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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."

Easy Wooden Makeover with Gel Stain

 


A friend gifted me this wooden potato onion bin, and it was exactly what I’d been wanting for my home. The clean, simple lines and beautiful wood grain were perfect, but I wasn’t a fan of the orange stain. After making a few simple changes, it now looks just the way I envisioned. Let me show you how I did it!


There were scratches in the wood from past use especially on one side. The scratches were filled with walnut DAP wood pro using an offset metal spatula. When the filler was good and dry the surface was sanded smooth with a 3M sanding sponges. The surfaces were wiped clean of all sanding dust.


The inside bottoms had some stains again from past use. The perfect solution for this is removable contact paper. It provides a smooth washable surface. It was also done in the lower onion storage area too.


It is now ready for the dark rich walnut No Pain Gel Stain. Just look at the lovely color going on.


The original finished lower door front shows the change in hue from orange to dark brown. Two coats were wiped on with a blue shop towel. After each coat was dry, the surface was given a light buff with a sanding sponge. This keeps the finish buttery smooth.

Another bonus using  Gel Stain is it does not need to have additional sealer coats added especially if the surfaces are not high traffic. This was a super easy update you have to try.


It is the perfect addition to my home.


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the contact paper in both levels


Links to the Dixie Belle products are for your convenience. My affiliation with this company does not increase prices on your end, your purchases via my links do however provide a small subsidy which allows me to keep providing these free tutorials. Thank you!
Please note the Amazon affiliate links are for your convenience to see the products I used as well. Ordering via the link may get me a small commission but does not affect your pricing. Thank you if you do choose to order them.

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Comments

  1. Love the dark stain!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I always loved using gel stains and so easy to clean up with acrylics!

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  3. I have a question. We have some dark pieces of furniture which we inherited, and my husband prefers a lighter finish. Is it possible to make it lighter with a gel stain, or does it need to be stripped? Thanks for your help!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Light over dark is trickied, it may give a muddied look so in that case yes stripping or sanding would be the best

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