It’s Friday! Friiiday! Gotta get down on Friday!
I haven’t inflicted that song on you for a while so I though I might as well. Enjoy having the lyrics stuck in your head all day. No need to thank me.
So anyway, if you’ve been reading this blog for longer than five seconds, you already know that I’m on the “do whatever the heck you want with your furniture” side of the “to paint or not to paint” wood debate. If you want to paint, go for it. Our furniture is supposed to make us happy, not the other way around.
But, that being said, there is something about an amazing restoration job that makes my heart go pitter-pat. And these projects from Hank at Toshmahal are so absolutely remarkable, my chest might just explode from all the pitter-patting that is happening in there right now. This guy is a true artist.
Check it out:
What?! I know. I would have thought that table was maybe salvageable with a good sanding and a coat of paint, but who knew such beautiful wood was lurking under there? Not this girl.
Or this one:
Mind = blown.
This might be my favorite:
I must touch it.
Here’s one for the woodpile, right?
Wrong-o! Hank has perfected his stripping and staining technique to the point that it’s almost eerie. Like, does he have x-ray vision to know what is under there or is he as surprised to discover it as anyone else?
I don’t even want to imagine how difficult it was to remove all the paint from the grooves of this dresser:
Worth it!
This table wasn’t disgustingly horrendous or anything, but look what Hank uncovered:
Woah. He’s like … the wood whisperer. That is serious talent and skill, folks. Check out much more from Hank on his gallery right HERE or check out his blog HERE.
Are you inspired to go refinish something now? I am! Maybe a table, a dresser, my leftover burrito in the fridge, who knows?
Have a great weekend friend!
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30 Comments
Anonymous
September 28, 2012 at 7:04 PMThat last dresser made me tear up it is so beautiful. I stain about half of the pieces I work on. It is a lot of work but the results are worth the extra effort. This gentleman definitely has a gift!
stephbo93
September 28, 2012 at 9:30 PMStunned. These are beautiful. Every time I thought, “That’s the best one,” you found something else equally beautiful. And I, too, must touch that chair.
Sandra@beneaththisroof.com
September 29, 2012 at 1:06 AMOh, my goodness! I have stained many pieces of furniture, not one of them even remotely resembled the beauty of Hank’s work. Going to go check his blog. Awesome, thanks for sharing.
Ally
September 28, 2012 at 6:40 PMI feel some guilt actually. Looking at these pieces, knowing what I have done to wood. That chair with the twisty arms is seriously the coolest piece of furniture I have EVER seen.
Korrie@RedHenHome
September 28, 2012 at 6:44 PMThese are some seriously amazing makeovers! That chair…fabulous.
Fraser
September 28, 2012 at 6:46 PMGorgeous! I wonder the percentage of failed attempts? No way does he “wood whisper” to find these gems without some total duds, right!? Great feature!
Erin @ The Impatient Gardener
September 28, 2012 at 6:46 PMUm what? Wait … there is wood furniture that looks like that under paint? Wow, I need to go to over-painters’ jail or something because then what I’ve been doing to stuff really is criminal (and apparently all the men were right). I WANT that chair. Now. Please.
Y Mama
September 28, 2012 at 6:51 PMGreat pieces! I love painted wood as much as the next girl, but if it’s a nice piece I just refinish. But I don’t think any of my pieces have EVER looked this nice!! Mostly, because I would never start with a piece that bad off. Too scared! And maybe a touch of lazy!
Monica
September 28, 2012 at 6:58 PMLOVE THIS! I get tired of seeing awesome wood pieces painted! Thank you for showing people that also appreciate natural wood. The dresser with all the grooves AMAZING!
connie
September 28, 2012 at 6:59 PMWow, Hank really fixed these pieces nicely. I really like the dresser that was formerly white. I have a new appreciation for the patterns in natural wood grain.
Lynn W
September 28, 2012 at 7:45 PMLove that chair! He must have done more than one, because the wood grain doesn’t match up anywhere. That last dresser is great, too!
Tracy@GeneralSplendour
September 28, 2012 at 8:32 PMLove the white dresser – that turned out GORGEOUS. Great post – lots of work in those pictures. Very inspiring!
Starla
September 28, 2012 at 9:16 PMGet out!!! Those are some of the best better afters I have ever seen…and I’m here almost every day!
AH.MAZE.ING.
Neba Nebet
September 28, 2012 at 9:58 PMI’m so glad I stumbled on Hank’s website while browsing! These truly did deserve to be shared and appreciated by a wider audience. 🙂
Kathryn Cain
September 29, 2012 at 12:36 AMTalented work, I had a dad with this talent…seeing this work makes me almost teary. so beautiful. The chair is a piece for art, seriously would want it on display…thank you for posting his work …
SFok
September 29, 2012 at 3:51 AMOh my woodness.
Cindy * Daisies & Crazies
September 29, 2012 at 4:06 AM“Mind = blown.”. No kidding! WOW. I bow to him.
TracyMB @ Crows Feet Chic
September 29, 2012 at 3:55 PMWow… wood whisperer indeed! 🙂
dana
September 29, 2012 at 9:39 PMI am long time follower and just had to comment that those pieces (and the rest of his stuff on his website) are absolutely gorgeous! I am not a wood purist and love seeing all the painted pieces you feature, but these were even more incredible!
Hank
September 30, 2012 at 8:59 PMThanks so much everyone for all of your kind comments. i am truly humbled. Really, and I love those Plycraft chairs too. Working on another set right now, just finishing them up. Some of my favorites.
How2home
October 1, 2012 at 1:59 AMThese are really great makeovers! I love the natural finished look.
Sharona
October 1, 2012 at 1:48 PMWow. Speechless. This post just goes to show that sometimes the best make-over is a Make-UNDER.
**Mumzy
October 1, 2012 at 1:52 PMWOWWWW!!!!! Expecially LOVE the chair!!! These are amazing!!!
Rebecca
October 1, 2012 at 10:50 PMFinally! Someone who isn’t covering up beautiful woods with trendy paint techniques!
Linda @ it all started with paint
October 1, 2012 at 6:46 PMI’m thinking that chair is my favorite transformation too … who knew how beautiful that wood grain was underneath!
🙂
Linda
Becky@DoodleBugOnline
October 5, 2012 at 5:51 PMBahaha! The Wood Whisperer is a real guy–my husband watches his videos constantly!
I should show this post to my hubby–he is a lover of real wood pieces. Beautiful work, and so much more time consuming than just painting 🙂
craftyashley
October 9, 2012 at 4:45 AMThat awesome chair looks like it would feel like butter. Sorry for the most confusing sentence ever concocted. I have so much respect for keeping the wood!
Neba Nebet
October 9, 2012 at 6:15 AMBy the way, that chair is apparently a Cherner chair — I stumbled on the name randomly while browsing a design-mag satire Tumblr. lol
They are actually available for purchase again!
Liz Thompson
March 13, 2013 at 10:40 PMAmazing work… You are so talented! It would be nice to see the same transformation on the wood floor under that chair! What do you say?
Liz Thompson
March 13, 2013 at 10:45 PMYou are so talented! What a wonderful job you did with all those pieces, specially that chair. Now, it woul be really nice to see the same transformation on the wood floor under that chair. What do you think?