LED Lights

Leif has been switching all of his house lights and most recently old flourescent tube lights to LED lighting. He choose "toggled" 4' & 3' 3000K LED T8 strip lights ordered from Home Depot for $60 total, to cover 24' over 6 sliding glass doors. They are the warmest type and will have walnut board baffles remounted in front. Next will be a dimmer switch added and WAC track lights matching the kitchen, attached to large ceiling beams here.

Whitewashing A Butcher Block Countertop

This butcher block was white washed with one coat of thinned paint & sealed with poly.

To whitewash our butcher block I used half Benjamin Moore White Ceiling paint (has more white pigment) and half water applied in sections. It was lightly wiped off with a cotton cloth minutes after application. A piece of 1" X 4" clear pine board was also cut and whitewashed for the backsplash. Three coats of "Varathane Triple Thick Waterbased Polyurethane" in a clear matte finish was used to seal the counter on all sides, using a 320 grit hand block between coats. Finally Bill added 1/2" furring strips to the counter back to gain depth. A good studio counter. 

The faucet area of the counter was taped off and painted "White Dove" marine paint.

First, this birch butcher block was cut to 23" deep with a skill saw (new blade) and thin; long piece of finish-edged sheetrock clamped down as a "fence". The sink hole had 4; 1/2" holes drilled at the corners with skill saw cuts between, and a hand saw finished the cut-out. A plane and sandpaper were used on the edges to soften them and the counter sanded with 220 grit.

Leanne Ford "whitewashes" (like this) and anything with anything. Photo Amy Neunsinger.

Photos: pinterest.

The Hallway

We have lightened the vaulted hallway upstairs with a new light, all white doors, closet interiors with baseboard trim, and rug. We are deciding as we go, what needs to be white. The doors here needed repairs, the light was broken, the space was dark and the closets dim. 

George Kovaks Light. Safafieh Handmade Ivory Paris 2 1/2" Shag Runner.

Leif has decided that the studio sink & drain will be white (composite granite) made in Germany.

The screened-in porch new 24" white light...

 Anthropologie Freya Pendant. 

A February Firing

Bill has spent many freezing nights creating clay works in his basement studio, which were recently fired. Tiles, beautiful bowls, two tall sculptures, and some stools.

A stunning table/seat has gone to Alex & Nina in Dumbo, while red and gray clay was used...

 

Refurbishing MCM Hardware: Snow Day

Snow Day activities besides shoveling...

Leif has been removing and refurbishing his interior vintage door knobs as some doors are prepared for paint. They were disassembled, soaked in Acetone for a day, toothbrush cleaned and wiped with a soft cloth, to look new. The vintage door hinges however have all been replaced with matching new ones, bought by the dozen.

The desk chair in the living room is a vintage Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Ant Chair made in Denmark ($75 at Home Front), which had slight pitting marks on the metal lower legs. They were easily removed by rubbing wadded aluminum foil vertically, over them. I found new bottom black caps in a good hardware store and it is now refurbished. 

The Ant Chair was the first (1952) stackable chair Arne Jacobsen designed and originally had three legs. Vintage chairs in good condition can sell for hundreds while their flexible one piece plywood moulded design on a tubular steel base, is most comfortable.

Studio Work

Leif has been working from his Mid Century Modern home as he fixes it. While working on his studio, he has also been designing a new sailboat logo for his aunt & uncle and their beautiful new sailboat. It is a classic; modern design boat with the name in deep blue.

Leif's studio is taking shape. We took out the old sink cabinet to burn and recycle, filled in floor boards to level & insulate under the new installed cabinet, bought a beech butcher block counter at Floor & Decor (sale: $137) and ordered an Elkay above mount SS sink 50% off from Amazon.

"Get them while they last..." $150 white 60in. shaker style dovetailed cabinet from FBM. This style cabinet matches Leif's kitchen with the same handles and lighting above to be added

A Modern Foyer Light

After removing the shielded old flourescent bulbs here, Leif installed this warm Swedish three layer hand blown White Opal glass light. Another elevated surface wired challenge which looks beautiful.