Alchemy Fine Living
Deana Michelle Rodriguez
I love to sew, paint, and upholster. My blog and youtube videos provide tips and inspiration for many DIY projects. My favorite thing to do is up-cycle and re-purpose old furniture.
Recent Posts
paint, furniture
How To: Paint Mahogany
By Deana Michelle Rodriguez on Apr 15, 2013
I have painted a ton of furniture over the years and I have learned a lot through trial and error. Mahogany is always one of those woods that has given me a hard time. The... Continue reading
diy, furniture, paint
DIY Metal Bench Makeover
By Deana Michelle Rodriguez on Apr 10, 2013
This deep purple bench is made of metal. It is a garden bench that is usedoutdoors, so it took a little different prep work than most of my usual projects, which tend to be wood... Continue reading
paint, furniture, finishes
How To: Paint Furniture with Lacquer
By Deana Michelle Rodriguez on Mar 20, 2013
How do you paint furniture using lacquer? Until recently I didn’t have the answer to that question, but then a client approached me about making her bed look just like the one in the image... Continue reading
diy, paint, furniture
How To: Paint & Distress Black Furniture
By Deana Michelle Rodriguez on Feb 07, 2013
This black table is one of my most recent projects. It was not in perfect condition to start with. Some of the veneer had pieces missing, and there was a crack on the top tier.... Continue reading
paint, diy
DIY Furniture Painting: Crackle & Antique Gold
By Deana Michelle Rodriguez on Jan 19, 2013
One of our most recent furniture painting projects involved staining, crackling, sponge painting and gold accents. This incredibly elaborate antique chest, cabinet or armoire (I’m not even sure what to call it) was a really fun project. It... Continue reading
paint, furniture, diy
Refinishing a Vintage Dresser
By Deana Michelle Rodriguez on Jan 08, 2013
This highboy dresser was in pretty bad condition. The old finish was dingy, stained, and in desperate need of a makeover. The dresser is for a little boy's nursery, so we chose brown, a nice... Continue reading
furniture, cleaning
Removing Mildew from Leather
By Deana Michelle Rodriguez on Dec 06, 2012
My husband is the master when it comes to finding amazing deals on Craigslist. He recently scored this Chesterfield sofa for us for only $300! It has solid hardwood construction, real leather upholstery, springs inside,... Continue reading
Stain vs. Glaze
By Deana Michelle Rodriguez on Nov 28, 2012
I used to think that stain and glaze gave painted furniture such a different look, but until recently I had never directly compared the two. I have used both techniques to age painted furniture and... Continue reading
Burlap lamp shade
By Deana Michelle Rodriguez on Nov 20, 2012
My mom and I had so much fun making this lamp shade, well actually, my mom took over and pretty much did all the work while I watched. We always manage to stay busy while... Continue reading
Decoupage book shelf
By Deana Michelle Rodriguez on Nov 15, 2012
My mom and dad picked up this book shelf at an estate sale for only $8! They just knew I needed it. I took it to my workshop and stared at it over and over... Continue reading
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