Stripping paint.

We're restoring an 1870's hand plained/hand grained local pine cabinet.  We purchased it from owners who were donating a cabin of the same era and selling their property.  It is a beautifully crafted antique.  The problem is that these owners bought their cabin in... "quess what time frame?"  Hint:  look at the screaming neon yellow oil-based paint that they chose to brush on the inside of the cabinet.

If you guessed early 1970's, you are right.  The pioneer cabin was in a time warp.  The structure was1870 but the decor was avocado green, bright orange and bright yellow.  We declined to buy the matching linens and 1970's flower orange, avocado, yellow sofa.  Twiggy would have felt right at home; that is if she lived in a cabin in pioneer England.

The upper shelves had original grey milk paint on them which we revealed by meticulously scraping and chipping the yellow paint with razor blades.  Unfortunately, the grey milk paint on the bottom inside cupboards had worn away before they brushed on the outdoor yellow paint and we had no option but to strip those areas.  We're about halfway done.  These are the inside bottom cabinet doors freshly stripped.

There is something so satisfying about bringing a beautifully crafted old piece of furniture back to life.


Would I like to string those 1970's decorators up by their toes? YESSS,  but I'm grateful that they didn't fall into the stripping craze of the 1980's, and strip the cabinet down to bare pine. At least the wood graining is still intact on the exterior. 


However, I can't stop wishing they would stop by so I could slap a tool in their hand and make them strip some paint.