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Bayou Furniture Revival, Mary Hughes Drive, Houma, LA (2026)

09/26/2026

This client has given me permission to use her chairs as a teaching lesson on the importance of understanding what is in the product that you are using to clean your furniture, and what products are safe to use on furniture in general.

She noticed some buildup on the chair backs. Thinking that Dawn Powerwash was just a foaming version of the Dawn used to wash your dishes, that is the product she chose to use. She didn't realize that Dawn contains denatured alcohol. The result was a chemical reaction that dissolved the finish on her chairs, leaving behind a gummy residue.

According to Procter & Gamble's (the makers of Dawn Powerwash) official usage guidelines, you should completely avoid using it on wood, including unsealed, varnished, stained, or painted wood surfaces and furniture. Depending on the length of time left on the surface it can remove the sealers, cause discoloration, or dry out unfinished wood.

If you need to clean grimy wood furniture, skip the Powerwash spray entirely. Instead, use a few drops of traditional blue Dawn dish soap mixed into a bowl of warm water. Dip a soft microfiber cloth into the soapy water, wring it out completely so it is just damp, wipe the surface gently, and immediately dry it with a separate clean towel. Be gentle and don't scrub!

The blend on these chairs turned out beautifully! ✨ A custom mix of chestnut, walnut, and early American created the perfect color match for the chairs. Not all color matches turn out as seamless as this one. I was more excited than I can explain in words.

If you ever have any questions about what is safe for your furniture, please reach out. I'd love to help educate before a costly mistake. 🫶

09/19/2026

Remember the walnut buffet and china cabinet I recently restored? Well, these three gorgeous tables belong to the same client, and they were next in line for their own transformation!

The client wanted these pieces to coordinate with their newly refinished furniture while keeping them a little lighter. We decided on Early American, a beautiful, warm brown that complements the deeper walnut tones of the other pieces without being an exact match.

This project had a surprise waiting for us! As I began removing the layers of paint and original finish, I uncovered the most stunning marquetry inlay hidden beneath it all! I immediately sent pictures to the client to share the exciting discovery. Neither of us could believe such beautiful craftsmanship had been hiding under all that paint!

Uncovering those delicate details meant this restoration required a little extra time and patience. Marquetry consists of thin, intricately arranged pieces of wood used to create decorative patterns. These delicate inlays can be easily damaged during stripping and refinishing, so preserving them meant working carefully around every detail.

Once the old finish was removed, I was able to bring the beautiful natural wood grain and intricate inlays back to life with Early American stain on the body and Mahogany on the inlays. The ornate carvings received special attention to create depth and dimension while maintaining the lighter overall finish the client envisioned.

The finished result is a beautiful set that complements their walnut buffet and china cabinet while allowing each piece to have its own character.

Their new home is jaw droppingly gorgeous and I am so honored to be a part of the process of making their house feel like a home.

09/12/2026

My client brought me this bedroom set in its original stained finish with one goal: she wanted it to coordinate with a set of farmhouse-style nightstands she already owned.

She left one of the nightstand drawers with me at the shop so I had the actual finish to work from. No guessing from photos or trying to match something through a phone screen. I had the color professionally matched and used that drawer as my reference throughout the entire process.

During prep, I also discovered a broken drawer slide. Since it was already here and apart, I went ahead and repaired that for her as a courtesy before moving forward.

For the new finish, I started with Tribal Drum as the base coat, followed by our custom color-matched top coat. From there, each piece was carefully distressed to mimic the wear, depth, and character of the original nightstand drawer so the two sets would feel like they belonged together.

Designers can tell us the distressed look is out. In our area it remains extremely popular. Trends can come and go. I think your home should feel like you.
If farmhouse, rustic, weathered etc. makes you happy, keep it. If you love warm wood, use warm wood. If you want everything painted, paint it. If you want color on every wall, grab the roller.

Do whatever makes you feel like you're wrapped in a cozy blanket when you walk through your front door.
Make your home what makes your heart happy. ❤️

This set is very different from my usual work and I'm so grateful for being chosen for this project. 🥰

08/23/2026

Not all projects that come to the shop are for full restoration. Such is the case with this chair and foot stool.

Originally when this client reached out to me for services, I recommended a couple of repair shops in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas because I am still learning cane webbing installs and was honest with her about that during our conversation.

She said that she had seen my previous cane webbing work and felt comfortable with me doing the repair. She also preferred keeping the work local which I 100% appreciate. The chair had broken in half and needed to be repaired as well.

Footstool: I replaced the cane webbing and spline only, and cleaned the stool as a courtesy.

Chair: Dowels were added at the connections of the back and base before gluing for added stability. Cracks were filled with wood epoxy for a stronger hold vs wood filler since this is a weak point in the chair.
The damaged area was feathered into the original finish to appear seamless.
The button plugs were also replaced on the back of the chair as I noticed one was missing.

This was a quick in and out, but I am so appreciative of this. Skills are learned through practice. 🫶

08/22/2026

Happy three years as Bayou Furniture Revival! 🙌

Leaving healthcare to follow my dream is still the craziest thing I've ever done, but for those of you that don't know me in person, allow me to explain why this is so very important to me and thank everyone that has supported me in any way over the last three years. Purchases, commissions, sharing my posts, donations, or even just supporting the page. Everything has meant so much to me.

First, you have enabled me to stay home full time with my son who is an adult, but suffers from a form of epilepsy from a head trauma that has left him with limitations. Having me with him instead of sitters has made a world of difference for him and I am so grateful to be by his side. I also care for my mother part time along with my father, but I would not be available in the capacity that I am now in a traditional employment.

I have never been happier as I am restoring furniture. I don't care if it's a side of the road find, or a priceless antique, I love them all and wake up ready to make something beautiful. I've also met some of the most amazing people in the past three years.

Here are all of the projects I completed in the last year. 34 pieces restored! ❤️

I can't what to see what the next year brings.

08/02/2026

I have a couple of commissions I'm currently working on at the moment, but I wanted to feature this project specifically because it is a painted item that will be fully restored back to stain.

This is a much longer process than a repaint. Many times new clients are surprised at the cost of this service compared to paint. I want everyone to understand the process of what you're receiving when you choose this service.

What happens before the stain?
Quite a bit. One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that restoring a painted piece back to stained wood is as simple as stripping the visible surfaces and applying stain. In reality, I don't even think about opening that can of stain until every trace of paint has been removed.

That's why projects like this are completely disassembled. Legs come off. Hardware is removed and labeled. Every surface, edge, corner, and profile is stripped individually so paint isn't left hiding in joints, carvings, or underneath assembled components. In the case of this living room set, even the screws are painted. That paint has to come off as well.

Only after the piece is completely free of paint can I evaluate the wood underneath, make repairs, sand everything smooth, and begin testing stain colors.
This is the difference between a painted restoration back to wood and a furniture makeover. Neither approach is wrong, they simply have different goals.

A makeover is about creating a beautiful new finish. A restoration is about uncovering what has been hidden for years and allowing the natural wood to become the focal point again.

This is why these projects take time. Every hour spent in preparation is what makes the final result look like the furniture was never painted in the first place.

07/30/2026

This was the first project I've ever had that ran into a major time overage, and I'm so thankful it happened with this client. She is incredibly patient and understands something every furniture restorer eventually learns: sometimes you don't know what you're getting into until you actually get into it. 😅
Let me explain.

Paint comes in many different forms: acrylic, latex, chalk paint, etc. Before I begin stripping a piece, I have no way of knowing how many times it has been painted, whether the previous prep work was done correctly, or what products were used over the years.

This buffet and china cabinet turned into a restoration nightmare. Underneath the white finish was the original walnut stain with lacquer, followed by chalk paint sealed with wax, and then a layer of latex paint. My carbide scrapers wouldn't touch it. The heat gun, which normally causes paint to lift in satisfying strips, turned everything into a sticky mess. The moment I tried a chemical st****er, it became an even bigger disaster... goo. Everywhere. 😭

After trying three different stripping products and spending time on the phone with multiple manufacturers, I finally found a remover that would break down the finish without damaging the wood underneath. These pieces were painted inside and out, so every square inch had to be stripped of this combo of paints.

At that point, I knew I wasn't going to make the original timeline. I felt completely defeated. My client simply told me, "Take your time." That kind of trust means more than I can put into words. I love her for that.

Originally, both pieces were finished in walnut, and together we decided to bring them back to that rich, classic color. When we delivered everything yesterday, the hug I received from my client made every frustrating hour worth it.

In their previous home, the white distressed finish fit the style beautifully. Their new home, however, leans much more traditional, and the painted finish felt out of place. Restoring these pieces to their original walnut gave them a warmth and elegance that looks like it was always meant to be there.

The best part? There are three more pieces from this collection headed to the shop soon. I can't wait to continue bringing this family's furniture back to life over the next few weeks.

07/09/2026

I love restoring a piece that has been part of a family's story for years.

This early 20th-century Chippendale Revival draw-leaf dining table, dating somewhere between 1920 and 1940, came to me after years of faithful use. Crafted from walnut and mahogany with beautifully carved cabriole legs, it features a traditional draw-leaf extension system. Unlike modern extension tables that require separate leaves, the two extension panels are stored beneath the tabletop. As they're pulled from each end, the center section lowers into place, creating one continuous dining surface. Such a cool design! The tabletop is finished with a striking two-tone veneer design, showcasing a darker figured center framed by a lighter border. A wonderful example of the craftsmanship of the period.

Time, however, had taken its toll. Years of hot serving dishes, condensation, and everyday family gatherings had caused the original lacquer finish to break down, leaving the surface with water and heat rings. The owner had spent quite some time searching for someone willing to restore it, but many understandably passed on the project because of the amount of handwork required to preserve all of the carved details.

As luck would have it, I had recently acquired a dining set of six chairs that were almost a perfect match. The only problem was that they were roughly 80 years younger than the table, finished in the unmistakable red oak tones of the early 2000s.

Every piece was completely stripped to bare wood. Each carving on the table was carefully sanded by hand using detail tools to preserve the crispness of the original craftsmanship. The table was refinished in an Early American stain, while the chairs received a custom blend of Early American and Walnut. By intentionally creating subtle color variation and depth, I was able to mimic the character and patina that naturally develops over a century of use.
When I restore furniture like this, my goal is never for someone to think, "Those chairs match the table." My goal is for them to believe they have always been together.

The best part? When I delivered everything, the client told me it was exactly what she had been dreaming of for the past three years. Moments like that continue to make this my dream come true.

06/18/2026

FLOODING & WOOD FURNITURE: DON'T THROW IT AWAY YET

If your home took on water during last night's flooding, I am so sorry. I've been there. Life in South Louisiana can be tough sometimes. Take a deep breath before hauling furniture to the curb. Most solid wood furniture can be saved, even if it got wet. This applies to wood furniture only. Particle board, laminate, press board etc. will unfortunately have to be tossed because the fibers absorb water and swell.

If the piece is an older solid wood dresser, table, or cabinet, I'd much rather see it wet than see it sitting in a dumpster for a week. The biggest damage usually comes from prolonged moisture and mold, not the initial wetting.

What to do immediately:

Move furniture out of standing water as soon as it is safe to do so.

Remove drawers, shelves, cushions, and any loose components to allow air circulation.

Dry the furniture slowly in a well-ventilated area. Fans are helpful. Air conditioning and dehumidifiers are even better.

Wipe away mud and debris with clean water and a soft cloth before it dries onto the surface.

Keep furniture out of direct sunlight. Rapid drying can cause cracking, splitting, and warping.

Leave drawers slightly open and allow all surfaces to dry evenly.

What NOT to do:

❌ Do not put furniture in direct sun to "bake" dry.

❌ Do not use space heaters or heat guns.

❌ Do not begin repairs while the wood is still damp.

❌ Do not panic if drawers stick or doors swell. This is normal and often improves as the wood dries.

A few things to know:

Solid wood furniture is remarkably resilient and can often be restored even after significant water exposure.

Veneers may lift, finishes may turn cloudy, and joints may loosen, but these issues are frequently repairable.

Mold becomes a concern if furniture remains damp for several days, so drying and airflow are critical.

Furniture that has sentimental value is almost always worth evaluating before being discarded.

If you have furniture that was affected by flooding and aren't sure whether it can be saved, send me photos. I've restored pieces that looked far worse than most people would believe. I am more than happy to evaluate your photos free of charge. Just send a message.

Please stay safe, and remember that furniture can often be repaired or restored. People cannot be replaced. Be sure to protect yourself during clean up. 🫶

05/26/2026

A little furniture refinishing education moment from the workshop today 👩🏻‍🎨

One of the biggest hidden problems I run into when stripping furniture is years (sometimes decades) of furniture polish buildup. Products like Pledge and other silicone-heavy sprays may make furniture look shiny for a while, but over time they soak into the finish and create a sticky residue that turns stripping into an absolute nightmare.

Instead of the old finish cleanly dissolving and lifting away, everything turns into a thick, greasy goop that smears across the wood, gums up sandpaper, clogs stripping pads, and settles deep into carvings and grain. It can easily add HOURS of extra labor to a restoration project.

In severe cases, silicone contamination can even cause problems later with stain and clear coat adhesion, leading to “fish eyes” or uneven finishes during refinishing.

For regular furniture cleaning and maintenance I recommend:
• A lightly damp microfiber cloth
• Mild dish soap diluted in water for deeper cleaning
• Murphy Oil Soap occasionally on finished wood
• Quality furniture waxes used sparingly ( if your current wax layer has become sticky, you must remove it with mineral spirits and clean with mild soap before applying more wax. Do not apply wax without a proper cleaning first. )

What we are trying to avoid are heavy silicone sprays and oily “quick shine” products that build up over time.

I know many people use these products because that’s what generations were taught to use, so this is never meant as criticism, just a helpful explanation for why some pieces become much more difficult to restore than others. I feel awful when I have to call and tell you your timeline has been extended because it's going to take double the work to remove the finish and it's all the fault of the product that was marketed to keep it clean.

Bayou Furniture Revival

09/26/2026

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09/12/2026

08/23/2026

08/22/2026

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