiqued Mirrors
• And more!

Howard shows you a variety of lovely and exciting projects, including the Nicholas Nightstand and the Hugo Table, the Augustus Lamp and the Donovan Chairs, the Drake Lantern and the Alfred Mirror Tray. Along the way, you will learn a treasure trove of techniques, as Howard shares before-and-after makeovers from her studio and offers impeccable step-by-step instruction in all that is needed to achieve each look.

Howard writes in her introduction, “When you rescue, restore, and redecorate a vintage piece, you not only bring a new chair or table or dresser or mirror into your home. You bring in a new story, as well. You’re giving something old a new life, one that makes your own life even richer and better. That’s the Rescue, Restore, Redecorate lifestyle.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419729010
Publisher:	Abrams
Publication date:	05/08/2018
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	394,575
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Amy Howard is a designer, teacher, and driving force in the world of home furnishings. Her dedication to the mantra “rescue, restore, redecorate” is evident within the Amy Howard line of products. She is a regular contributor to Women’s Day and also launched a furniture collection with F. Schumacher & Co. in 2017. Howard lives with her husband, Gene, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

Chapter 1 The Thrill of the Hunt 13

Chapter 2 The Creative Pantry 17

Chapter 3 A Repertoire of Finishes: The Basics And Beyond 21

Chapter 4 Chalk-Based Paint 29

The Elton Stereo Cabinet 30

The Genevieve Dresser 34

The Sofia Pillow 40

Chapter 5 Gilding 47

The Nicolas Nightstand 56

The Hugo Table 68

Chapter 6 Lacquer 76

The Augustus Lamp 78

The Donovan Chairs 82

The Lucy Cocktail Table 86

Chapter 7 Milk Paint (Casein Paint) 93

The Eleonora Console 96

The Amelia Chairs 106

Bella Wall Art 110

Chapter 8 Antiqued Mirrors 118

The Selznick Cabinet 120

The Drake Lantern 120

The Alfred Mirror Tray 142

Chapter 9 Aged Surfaces 151

The Hargrave Dresser 152

The André Planters 160

Chapter 10 Transfers 169

The Caroline Headboard 170

Delia Pallet Art 174

Chapter 11 Crafting a Beautiful Life 183

A Refinisher's Vernacular 189

Acknowledgments 190

Editorial Reviews

★ 05/07/2018
Howard (A Maker’s Guide), who sells her own brand of furniture restoration products, shares tricks of the trade in this practical, in-depth guide to refurbishing furniture. Through common projects involving chairs, dressers, lamps, and other decor, Howard instructs readers on 17 useful techniques for restoring family heirlooms and making the most of flea market finds. She clearly shows how to prep items, paint, add patina, age mirrors and surfaces, and apply lacquer to items in order to create a piece that transcends “crafty.” In one instance, she transforms a humdrum Selznick cabinet found in a heap of trash by painting it a bright blue with a high-gloss lacquer and adding antiqued mirror panels to the drawers. When sprucing up a dingy lamp shade with stripes, Howard recommends diluting chalk-based paint with warm tap water to ensure light still penetrates the shade. Her step-by-step instructions are clear and practically foolproof, with tips for avoiding common pitfalls. Though Howard’s products are prominently featured throughout, this not a work of shameless self-promotion, but an essential guide to DIY restoration and antiquing. Color photos. (May)

Publishers Weekly