Lane ® Acclaim 2 Tier Table

As I've mentioned before, I have a passion for mid-century modern furniture, specifically, Lane ® Acclaim Tables. The Acclaim series of furniture from the 1960's was made in Altavista, Virginia. Its dove tail detail is timeless and the two-tier end tables are automatically associated with mid-century design. 

Here's the journey of reclaiming one I found!

I started by using a lift off varnish remover to get back to the raw wood. 

I painted on the varnish remover and let it sit as directed.

I used a plastic drywall knife to scrape the varnish remover off.

After all the varnish remover was taken off, I used OOOO steel wool to smooth the surface.

Next, I added the stain. I used a Min-wax cherry stain.

 Finally, I applied a satin finish paste wax.

The results are just beautiful, don't you think? 

Once again, a Lane ® Acclaim table back to its original beauty!

Lane ® is a registered trademark of The Lane Company, Inc., Altavista, VA, USA.                                         This post has not been authorized or endorsed by The Lane Company. 

Vintage Kitchen Cart Makeover

I love Kitchen Carts!

I remember them from my childhood when they were a fixture in most kitchens. They provided additional storage for small appliances and often held the toaster ovens of that time. I see them pretty often at yard and estate sales but they are rarely in good shape. Due to their age and utilitarian nature, they often have rust and paint damage. You might be turned off, thinking they are shot and too rustic to be useful but let me encourage you to give them a second look. Here's one I'd like to show you as I transform it from ugly duckling to beautiful swan.

Here is the Kitchen Cart I bought.

I loved the curved handles and it was in fairly good shape, with just some minor rust.

I took it apart and got to cleaning. I used a brillo pad to clean off years of grime and attack the rusty spots. Once the clean up was done, I started the spray painting. I used Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover 2X Gloss Apple Red. This type of paint is really great for this application. 

I caution you to apply many light coats rather than one or two heavy coats. You'll get better coverage and less chance at drips or crazing. 

 Coat # 2

Subsequent coats

I do sweeping motions from one end to the other at about 10-12 inches from the surface. It takes time but its well worth it if you don't rush it. Because I was using red, it took about 1 1/2 cans of the paint to get a nice even finish. I let it cure for at least 24-48 hours before reassembling it. 

Here is the finished project! I love it and for under twenty bucks, it looks like its new again!


Rust-Oleum comes in dozens of colors so you are sure to find one that works for you. It is an easy to do project, even for beginners, and you'll end up with a useful piece of nostalgia! 

Start spraying!

Libbey Silver Leaf Glasses

Crazy about the television show "MAD MEN"? Love that sophisticated 60's look? Here's a really inexpensive way to put some of that "MAD MEN" punch into your bar glassware - Libbey Silver Leaf Glasses!

The Libbey Glass Company is one of the longest running and most commonly recognized companies in glass manufacturing. It started business in 1818 and comes out of Toledo, Ohio. The Silver Leaf glassware pattern is one of Libbey's lines which was produced from 1953-1978. It is plentiful and relatively cheap for glassware and is readily available at yard sales, estate sales and antique shops. I've picked them up for as little as a quarter a glass and have never paid more than a few dollars per glass.

Once you have spotted it, you'll always know it. The pattern has a bit of frosting on the glass with silver leaves going around the body and a silver rim at the top. 

The Silver Leaf pattern came in a multitude of shapes and sizes including sherbets (or champagnes, both short & tall stem), wines, waters, pilsners, iced teas, juices, and several straight sided sizes including Hi balls (or On-the-rocks or Old fashions as they were called back in the day). There are also a few other pieces I've come across including an ice bucket, small pitchers, and Cream & sugars.

One word of caution: don't put these in the dishwasher! If you do, you will compromise the applied silver design. As is typical of many of the glassware items made in the 50's and 60's before dishwashers were found in every home, these glasses were just not made for the punishment of a dishwasher. If you don't like to hand wash glasses, you shouldn't buy these. But if you don't mind washing them, they will give you a really classy 60's look at really great prices!