Restoration Hardware Modern Table Hack

Have you seen Restoration Hardware's new-ish branch, RH Modern? It's the same gorgeous RH look, but with the clean lines of mid-century modern pieces. I found this bedroom with the perfect "gray oak" furniture and I had to see if I could replicate it! 

Materials

• Alder Table
• Palm Sander
• 80 grit sandpaper
• Weatherwood's Reclamation Stain
• Weatherwood's White Maintenance Oil Topcoat
• Weatherwood Varnish

Directions

1.] SAND

For this project we used alder, if you're using a different species check out this color chart for weathered wood options: Color Chart. Sand the boards and with 80 grit sandpaper and now they're ready for you to apply stain. 

2.] STAIN

If you want a pure gray, you should use Reclamation, if you want a gray with brown in it, use Salvage. Using a wide brush or sponge brush, apply heavy coat of stain. Like in the above video, the wood will absorb the stain as it dries. The color will change from raw wood to stained. 

3.] LIGHTEN

To lighten the wood, use White Maintenance Oil Topcoat. This will lock in that light driftwood look and protect the wood. It's a wipe on and wipe off application. Use a brush or rag to apply and a clean rag to immediately take it back off the wood. The longer it stays on the wood, the whiter the wood will get.

4.] PROTECT

Apply 2-3 coats of Weatherwood Varnish to protect furniture. 

You can save 10% on Weatherwood products, like you saw here, with code WELCOME10. I hope to see you at tomorrow's party!

RH Style Balustrade Coffee Table & Bologna, Italy

Take a walk down this Bologna restaurant alley with us!! It’s packed with tourists, fresh food, people eating, & rad details. I’m crazy obsessed with these colorful buildings- they’re all shades of red, orange and yellow. It’s looks so warm and inviting. Bologna was such a wonderful surprise. We did an overnight here and toured the famous spots!

Materials

• Alder Door- like this one from Home Depot, but there's many more styles
• Denatured Alcohol
• Weatherwood's Reclamation Stain
• Sponge Brush or Spray Gun
• Weatherwood's White Maintenance Oil Topcoat
• Rags

Directions

1.] SAND (SORT OF): Normally, I'd say you should sand wood and with 80 grit sandpaper, but for projects that have intricate carving you'll want to use something else. You can purchase denatured alcohol, it's inexpensive and faster than sanding. Apply it like you would stain, with a spray gun or paint brush. Make sure to the wood the day before you plan to stain, so it can completely dry. 

2.] STAIN: If you want a pure driftwood gray, you should use Reclamation. If you want a brown with brown in it, use Salvage. Using a wide brush, roller, or sponge brush, apply heavy coat of stain. Like in the above video, the wood will absorb the stain as it dries. The color will change from raw wood to stained. 

Once you're wood is dry, which takes about 30 minutes, you're ready to move to the next step. You will see the before and after transformation of raw alder to Reclamation stained below. 

Then you want to decide if you like the color as is, in which case just seal it with Weatherwood Varnish. 

If you want to lighten it, you'll want to use Weatherwood's WHITE Maintenance Oil Topcoat, RIGHT. However, if you want to darken it, and enhance the warmth of the wood tone, then use  Weatherwood's CLEAR Maintenance Oil Topcoat (LEFT).

If you want to lighten it, White Maintenance Oil Topcoat. This will lock in that light driftwood look and protect the wood. 

3.] LIGHTEN / DARKEN: We decided to lighten the wood, so we used wipe on application, brushing is faster but a rag will make the product go further. It's a brush or rag it on.

Allow the oil to penetrate for 5-10 minutes. The longer it sits, the whiter the effect. The use a clean rag to wipe off. If it gets too pale, just buff the finish back down. The White Maintenance Oil will provide light to medium wood protection. 

4.] SEAL: Depending on your project! If you need heavy duty wood protection, you will want to use Weatherwood Varnish over the cured oils. If it's a cabinet or something, that will need the varnish!

If you're really loving this color and you'd like another project idea, check out this:

DIY Restoration Hardware Reclaimed Gray

1-2-3 that was so easy! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out! 

Lots of love!

Black (Wood) & White Sideboard & Tour of the Dome, Florence

The famous Florence Duomo is frescoed with these EPIC images from Dante’s Inferno and it’s the largest fresco in the world! ⛪️ Definitely take a minute to zoom in, because the detail is unreal!! 😍 The bottom shows all the demons and satan in hell. 🔥 You can see angels proclaiming that Christ is on the judgement seat. 👑 Around the dome’s center the apostles look like they’re about to fall off the painted ledge! 😱 INCREDIBLE!

Materials

• Weatherwood Stain's PINING Stain
• Weatherwood Topcoat: White Maintenance Oil
• 2 Lint free, white rags

Directions

1.] WOOD: Here's how you can get the look, first make sure you begin with sanded white oak. 80 grit sandpaper will do the best job.

2.] STAIN: Use a wide paint brush to apply Weatherwood's Reclamation stain. The stain is reactive, so apply a heavy coat and allow the wood to absorb it. As the wood dries, it will turn colors.

You'll see what I mean in the above timelapse. We stained both sides of the door, even though this is going to be used as a headboard. 

3.] HIGHLIGHT: Once the wood is dry it will be dark, apply Weatherwood WHITE Maintenance Oil to highlight the wood grain. Just wipe or brush on and wipe off. Apply per the video above or the bottle's directions.

You can save 10% on Weatherwood products, like you saw here, with code WELCOME10. I hope to see you at tomorrow's party!

Shooting in a Short Film in Agrigento, Italy

When Becca and I were in Sicily last year, we were deeply inspired by the story of St Agatha, the patron Saint of Catania. I have been working on a screen play for Agatha ever since and in June we started filming a short film in the most gorgeous location, Agrigento, Italy. 

Here's the scoop on St Agatha. She is a truly incredible woman and was an early Christian martyr from 251 AD. She was a beautiful 15 year old young woman who consecrated her life to Christ. However, the Roman prefect, Quintianus, believed he loved her. He pursued her all over Sicily and when she turned him down he became enraged. He had her thrown into a brothel to remove her virtue. When she still refused his overtures, he had her tortured, removed her breasts with pinchers, and thrown in jail without medical treatment. 

That evening in her jail cell, she was visited by the Apostle Peter who healed her wounds and restored her breasts. Restored, Agatha was brought in front in Quintanus once more. He flew into a rage and determined she would be tortured by rolling her over hot coals and glass. When this evil act ensued, Mt Etna began to roar and caused an earthquake. The people pled for Agatha to be released. Badly injured, Agatha prayed her spirit be released. You can see the photo above from the artifacts room, that houses relics and is dedicated to Agatha in her cathedral. 

On February 3-5 each year 100,000 people travel to Catania to celebrate St. Agatha, her sacrifice and her miracles. They often partake of this Minne di Sant'Agata, a typical Sicilian sweet desert shaped as a breast, representing the cut breasts of Saint Agatha. Her actual remains are in a church just across the town square. You are left with an impression that these people lived and walked where I am living and walking! You will love Zack's film on Agatha's life and I am thrilled to be involved. Can't wait to share updates, as this project moves forward! 

Zachary Lovelady

Corporate Bullies?

Hello architects, designers, industrial designers, contractors, painters, DIY-ers, weekend warriors, and close friends. We had a very interesting week. Not sure how you're all handling COVID, but three of our employees tested positive. As if that weren't dramatic enough, WeatherWash received a "cease and desist" from Sherwin Williams.

Why did we receive a cease and desist from a company that makes $56.3 billion a year? We were wondering the exact same. We've attached the letter so you can read it for yourselves. 

It would seem that the hundred year corporation is threatened by our tiny company using their hashtag on a project that used both Weatherwash and Minwax! Well, not theirs as in Sherwin's hashtags. Minwax's hashtags. Didn't know that Sherwin owns Minwax? Well, now you do. I imagine Sherwin needs to watch those hashtags after loosing a major distribution deal with Home Depot. I mean, the ad budget for Minwax is probably a couple of hundred million, but that's not where the value is. It's in for SURE in the hashtags... and we have been legally warned.

If any corporations legal departments have contacted you, please email us. We are very interested in getting to the bottom of these inquires. Of course, we want to give Sherwin's legal team the benefit of the doubt here, and explain why they're targeting a female Cleantech entrepreneur. 

On the surface it seems like they feel threatened by her massive Instagram social media following, which is four times theirs. And since they can't compete with an earth-friendly product, they're trying to chip away at market share any way they can. But that's just surface talk. We will hope to deep dive with a phone conference and will write a follow up! So stay tuned.

Zack Lovelady

Good-Bye, The Handmade Hangout

After 6 fabulous years of parties, Allison and I will be ending ours! Thank you to all of those who have participated over the years! We have had the best time getting to see your work and creativity! I wish it could go on indefinitely, but Zack and I have so many exciting things happening!! 

We are launching several new projects and I can't wait to share them all with you. We have a been working on a short film and plan to enter it at the Sundance Film Festival. We got the idea while we were working in Sicily last year - I told you a little about it here. 

I have also been developing a beautiful paint line, straight from Italy! I’ve been gathering pigments from all the the world and cannot wait to share. We will be launching that soon. More to come on both of those fronts! 

I love you guys and will miss hearing from you, the most! Please continue to comment so I can stay up to date on your lives, too. xoxo

Salvaged RH Style Pine Coffee Table & The Vecchio Bridge

We were on our way to dinner, but the second we stepped out the amazing sunset demanded to be seen! So we headed to our favorite spot, the Ponte Vecchio bridge, to take in the colors. The bridge was a totally party, as usual!! Enjoy the videos!

Let's get to this awesome project. It's my favorite kind of post! Where usually hard to achieve colors are a piece of cake! This client wanted to match her new farmhouse coffee table to Restoration Harware's "natural" color, on this Salvaged Trestle Table. This look is easy to achieve on pine and it's just a subtle aging.

Materials

• Pine Furniture 

• Weatherwood Stains' Reclamation stain

• Sand paper and Hand sander
• Rags
• Weatherwood Varnish Topcoat

Directions

1.] SAND: Begin by sanding the wood piece, that way the wood will easily accept the stain and create a good pallet to begin your work. Start with a rough grit with a 120 grit. 

2.] STAIN: Once the wood has been stripped or sanded back down to raw, you can stain it using Weatherwood Stain's Reclamation stain. Simply apply Reclamation with a sponge brush, brushing product onto sanded wood and allowing it to air dry. Allow to dry one hour. You'll see in the above time-lapse, the color change is subtle and is pretty similar to Restoration Hardware's "Natural" color. 

3.] SEAL: Apply a wax or varnish seal coat to protect the piece. SatinVarnish will give the look of raw wood, but the protection of cabinetry!

The texture on this maple just makes the color POP, don't you think? This stain will turn most wood species this shade. 

Check out our Color Chart for more choices and don't forget to save 10% on your first order with code: WELCOME10.

The Handmade Hangout #276

So glad you are here for this week's linky party:

Handmade Hangout Linky Party