Once upon a time, after an auspicious run-in with a $20 drop leaf table, some rockin' Paper Source paper and a good deal of Mod Podge, I had fantasies of making a living reinventing Craig's List furniture into masterpieces. That was until it took me five days to scrape, sand and do a masterfully bad job of decoupaging my bargain. I was so tired after the experience that I still (almost a year later) haven't found the where-with-all to refinish the table legs.
Turns out someone else had my great idea, but was far better equipped to deliver on it. While browsing the SoWa Market yesterday in Boston's South End, my pal Greer and I had the good fortune of coming upon Jamaica Plain-based Chroma Lab. Owners Alicia Cornwell and Tony Bevilacqua transform vintage pieces in need of some love and attention (and maybe some nails and glue too) and turn them into things of beauty. I was drawn to Alicia and Tony's tent because of this joyful Marimekko-covered chair, but once inside discovered even more swoon-worthy items including a pair of sinuous yellow lamps and the practical-joking Pretend Table, faux bois-finished with the wood grain likeness so real that it wasn't until I got home and was checking out their site that I realized the piece was painted.
Best of all (I think) is that they do custom jobs -- so if you have a piece-of-junk dresser that you are ready to trash, get in touch with them and be prepared to fall in love.
Image credit: Chroma Lab