MCH Furniture Restoration

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MCH Furniture Restoration My mission is to rescue, repair and restore vintage furniture, keeping them out of landfills.

Upscaled Coffee Table, $185I had fun with this piece – I took a worn and frankly ugly Ikea coffee table design and reima...
10/09/2026

Upscaled Coffee Table, $185

I had fun with this piece – I took a worn and frankly ugly Ikea coffee table design and reimagined it with a clean modern finish and a sleek and stylish storage addition. Its grey and black palette make it easy to blend in with whatever color scheme you already have. And the new durable finish will not stain and suffer water damage from the occasional spill as the old surface would.

When I acquired the table, I liked the scale of it, and that it was made of solid maple/birch (no particleboard!). But it was uninspiring. Even worse, the lower storage tier was comprised of interwoven black webbing. It looked like a cheap wayward piece of patio furniture– it had to go!

I took apart the table and cut away the webbing. In its place I installed a series of 22-evenly spaced 3/8” hardwood dowels to create a sturdy and on-trend shelf. The new shelf and all the stretchers and legs got thoroughly sanded, cleaned, primed and then sprayed with multiple coats of black enamel paint.

For the top, after sanding and priming, I brushed on a custom grey and black glazed and painted faux-wood finish that resembles the texture and color found on some high-end Pottery Barn furniture. After several sprayed-on top coats of a water-based polyurethane, the final result has a durable and soft sheen.

It’s now really eye-catching for something that was headed to the dump, and is a very practical-sized accessory that will complement any home. Please let me know if you’d like to see it in person, and if you’d like to see me do more Ikea hacks (see https://www.instagram.com/ikeahackersofficial/ for more examples).

Local pickup Takoma Park, MD

Dimensions: 47” L x 27 1/2” W x 18” H

$185, Cash or Venmo.

Butcher Block Work Table, $175Show of hands: Who needs additional kitchen counter space? Who needs a dedicated workstati...
09/09/2026

Butcher Block Work Table, $175

Show of hands:

Who needs additional kitchen counter space?

Who needs a dedicated workstation for food prep or baking?

Who needs versatile storage for mixers, espresso machines, a Cuisinart, air-fryer and/or bulk food?

If you raised your hand to any of these needs then this solid hickory and maple butcher block table is for you.

I’ve reclaimed and upscaled a vintage maple base by marrying it to a brand-new, unused one and one-quarter inch thick hickory butcher block top. I bought this $150.00 custom top for another project but the client changed their mind, and I had to become creative. The existing bottom shelf from another project was resized, and both it and the legs were sanded back to bare wood. The new hybrid piece was then hand-finished with an approved food-safe wood sealer that is compatible with food contact.

The result is a perfect size and height to add at the end of a counter as a free-standing worktable or as the center piece of your work triangle. Add a couple stools for seating, and you have a place for eating breakfast or snacks.

Hickory is an exceptionally hard, heavy, and shock-resistant domestic hardwood renowned for its striking color variation and rustic character. It is significantly harder than red oak, white oak, and hard maple. Let me know if you’d like to come by to take a look for yourself!

Local pickup Takoma Park, MD

Dimensions: 19” L x 32” W x 36” H

$175 Cash or Venmo.

Arts & Craft Coffee Table, $150. I freely admit that some of my restoration pieces are “curb finds,” put out for garbage...
21/08/2026

Arts & Craft Coffee Table, $150. I freely admit that some of my restoration pieces are “curb finds,” put out for garbage collectors to haul off to a landfill. The quality of these pieces varies. Sometimes a maker’s mark will signify who made it and when, giving me clues to its vintage and value. Otherwise, I rely on the details of the joinery and choices of wood used to indicate if they were built well.

When I can identify the prior owner, I ask where it was used, how long they owned it, and if the piece reveals any local or family history. Combined with some internet research, this can lead to some fascinating stories, but oftentimes with curb finds I’m left to guess.

This curb find seemed to have had a hard life. Water rings and stains on the top indicated careless or clueless treatment of the finish. Stubborn red and black marker stains suggested kids used it, coloring outside the lines for sure. Patches of dried wax suggested teens or others were fond of candles. It is not made of fine hardwoods and is assembled with metal hardware. But the Arts and Craft style and compact size convinced me it could be upscaled for a new home.

My plan was to combine a natural-finished top with a painted base. A wood-paint combination bridges generations and décor, and gives a fresh look. I stripped the oak veneer top, then bleached it with oxalic acid. I replaced failed oak-banding around the top and trimmed and sanded it, leaving the nice oak grain unstained. After scuff-sanding and priming the base, I sprayed-on multiple coats of a cool-toned black, followed by three coats of a water-based matte finish over everything. The “cherry on top” is an enameled orange and black drawer pull that really pops. All ready for a new owner.

Do you own a furniture piece that you associate with a specific memory or have a keepsake antique passed on to you from your family? Leave a comment and let me know!

Local pickup Takoma Park, MD

Dimensions: 37” L x 22” W x 18”H

$150 Cash or Venmo.

S. Bent Bros. Dining Table, [**SOLD**].Looking for a solid Colonial Revival dining table that will last generations? Thi...
21/08/2026

S. Bent Bros. Dining Table, [**SOLD**].

Looking for a solid Colonial Revival dining table that will last generations? This piece was built strong, and has been well taken care of. It will seat eight with its two leaves in, but can easily find a home in an eat-in kitchen without them. The workmanship is exceptional, from the 1 1/8” thick table top to the beautifully turned legs. The whole piece has been refinished to like-new condition.

S. Bent Bros was an American furniture company that started in 1867 in Gardner, Massachusetts—a hub famous for 19th- and 20th-century chair manufacturing. This family-run business continued until the year 2000. It was well known for its oak and elm dining tables and had a national reputation for making matching Windsor, dining, rocking and alumni captain’s chairs in a variety of species.

When I acquired this table it was in very good condition with solid joints and few if any defects needing repair--only the finish on the top needing attention. To ensure the entire piece had a cohesive tone I used a hand scraper and paint st****er to remove all the existing finish. I progressively sanded everything up to 220 grit, stained the entire piece with a warm reddish -brown gel stain, then hand rubbed on three coats of my favorite satin General Finishes Arm-R-Seal wiping varnish for a durable low luster finish. After curing, I applied Howard’s Feed and Wax (an orange oil and beeswax polish) with a grey pad and buffed it out.

This table is built to last and will easily become a family heirloom to pass on to kids and grandkids. It is a great value, priced competitively (lower than even inferior Big-Box store options) to help find a new home quickly and open up my shop space. Come check it out!

Local pickup Takoma Park, MD

Dimensions: 60” L no leaves; 84” L with two leaves x 36” W x 30” H

$300 Cash or Venmo.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Takoma Park Flea Market Saturday May 9th from 10am (not noon!) to 4pm at the intersection of Grant ...
06/05/2026

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Takoma Park Flea Market Saturday May 9th from 10am (not noon!) to 4pm at the intersection of Grant and Carrol Avenues.

This is MCH Furniture Restoration’s third year with a booth at the Flea. Last year I had a blast, talking with neighbors and followers, and finding new homes for my latest furniture rescue projects. Pix is a sneak peek of what I’m bringing...

This is an ideal time to see, touch and buy my vintage furniture pieces. I rescue furniture with good bones from heading to the landfill, lovingly restore it, and make it ready for its next home – will it be yours?

For more info about the Flea Market go to https://mainstreettakoma.org/featured-events/takoma-flea/

Hope to see you there (Booth 12)!!!

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