Worn and weathered kitchen step stool in Annie Sloan Florence

Modernized Solid Pine Hand Crafted Heart Wall Shelf

Bringing New Life to a Country Classic. We’ve all seen them: those solid, well-built pine shelves from the 80s and 90s that have a lot of heart (literally) but are stuck in that unmistakable "orange" stain era. While the craftsmanship is top-tier (this one was hand crafted by my father in law), the color can often feel a bit too retro for a contemporary home. In this tutorial, I’m showing you how to take a vintage 9-cubby wall shelf and transform it from a dated relic into a bolder, fresher, and more current statement piece. By applying a rich chestnut brown stain , we’ve traded that brassy orange hue for a deep, sophisticated tone that highlights the wood grain. Follow along as I walk you through the prep, the staining process, and how this simple color shift completely changes the vibe of the piece—making those iconic heart cutouts feel intentional and chic rather than just "country."

When we moved to our new house just over 7 years ago I gave my little farmhouse step stool a paint job in bold turquoise along with 3 bar stools.

Over the years of use the finish needed a fresh coat of wax but I decided to change it up completely.

The entire outside was power sanded back to raw wood for a fresh start. The inside was power sanded where it could reach then hand sanded but not completely to bare wood.

To rehydrate the wood and seal it I applied Homestead House's natural stain and oil finish

Keeping some of the original turquoise on the inside I dry brushed on some angora white from House & Canvas then Annie Sloan's Florence. I used Florence on this ornate mirror too.