Olive Street Designs

Olive Street Designs Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Olive Street Designs, Digital creator, Sacramento, CA.

I teach furniture refinishing so you can start with confidence.
đź“”Author of 8 refinishing books
📧[email protected]
🌳Comment GUIDE to get your copy of the Beginner’s Guide to Furniture Refinishing!

06/10/2026

This custom dresser project was a true lesson in flexibility and craftsmanship! My client had a clear vision: a completely stripped-down, natural wood finish with a lightened tone—no paint. We initially planned to use oxalic acid or wood bleach to achieve that raw, airy look.

Everything was going according to plan… until I discovered that the beautifully curved top wasn’t solid wood—it was actually MDF beneath a delicate lattice-style veneer. That discovery completely changed our approach since the edge cannot be stripped to bare.

After a few FaceTime calls and some collaborative color consultations, we came up with a brand new plan that would honor the original vision while working with the materials we had.

I carefully stripped the entire top using lacquer thinner—very slowly and gently to protect the veneer’s pattern. Then came lots of hand sanding and sponge sanding to maintain control and prevent damage.

After multiple applications of wood bleach, we had a beautifully light finish—but it still needed a little something extra. A subtle paint wash added just the right amount of tone without hiding the grain, giving us that perfect light-and-natural look.

The rest of the dresser was fully prepped, primed, and painted, then sealed with multiple coats of a durable topcoat for longevity.

This solid Ho**er Furniture piece went from dark and dingy to bright, modern, and totally refreshed—ready for a new life in my client’s home!

If you like these types of makeovers, be sure to follow for more!

Painted in Natural Wicker by Benjamin Moore

Amazon Storefront – Lists of my favorite products!
https://www.amazon.com/shop/olive.street.designs

Products:
Lacquer thinner
https://amzn.to/3XfgmbD
Pot Scrubber
https://amzn.to/42xT1Fb
Contour blocks
https://amzn.to/4cNq8rQ
Carbide Scraper
https://amzn.to/4aF5Kbp
Detail Carbide Scraper
https://amzn.to/3WTE3WK
Wood bleach
https://amzn.to/4cckajV
Masking Paper
https://amzn.to/4hziVgH
20mL Syringe
https://amzn.to/4cTm3m7
Stix Primer
https://amzn.to/4josSii
Sandpaper
https://amzn.to/4jKO2Yn
Topcoat
https://amzn.to/3PUJy3i
Sanding Pads
https://amzn.to/3TtxYiG
Poly Brushes
https://amzn.to/3CFyxAa
Shellac Primer Spray
https://amzn.to/4kbd2aD

Equipment:
Paint Sprayer
https://amzn.to/3EdRYQX
Cordless Screwdriver
https://amzn.to/42P52GQ
Furniture Dollies
https://amzn.to/4ix6qSP
Spray Tent
https://amzn.to/4hfMhk3

Connect with me:
https://www.facebook.com/olive.street.designs
https://www.instagram.com/olive.street.designs
https://www.tiktok.com/.street.designs
https://youtube.com/.street.designs














**erFurniture







Before and AFTER of this dark to light transformation of a FREE French Provincial dresser. Watch the transformation here...
06/10/2026

Before and AFTER of this dark to light transformation of a FREE French Provincial dresser. Watch the transformation here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1476641173675080

If you enjoy furniture flips, makeovers, and DIY furniture refinishing, you’re in the right place. For a deeper dive into learning the full refinishing process, download my eBook: BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO FURNITURE REFINISHING. Available on OliveStreetDesigns.com . Follow along with Olive Street Designs across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for tutorials, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes projects.

Before and AFTER
06/10/2026

Before and AFTER

06/10/2026

Let me know

06/10/2026

I’m back with the matching long dresser for the farmhouse-style nightstands I refinished a couple of weeks ago — and this is just one part of a massive project. I’m in the middle of refinishing an entire 7-piece bedroom set, and this long dresser was next in line. If you love full furniture makeover series, you’re going to want to follow along as this whole set comes together piece by piece.

For this dresser, I started by stripping the top all the way down to bare wood. I used lacquer thinner to clean up any remaining finish, then sanded everything smooth. Contour sanding blocks handled the edges beautifully, and my SurfPrep sander was perfect for all those curves and details. I finished the prep with a final sand at 220 grit.

Next came the staining process:
• Pre-stain conditioner to ensure an even finish
• A base coat of Briarsmoke penetrating stain
• Once that dried, I added Hickory gel stain for more depth, warmth, and dimension

After achieving the perfect tone, I sealed the top with shellac and then applied multiple coats of durable topcoat. Once the woodwork was complete, I masked everything off and moved the dresser into the spray tent for primer, paint, and a full topcoat system to match the rest of the set.

The final touch was reinstalling the original hardware — keeping that beautiful, aged patina that gives these pieces their vintage charm.

This dresser is now completely transformed and ready to join the nightstands as I continue working my way through this huge 7-piece set. Be sure to watch until the end and follow along for the upcoming pieces, because the full set makeover is going to be stunning when it’s all done.

Watch the full length makeover and see all product info here: https://facebook.com/reel/608774975614008/

06/09/2026

I transformed this outdated orange pine dresser into a sleek and modern piece of timeless design.

This dresser was quite beat up. TONS of deep gouges, scrapes, knots and of course the outdated details that had to be removed.

The center trim was easy to remove, but the top and sides were not. Using a jigsaw, I cut down the sides and used a rubber mallet and brute force to remove the top trim.

Now, after a full makeover this solid wood dresser is a true showstopper!

Painted in a sophisticated custom taupe, with a touch of modern luxury added through the new champagne bronze k***s.

Bringing style and functionality together in this unique furniture revival!

Love furniture transformations? Follow Olive Street Designs for expert refinishing tips, stunning makeovers, and more! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok!

Below is a complete list of the products used to transform these nightstands into showstoppers.
Krud Kutter Degreaser
https://amzn.to/3RCI5PH
Multi-tool used for cutting details
https://amzn.to/3HGLSap
DeWalt Jigsaw
https://amzn.to/42efg0T
SurfPrep 3x4 Detail Sander
https://surfprepsanding.com/.../3x4-electric-ray-sanders/...
DeWalt Orbital Sander
https://amzn.to/48wGNg7
Serious Grit Sandpaper – 120 grit
http://www.seriousgrit.com/olivestreetdesigns (discount link)
Sanding pads for between coat sanding
https://amzn.to/48RTeDx
Melange ONE Paint (restoration bronze and oyster)
https://amzn.to/47BHGDi
TopCoat – General Finishes High Performance in Flat
https://amzn.to/3Rz34TA
K***s
https://amzn.to/3Sursri
Pulls
https://amzn.to/3u2MrrK

Amazon Storefront – lists of my favorite products!
https://www.amazon.com/shop/olive.street.designs

Discounts:
Surfprep Sander Electric Ray 3x4 - Save 10%
https://surfprepsanding.com/product/sanding-system-kits/...
Farmhouse Paint – Save 10%
https://farmhousepaint.rfrl.co/oqzxr

Connect with me:
https://www.facebook.com/olive.street.designs
https://www.instagram.com/olive.street.designs
https://www.tiktok.com/.street.designs
https://youtube.com/.street.designs



06/09/2026

These Drexel French Provincial nightstands were part of a custom furniture refinishing project for a client who inherited the full bedroom suite. I stripped the tops down to bare wood, stained them in a rich walnut tone, and sealed them for a durable, smooth finish. The bases were cleaned, primed, and painted in a soft white for that timeless two-tone look. We reused the original hardware to keep the vintage charm intact. This classic furniture makeover turned well-loved heirloom pieces into something elegant, modern, and perfectly suited to her home.

Want to learn to refinish furniture? Check out my refinishing library on my website or simply comment GUIDE. My BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO REFINISHING FURNITURE is where many people start. It will teach you everything you need to know to get started refinishing with confidence!

06/09/2026

This one came with a good story…
It got hit by a car — and not just a little bump
When I picked it up, she casually said, “I think I hit it with my car… just a little piece broke off.”
Well, that “little piece” was an entire strip of the drawer front — shredded and totally broken. Not repairable.
But I love a good challenge.
It took a little extra, extra, but I love the end result!
Wait until you see the after.

Watch the full length makeover on YouTube
https://youtu.be/V2ZUpAgsyaQ

If you enjoy furniture flips, makeovers, and DIY furniture refinishing, you’re in the right place. For a deeper dive into learning the full refinishing process, download my eBook: BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO FURNITURE REFINISHING. Available on OliveStreetDesigns.com . Follow along with Olive Street Designs across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for tutorials, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes projects.



06/08/2026

This 1950s hope chest looked beyond saving. A huge chunk of the front was completely missing — the kind of damage that usually means it’s done.
But the owner had kept the broken piece.

I reshaped the area, fit the original section back in, glued and clamped it, then reinforced it with dowels so it was solid again — not just patched.

After that, it was rebuild mode. Bondo to restore the exterior, wood filler inside, lots of sanding, primer, blending the grain, and a fresh coat of paint. I cleaned up the original hardware and even got the lock working again.

What was headed for the landfill is now a restored family piece.

If you want to learn how to refinish furniture the right way, start with my BEGINNERS GUIDE TO FURNITURE REFINISHING. It’s on my website — or comment “GUIDE” and I’ll send you the details.

Address

Sacramento, CA

Telephone

+19169999999

Website

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