Do-it-yourself restoration of an old sideboard, step-by-step instructions

We restore an old cabinet: repainting, aging, decoupage

Before you start working, you need to figure out (or better yet, sketch in color) what the finished product will look like. Having considered this point, you can begin purchasing the necessary materials. We will need:

• synthetic paint brushes of medium hardness (one for paint and one for varnish - at least two centimeters wide);
• wood paint;
• sandpaper (harder and finer);
• water-based varnish for wood (matte or glossy - at your discretion);
• acrylic primer for wood;
• masking tape;
• paraffin candle;
• napkins for decoupage or drawings printed on thin paper;
• PVA glue;
• spray bottle with water.

Pneumatic airbrushes, spray guns, texture guns

Step-by-step instruction

Step 1. First of all, you need to remove all the fittings, and you need to start work by cleaning the surface of the cabinet from old varnish. To make the work go faster, it is better to use a sander, but if you don’t have one, you can sand the cabinet manually.

To treat the surface of the wardrobe, a small round nozzle is enough

Step 2. The entire surface of the cabinet that is planned to be painted must be coated with a primer. You need to apply the composition with a brush in one layer, and then dry for the time recommended by the manufacturer (usually the primer dries for at least three hours).

The primer is usually colorless

Step 3. Cover with masking tape the parts that we do not plan to paint. We paint the remaining elements with a brush in one layer. Leave to dry, then, if necessary, cover the surface with a second layer of paint.

The first layer can be applied with white paint, the next layer is colored.

Step 4. Apply paraffin. We need to use a paraffin candle to treat those areas that we plan to make aged (for example, the side edges). This technique will allow you to remove part of the paint layer and expose the previous one. This achieves the “scuffed” effect that is relevant for old furniture.

Paraffin should be applied in a fairly dense layer.

Step 5. Next, the cabinet needs to be covered with another layer of paint - this time it should be slightly lighter than in the previous layer (you can add white paint and stir). Doors and protruding elements can be painted in a different shade or color if desired, after sealing the joint lines with masking tape.

Strips of tape will allow you to draw even boundaries between shades

Step 6. We decorate individual elements (in our case, drawers and door ends) using the decoupage technique. To do this, apply a napkin with a pattern to the surface of the cabinet, moisten it with water from a spray bottle, then smooth it with a brush. Afterwards, cover the napkin with a layer of PVA glue and wait for it to dry.

PVA glue dries in about 20-25 minutes

Step 7. We varnish the finished cabinet in two layers (each layer must be dried according to the instructions).

Result of work

Complete restoration

The most troublesome and uninteresting stage in any restoration process is removing old paint and varnish. To quickly remove them with your own hands, you can find special solutions on sale. They contain methylene chloride, which dissolves old varnish or paint in just 20 minutes. After this, the paint can be easily removed with a spatula, and in the recesses and seams - with a toothpick and an old toothbrush.

Furniture should be placed outside or on spread paper to prevent solvents from falling pieces of varnish from damaging the floor.

So, you have removed the paint or varnish, and now you are faced with choosing further tactics.

We offer you several different techniques for updating an old sideboard (buffet) with your own hands:

• decoupage;
• artificial aging;
• painting or varnishing.

The first two points are worth paying special attention to - they allow you to work with furniture that has traces of antiquity. Such traces are more desirable than negative. Decoupage, like the grunge style, loves a rare look. All these techniques are quite doable with your own hands.

Decorative elements

If the main covering of the buffet is in good condition (or, for example, you want to preserve the charm of antiquity, while only slightly updating the appearance of the item), you can add various decorative elements. The easiest way is to apply designs on the doors or walls of the buffet. For this, it is most convenient to use ready-made stencils (even a person who does not have any special talent for drawing can use this method).

However, some rules must be followed:

1. Clean the area where the design is applied from dust and dirt, and coat with varnish.
2. Place the stencil in the desired location and secure it.
3. Dilute the paint to medium thickness (too thick or liquid composition will not work).
4. The coating must be applied with a sponge in a thin layer 1-2 times.
5. After the paint has dried, cover the finishing area with protective varnish.

Decoupage

This technique will give an old sideboard a completely new and unique appearance. To work, you will need napkins, glue and decoupage varnish, a rag or spatula to level the pattern.

The process is very simple, you need:

1. Clean the surface to be treated from dirt, remove cracks and other imperfections.
2. Pre-treat a napkin with a pattern with special glue and apply it to the desired location.
3. After this, press it carefully with a rag or spatula so that there are no bubbles.
4. Carefully remove unnecessary parts of the napkin without affecting the design.
5. Treat the surface with a protective varnish coating (a few hours after applying the design, when it dries).

The choice of which method to restore an old sideboard depends on its original condition, as well as your personal preferences. In some cases, the furniture will require significant changes, while in others it is enough to get by with only light decoration.

From an old sideboard - an “antique” sideboard

Antique furniture is always in fashion - it adds an aristocratic touch to the entire interior. It’s nice that this technique can be done with your own hands, which means it’s cheap. There are several techniques for artificial aging, choose the one that suits you best.

Method 1 – craquelure varnish

Additionally, you should purchase craquelure varnish in specialized stores; all other materials were described above.

Description of works:

• After removing the old coating and sanding with sandpaper, apply a special craquelure varnish to the surface. It has the ability to transform the entire surface into a canvas cracked, as if from old age;
• After the previous composition has dried, you need to apply paint or clear varnish to the surface of the sideboard.

After all the procedures, you will receive an “antique” sideboard in a surprisingly short time. It should be noted that using paint in this method is more preferable - the effect will be brighter.

Method 2 – mechanical aging

For this method, you need to prepare two stains on different bases, a shellac primer and restoration wax.

Description of works:

• after cleaning the old varnish or paint, apply water-based stain as a base;
• lighten with a moistened sponge those places that are more visible;
• after drying, you need to sand the areas that will be darker;
• now apply the stain again with a different base;
• After the second layer of stain has dried, fill all places with shellac primer using a brush;
• using a wire brush, rub in the restoration wax, moving it along the fiber;
• After the wax has dried, wipe the sideboard with a soft cloth;

In fact, there are many more ways to age. Uniquely beautiful masterpieces are created using the “shashel” method, but this can be done by those who are familiar with carpentry.

Style Features

Country style involves several directions. This is a stylization of rural life, characteristic of a particular country. From this perspective, there are different types of country music:

• Russian;
• English;
• American;
• French;
• Italian and others.

Country can be safely called an international style, uniting the traditions of residents from different parts of the world

All of them have one thing in common - the reproduction in the interior of a living space of the main features of a village house, combined with ergonomics and convenience, the comfort of modern life.

Important! Simplicity, unpretentiousness of the interior, natural materials, a lot of kitchen utensils and textiles, hand-made decorative items - this is what is typical for a style reminiscent of the atmosphere of antiquity.

Antique furniture goes very harmoniously with modern appliances

There is no need to completely reproduce a “village hut” in a multi-storey apartment and build a stove or install a wooden bench. It is enough to maintain the main features of the interior by correctly placing accents - the style of the village will be harmonious.

A bright, rustic-style interior looks very good in a city apartment.

Step-by-step instruction

When moving on to the actual implementation of restoration work, you should follow consistent instructions. This will help you carry out the restoration correctly and avoid common mistakes.

We disassemble and remove all removable parts

To make restoration of the sideboard easier, it is recommended to disassemble the product so that each part can be processed separately. When disassembling, you should remove all parts, remembering their location for further reassembly in reverse order.

Shelves

As a rule, the shelves in the buffet are not held in place by fasteners and are located on several metal parts that are built into the walls. With this design, it is enough to lift the shelves and pull them out of the sideboard.

Accessories

You can unscrew the fittings using screwdrivers. To restore the appearance, repair or replace, remove hinges, door handles, legs and other elements.

Glass

To avoid breaking the glass inserts in the sideboard during restoration, you must first remove them. If the glass is inserted into wooden frames, it is easier to remove them completely. In situations where individual glass elements cannot be removed, they are covered with paper or masking tape.

Cleaning old coating

Having dismantled the buffet, they began to process the old coating. You can remove the top layer using a spatula or a special furniture scraper. Then the surface is rubbed with fine-grained sandpaper so that the wooden pile does not create problems when degreasing and applying paint. The polished elements, as they are processed, are removed to a clean place for further stages of restoration.

Washing and degreasing

After cleaning the old coating, the parts of the sideboard are shaken off dust and degreased. To effectively degrease the surface, you can use white spirit or regular alcohol. After applying the product you need to wait for it to dry.

Puttying

The degreased parts of the sideboard are inspected for delamination and unevenness, after which the cracks are puttied. When performing work, the following recommendations should be taken into account:

• the width of the spatula should be slightly larger than the crack or unevenness in order to cover the defect in one movement;
• Before direct use, the putty must be thoroughly mixed;
• if the gap on the wooden surface is too deep, it is better to fill it with putty several times, allowing each previous layer to dry.

The puttying process itself is simple: apply a sufficient amount of the mixture to the spatula, and then, pressing it to the surface, make a downward movement. An additional movement is necessary to remove excess material if it remains.

Grinding

The use of an automatic grinding machine allows you to speed up and simplify the work process. Work should be carried out in a garage or outdoors, since sanding produces a large amount of waste, including dried paint, dust and pieces of varnish.

Padding

The following types of primer can be used to treat a wooden sideboard:

1. Alkyd. Used if the wood has not been pre-treated. The primer allows you to make the surface smooth and even. Drying time is 12-16 hours.
2. Polyurethane. The composition is based on polyurethane synthetic resins, solvent and tonic additives. The material is suitable in cases where it is planned to cover the sideboard with parquet varnish.
3. Silicone-acrylic. After applying this type of primer, the wood becomes more resistant to fluctuations in atmospheric humidity.
4. Aerosol. It differs from other varieties in the way it is used. If in other cases you need to use a brush and roller, then here you will need to spray the structure. The advantages are the ability to treat hard-to-reach places and quick drying.

Painting

It is better to start painting with the main surfaces of the buffet, and then move on to the decorative elements. As a rule, the paint is applied in two layers, but if you want to leave the visual effect of aging wood, one thin layer will be enough.

Decoration

There are several options for decorating a prepared wooden surface. Using various techniques allows you to change the appearance of the sideboard and make it more sophisticated.

Decoupage

Decoupage involves decorating wooden surfaces with decorative appliqués using napkins with images. Drawings are cut out from napkins and transferred to wood. The surface is then covered with acrylic paint and varnish to preserve the design.

Partial restoration

If the thought of completely removing the varnish and applying a new coating is not to your liking, then do a partial restoration. This applies to varnish that is damaged in certain places.

Step-by-step description of actions:

1. if the defective area does not contain prominent bubbles or cracks, then wipe it with gasoline - this will remove grease;
2. rub the dry, grease-free area with an iron wool, removing the layer of varnish;
3. Use a dry cloth to remove any remaining varnish dust and apply fresh varnish. You need to use the same type of varnish that was used for the previous coating;

If the measures described above do not save your sideboard, then later in the article you will find how to completely update the coating.

The benefits of making it yourself

If a home craftsman is comfortable with carpentry tools, it will not be difficult for him to please the housewife and make a buffet with his own hands, which is necessary in any kitchen.

For maximum convenience and comfort, you should equip it with not only beautiful, but also functional furniture, such as a buffet.

An excellent solution for any home is to install a corner kitchen cabinet.

A self-made kitchen cabinet has a number of advantages over its “store-bought brothers”:

• you can choose a unique design for it;
• choose the material to your liking;
• use original fittings;
• choose the color scheme of the buffet that best matches the kitchen interior.

To make the interior original, you can make it yourself, putting your soul into the work, using any materials.

The most important nuance when installing such a cabinet is calculating the trajectory of the door opening.

In addition, wood products are extremely beneficial for health: they do not contain toxic compounds and do not emit harmful substances, but they fill the room with the aromas of essential oils.

Sideboards and buffets for the kitchen do not have much difference and are very similar in appearance to each other, because... The ancestor of both is considered to be the closet.

A kitchen buffet is an excellent solution for your kitchen interior.

A wooden sideboard is durable and comfortable. It will last for decades and is easy to restore and repair.

A sideboard made of natural wood will look rich and elegant, but at the same time it will cost a much larger amount.

Another important advantage of making a kitchen cabinet with your own hands is the ability to make it in an original configuration and size that best suits convenience and comfort.

To get a beautiful product without spending too much, you can make the furniture body from cheaper raw materials, such as chipboard, and the facades from more expensive and beautiful ones.

Decoupage of an old sideboard - the atmosphere of Provence

To perform decoupage you will need to supplement the list of materials and tools.

Materials for decoupage:

• new “antique” handles and door hinges;
• napkins for decoupage;
• PVA glue;
• White paint;
• furniture varnish;
• sandpaper;
• stain;
• wood putty;
• metal brush.

You can buy napkins for the decoupage technique at a craft store. Choose those that you like, but in a floral theme of blue, lavender or burgundy. If you have chosen furniture handles with ceramic inserts, then this pattern should be in harmony with the image on the decoupage napkins. We dealt with the old coating in the previous sections. In addition, you need to replace all the old hinges for the doors, repair skewed drawers, and also make other repairs, if necessary.

Let's get started with a step-by-step description of how to decoupage a sideboard with your own hands:

quickly wipe the entire surface of the sideboard with a damp cloth so that no moisture is absorbed;

cover all cracks with wood putty;

go over the entire surface with sandpaper, removing all defects;

cover the wood with stain and let it dry;

now is the time for a unique aging technique - apply wax to all corners, drawing on them with a wax candle;

coat the sideboard twice with white paint, however, all pale pastel shades are well suited for Provence, especially mint and lavender;

After the paint has completely dried, remove the wax by carefully manipulating it with a metal brush. This is a simple and effective technique for simulating antiquity;

We coat the napkins with PVA glue and glue them to the lower or upper doors, carefully smoothing them out to remove air bubbles;

To make the glue work faster, direct a stream of hot air from a hair dryer at it;

Cover the decoupage areas with clear varnish. Do the same with the aging areas.

The new Provence style sideboard is ready, the only thing I would like to add is that if there were glasses in the sideboard, they can either be painted over or replaced. And, of course, don’t forget to place a bouquet of lavender in a white ceramic vase on it.

Kitchen Buffet Styles

• Classic style.

These are carved solid wood cabinets with etched or glass doors. The fittings (legs, handles) are curved.

• Retro style.

This is either an antique buffet or a modern one, but artificially aged. To make the cabinet even more authentic, they use decoupage techniques, paint it in light shades and add patina.

• Provence.

A cabinet with stained glass doors, made from modern materials, but with an antique effect. It is appropriate to use patina, decoupage, carvings, and flower images in decoration.

• Country.

Such furniture is made from solid wood. A country style buffet looks solid and even bulky. Simple forms predominate, without unnecessary decoration or frills. Focus on functionality: many drawers of different sizes for any kitchen utensil.

• Scandinavian style.

The traditional color of a Scandinavian buffet is white. The laconic design allows the use of chrome fittings. In addition to wood, glass, plastic, acrylic or other modern materials are used in the manufacture of buffets.

• Modern.

Such buffets are made in light pastel colors. The decor contains decorations in the form of carvings, ornate patterns and ornaments. Smooth lines, plant compositions and semicircular shapes are popular.

• High tech.

A characteristic feature of the style is clear lines and the absence of decorative elements. The fronts of a kitchen buffet in this style use metal inserts and glossy glass.

Required Tools

Before you begin restoration work, you should prepare the tools that will be useful for processing a wooden surface. Having the right list of tools at hand, you will be able to quickly complete the job without being distracted by searching for equipment.

Furniture scraper

A metal scraper is often used instead of a spatula to remove paint coatings. The tool effectively cleans the surface of excess paint, grout, adhesives and polyurethane foam. The presence of a rubberized handle with a textured coating makes the scraper easy to use. The fastening mechanism ensures strong fixation of the specially sharpened blade.

Foam sponge

Thanks to its high density polyurethane, the sponge helps remove dirt from any surface. It is better to purchase a foam sponge with a large area to speed up the process of cleaning the sideboard. This type of sponge has the following advantages:

• absorbs water and cleaning agents well;
• forms a copious amount of foam;
• does not leave fibers or streaks;
• It is easy to wring out and dries quickly.

Brush set, water-repellent varnish

To paint a wooden surface, you need brushes of different sizes. Large brushes are used to paint the main area, and small brushes are used for hard-to-reach areas. After painting, a water-repellent varnish is applied to the sideboard.

Wax, stain or acrylic

These products are used to restore the shade of wood and improve the appearance of the sideboard. Of the proposed options, oil-based stain is most often used, which allows you to make the color of the wood as natural as possible. The stain is absolutely safe for human health and the environment, dries quickly and protects the surface from destruction.

Wood clamps

A clamp is a device with a clamping mechanism for holding products during processing or when gluing individual parts. Using clamps, the tree is secured in a stationary state, which simplifies further work. The design of the clamps includes an F-shaped frame or brackets

Also an important component is the moving part, which compresses or releases the fixing elements. The moving element is activated by force

Glue, high-quality nail polish remover

You can remove the old layer of varnish using a special solvent, which is sold at any hardware store. Glue will be needed in situations where the sideboard has begun to delaminate or some decorative elements are not securely fixed.

Accessories

Door hinges and sideboard handles wear out over time, no longer properly fulfill their purpose and lose their original appearance. During restoration, the fittings should be replaced by purchasing new sets.

Electric jigsaw

Using a jigsaw, you can cut wood and make curved cuts without much effort. Modern types of tools are equipped with speed controllers, noise and vibration dampers. For safety reasons, there is a protection above the support saw of the electric jigsaw that protects against accidental contact with the sawing element.

Marker

You can apply markings for cuts and installation of decorative elements using a marker. It is better to use a permanent marker so that the applied markings are not erased during the work process.

Fasteners

Fasteners are used to secure the top of the sideboard to the base. You can also use wall fasteners to secure the buffet in one place, ensuring it is stable and immovable.

DIY buffet restoration

Most of the good old furniture from Soviet times was taken to the dacha in the 70s and 80s. To put it mildly, it was not used carefully. Carved sideboards, oak, walnut, antique and 60s, rustic, white painted, with mirrors and stained glass just beg to be put in order with your own hands.

How to restore old furniture with your own hands

1. Decide. Why is this being done? What should happen?

2. Assess the depth of damage and your strength. Will you do this in an equipped workshop or at home?

This is especially important when choosing varnish or paint, solvents and cleaners

3. Draw up a work schedule.

4. Carry out work in strict sequence: clearing, carpentry, finishing. Usually this is done the other way around. First they paint, and then it turns out that the veneer has lifted, the paint or varnish did not lie evenly on the old coating. A layer of white paint does not hide dark spots. No matter how much you paint, they still show through. There are cracks on the walls that became more noticeable after painting in light colors. The wood has been eaten away by furniture beetles. The antique mirror has become tarnished, which was not noticeable under a layer of dust before. A couple of legs are missing...

It is imperative to restore old furniture with your own hands (restoration refers to a set of actions to preserve the item). Try new materials, study technologies, analyze mistakes, go towards the goal. Perseverance and perseverance are the foundation of success.

If you have any questions about the restoration of an antique sideboard, sideboard, table, cabinet, antique chair, sofa, or any other antique furniture, please ask questions by phone or via our email.

Estimated cost of restoration (price as of January 9, 2019)

Restoration of paintwork

By sending us a completed form with photographs, as well as asking a question, you will receive complete information about the item (what it is, material, age) and the cost of restoration work. Next, the restorer will come to the site, inspect it, and determine the final price of the restoration.

The final price will not change. Departure is free.

Russian style. Interior and life in the USSR

Communal apartments

The history of communal apartments began at the moment when the Soviet government came up with the idea of ​​moving the proletariat into large multi-room apartments of the middle class of pre-revolutionary Russia.
In the first years of its existence, the Soviet government, which promised to give workers factories, became convinced that it was not able to provide them with even separate housing. The problem became especially urgent in large cities, whose population was growing rapidly. The Bolsheviks, with their characteristic penchant for simple solutions, found a way out - they began to move several families into one apartment, allocating each a separate room with a common kitchen and bathroom. This is how the process of creating communal apartments was launched. Completely different people, often entire families, moved into the apartment, which consisted of several rooms. Accordingly, they had one room and a common kitchen and bathroom.

Neighbors in communal apartments - people of different social status, life interests and habits - lived in one place, intertwined destinies, quarreled and made peace. “Relationships between residents of communal apartments, as a rule, were tense: everyday difficulties embittered people,” writes writer Lev Stern in his memoirs about Odessa. “If you sometimes have to wait in line for a long time to use the toilet or tap, it is difficult to expect warm relationships between neighbors.”

As a rule, communal apartments were organized in apartment buildings - multi-story buildings built by the Tsars, erected by the beginning of the 20th century in large cities. The communists began to densify the population of these “bourgeois” nests as soon as they established control over the cities. “It is necessary to densify housing, and in view of the lack of housing, we will resort to the eviction of those elements whose stay is not necessary,” wrote the newspaper Kiev Communist on February 19, 1919, two weeks after the Bolsheviks’ second attempt to gain a foothold in Kyiv. On behalf of the new government, the newspapers informed readers that “loafers, speculators, criminals, White Guards, etc. elements, of course, should be deprived of their apartments.” In addition, in Soviet apartments, as it turned out, there should be no living rooms, halls and dining rooms. The Bolsheviks promised to leave offices only to those who needed them for work - doctors, professors and senior officials. As a rule, one or two floors were vacated for new management. Previous residents and owners were placed in the same buildings, offering to vacate the square meters allocated for government needs within 24 hours. You were only allowed to take your bed and essentials with you.

The painting “Housewarming Party” (1918) by K. S. Petrov-Vodkin is indicative:

It shows in some detail the clash between the old aristocratic way of life and representatives of the working people who moved to an unconventional home, the new masters of life. A large hall with a parquet floor, on which the new residents have laid out rustic paths, next to a huge mirror and oil paintings in gilded frames hung on the walls, there are stools mixed with carved chairs. Everyday objects of opposite social strata conduct their own silent dialogue, echoing the realities of social life.

Literally a couple of years after the former tenement buildings received new residents - small-town proletarians who flocked en masse to large cities after the revolution, the authorities were faced with an unexpected problem: strong-looking housing, built of stone and brick, began to quickly deteriorate. The poor who found themselves in the “manorial mansions” did not value them too much, because many new tenants not only received housing for free, but were initially exempt from paying rent. The “proletariat” quickly finished off the sewers, water supply and stoves. Garbage began to accumulate in the courtyards, which no one took out. And devastation came, just like according to Bulgakov.

The fact that the apartment was communal was clear from the threshold - near the front door there were several call buttons with the names of the heads of families and an indication of how many times to whom to call. In all common areas - hallway, kitchen, bathroom, toilet - there were also several light bulbs, according to the number of families (no one wanted to pay for the electricity used by a neighbor). And in the toilet, each had its own toilet seat, hanging right there on the wall. Common areas were cleaned on schedule. However, the concept of cleanliness was relative, because each user had his own idea about it. As a result, fungus and insects have become constant companions of communal apartments.

This Soviet housing know-how determined not only the life of citizens of the USSR for many years, but also became part of the urban subculture. Housing, intended to be temporary, managed to survive the Union.

Some Soviet films take place in communal apartments. Among the most famous: “Girl without an address”, “Pokrovsky Gate”, “Five Evenings”.

Stalin's apartments of the 1930s-1950s

After the cessation of 15 years of experiments to create new aesthetics and new forms of community life in the USSR, from the beginning of the 1930s, an atmosphere of conservative traditionalism was established for more than two decades. At first it was “Stalinist classicism,” which after the war grew into the “Stalinist Empire style,” with heavy, monumental forms, the motifs of which were often taken even from ancient Roman architecture.

The individual comfortable apartment was declared the main type of Soviet housing. Stone, eclectically decorated houses with apartments rich by Soviet standards (often with rooms for housekeepers) were built on the main streets of cities. These houses were built using high quality materials. Thick walls, good sound insulation, high ceilings and a full set of communications - live and be happy!

But in order to get such an apartment in such a building, you had to be in the “clip,” or, as it would later be called, be part of the nomenklatura, be a prominent representative of the creative or scientific intelligentsia. True, it should be noted that a certain number of ordinary citizens still received apartments in elite buildings.

Many people have a good idea of ​​what apartments were like in the 50s from films of those years or from their own memories (grandmothers and grandfathers often preserved such interiors until the end of the century).

Stills from the film “Moscow Doesn’t Believe in Tears”, the film was released in 1979, but it accurately conveys the atmosphere of those years down to the smallest detail. First of all, this is luxurious oak furniture designed to last for several generations.

Those who were richer were forced to buy collectible porcelain from the Leningrad factory. In the main room, the lampshade is often cheerful; the luxurious chandelier in the photo shows the rather high social status of the owners.

The interiors of Stalin's apartments can also be seen in the canvases of artists of those years, painted with warmth and love:

A real luxury for the 50s was having your own telephone in the apartment. Its installation was an important event in the life of the Soviet family. This photo from 1953 captures just such a joyful moment in one of the Moscow apartments:

Sergei Mikhalkov with his son Nikita, 1952

In the mid-50s, television gradually began to enter the life of the Soviet family, immediately taking pride of place in apartments.

In this new apartment, the interiors are still pre-Khrushchev, with high ceilings and solid furniture. Pay attention to the love for round (extendable) tables, which later for some reason will become a rarity among us. A bookcase in a place of honor is also a very typical feature of Soviet home interiors.

At the end of the 1950s a new era will begin. Millions of people will begin to move into their individual, albeit very tiny, Khrushchev apartments. There will be completely different furniture there.

Khrushchevka

1955 was a turning point, since it was in this year that a decree on industrial housing construction was adopted, which marked the beginning of the Khrushchev era. But in 1955, they were also building “malenkovka” buildings with the last hints of the good quality and architectural aesthetics of “Stalinka” buildings. There could not be enough Stalinka for everyone, by definition...

The construction of the Khrushchev-era houses began in 1959 and was completed in the eighties. Typically, apartments in such houses contain from one to four rooms, which would be better called “cells.” But Khrushchevka, no matter how you scold it, became the first housing for the people in the post-revolutionary years.

Housewarming

In a new apartment. Personnel worker Shubin A.I. Moscow, Tushino, 1956

Furniture from the 60s and 70s can still be found in old apartments, but most of us do not remember what the real average interior of an apartment looked like in the late 60s and early 70s, even before the period of imported walls and our cabinet furniture. Nevertheless, it is very interesting to look at the interiors of these apartments. Let's go back 40 years and look at a typical Soviet-era apartment for a middle-income family. Let's take a look into the living room of the 60s - 70s. So, let's start with the sideboard, which came into fashion in the 60s and replaced the buffet.

The design of the sideboards was the same, its surface was polished, according to the fashion of that time, the glass was sliding. And they all differed in one feature - it was very difficult to open the glass of the sideboard. This miracle was used for storing dishes and souvenirs.

There is also such a cute set, I know that many people still keep it as a family heirloom:

From the sideboard we glance at the armchairs and coffee table. Armchairs, well, what can you say about them. Only that they were comfortable, with upholstery often in rather poisonous colors - they pleased the eye and created comfort.

Considering that in our apartments of those years, the living room was most often combined with the parents’ bedroom, many of them had dressing tables. An irreplaceable piece of furniture that every Soviet woman dreamed of. And today many still remember the old Soviet furniture and even still use sideboards, cabinets and shelves made in the USSR. Against the background of the current abundance, these polished monsters seem even uglier and antediluvian.

Such carpets were often hung on the walls of living rooms and bedrooms:

And this is what the kitchen looked like, with no furniture for you:

Barack

Now let’s see how and under what conditions 80% of the population of the USSR lived before the start of Khrushchev’s industrialization of construction. And don’t get your hopes up, these were not pretentious Stalinist buildings of different periods, and not houses - communes, and the old fund was not enough for everyone, even taking into account the resettlement in communal apartments. The basis of the housing stock of that time was a peat-filling barracks...

Each of the factory villages consisted of several stone buildings of capital construction and many wooden barracks, in which the vast majority of its inhabitants lived. Their mass construction began simultaneously with the construction of new and reconstruction of old factories during the first five-year plan. A barrack is a quickly constructed and cheap housing, built with disregard for service life and amenities, in most cases with a common corridor and stove heating.

A room in one of the barracks in Magnigorsk

There was no running water or sewerage in the barracks; all these “conveniences,” as they say, were located in the courtyard of the barracks. Barrack construction was seen as a temporary measure - workers of new industry giants and old factories expanding production needed to be urgently provided with at least some kind of housing. The barracks, like the dormitories, were divided into men's, women's and family-type barracks.

For a modern city dweller spoiled by comfort, this housing will seem completely unsatisfactory, especially considering that the barracks were overcrowded already in the 1930s, and during the harsh war years of the 1940s the situation worsened even more due to evacuation. Barack did not imagine the opportunity to retire, to sit quietly at the table with his family or with his closest friends. The physical space of the barracks formed a special social space and special people, this space inhabited. But even such housing, people sought to equip it in the best possible way and create at least some semblance of comfort.

In Moscow, such houses existed until the mid-70s, and in more remote cities, people still live in such houses, which were thoroughly dilapidated.

New apartments of the 70-80s

Brezhnevka houses appeared in the Soviet Union in the seventies. Usually they were built not in width, but in height. The usual height of the Brezhnevka was from nine to 16 floors. It happened that even taller houses were erected.

Brezhnevka houses were required to be equipped with an elevator and a garbage chute. Apartments were located in so-called “pockets”, each such “pocket” usually had two apartments. The original name of “brezhnevok” was “apartments with improved layout”. Of course, compared to the “Khrushchev” apartments, such apartments actually had an improved layout, but if you compare them with the “Stalin” apartments, it would be more accurate to call them a “deteriorated option.” The size of the kitchen in such an apartment is from seven to nine square meters, the ceilings are much lower than “Stalinist” ones, the number of rooms can be from one to five.

So, entering a typical apartment of the 70s, we could see an interior consisting of a sofa and a “wall” facing opposite, two armchairs and a coffee table, a polished table - and everything was arranged the same for everyone, because... the layout left no room for imagination. This meant Life was good...

Imported walls were especially valued, from the CMEA countries, of course. They saved up for the wall for a long time, signed up for a queue, waited a long time and finally found the coveted GDR, Czech or Romanian headsets. It must be said that their prices were quite impressive and reached 1000 rubles, with the average salary of an engineer being 180-200 rubles. In many families, buying imported furniture was considered a very good and practical investment; they bought it as an inheritance for children, that is, for centuries.

These walls sometimes occupied almost half the room, but it was impossible not to have one, because it somehow imperceptibly moved from the category of cabinet furniture into the category of an object of prestige. It replaced several types of furniture and gave impetus to the emerging fashion for collecting crystal, books, etc. The shelves with beautiful glass doors had to be filled with something!

All self-respecting housewives acquired crystal glassware. Not a single dinner party was complete without a crystal glass, crystal vase or bowl sparkling in the light. In addition, crystal was considered an ideal investment option.

Another mandatory item in the interior of those years was an extendable polished table.

Of course, carpets were part of the interior of a Soviet apartment. They formed an inseparable pair with crystal. In addition to aesthetic significance, the carpet on the wall also had a practical value. It performed the function of soundproofing the walls, and also, in some cases, covered wall defects.

An invariable attribute of the living room: a three-tier chandelier with plastic pendants:

Transformable furniture with multiple functions was very popular. Most often, beds underwent transformation, which could turn into chairs, beds, sofa beds, as well as tables (bedside table, sideboard table, dressing tables, etc.). For many families this was a salvation. Sometimes, in the evening the living room turned into a bedroom: a sofa bed, armchairs and beds. And in the morning the room again turned into a living room.

Stills from the film “Moscow Doesn’t Believe in Tears.” In the 80s in the USSR, such an interior was considered simply aerobatics.

And such an interior as in Samokhvalov’s apartment in the film “Office Romance” was also the envy of ordinary Soviet citizens.

Perhaps fifty years from now our current homes will also be an object of curiosity for future generations, with the inevitable pros and cons being weighed up. But this stage is necessary for our future, just as the past aesthetics of the Soviet apartment was necessary for the perception of our present.

Source https://www.spletnik.ru/

How to make a wardrobe or chest of drawers from a sideboard

The difference between a wardrobe and a sideboard is, perhaps, not so much external as functional.

A sideboard is usually understood as a cabinet in which dishes and kitchen textiles are stored. Personal belongings are stored in the closet. The top doors of sideboards traditionally have glass. The bottom of this piece of furniture consists of drawers. Cabinets are often made entirely of wood, although glass and stained glass are also used here.

• If you need to convert a sideboard into a cabinet, you can replace some of the glass elements with wood, or made of plywood, chipboard, etc.
• Another option is to transform the glass from transparent to colored and non-translucent using a special film.
• Also, most likely, you will have to change the color of the sideboard so that it fits seamlessly into the living room.
• It’s not uncommon lately to see master classes on converting old unnecessary sideboards from the Soviet era into multi-colored cabinets for children’s games.
• The chest of drawers is a vertical series of drawers. It is installed in bedrooms and living rooms, allowing you to store personal items and clothing out of prying eyes. If the lower part of the sideboard consists of drawers, depriving this item of the top, you can get a chest of drawers. In some furniture models, individual elements can be detached from the overall structure without problems, in other pieces you will have to use a saw.

So, as you can see, there are many ways to give old furniture a second life. The main thing is to have a desire to work with your hands, as well as a good imagination.

Are you wondering how to make a cabinet out of a sideboard? Then watch the following video, where a wardrobe will be made using the example of an old sideboard-chest of drawers:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=XDdWusGHOqE

Recovery technique

Buffet “Malachite Box” after restoration

Restoration begins with cleaning the surface and restoring problem areas. Before starting work, the furniture is disassembled: all fittings are removed, shelves and glass are removed (if it is removable). If you cannot remove the glass, cover it with tape or paper. In general, there are no special rules or methods for restoring old furniture.

The next step is to remove the old coating. It is better to do the cleaning outdoors - dust, dried paint and pieces of varnish will be difficult to remove later. After cleaning, you should thoroughly wash the buffet, degreasing the surfaces.

We process the surface with a grinding machine and remove the old coating

The sideboard needs to be inspected for unevenness or delamination, and then the cracks need to be puttyed and then sanded. If necessary, additional parts are restored - handles, legs or chipped edges. Most often, they use other similar furniture or cut it out of wood. Next comes priming. Only after all repairs and preparatory work have been carried out can you begin painting.

Putty on small cracks and then sand again

It is better to start painting from the main surfaces, and then move on to decorative elements (crown or carved sides). The paint is applied in two layers, but for simple aging of the wood, one thin layer will be enough.

We apply special paint for wood

• Decoration

Decorate the updated surface in decoupage style - this is the easiest way. To do this, select napkins or fabric with a pattern that matches the idea. The design is cut out and glued to the side of the sideboard. In this simple way you can get vintage furniture with an original pattern.

Artistic processing of old facades using decoupage technique

Painting is also used. Thin brushes and multi-colored colors are selected for it. The ornament is either drawn or outlined using a stencil.

DIY stencil painting of furniture using an airbrush

The finishing touch of decoration is varnish. It is applied in two layers after the glue or paint has completely dried, depending on the chosen decoration method. After the work is completed, assembly can begin.

Varnish on wood

An antique sideboard after restoration in a classic design

Restoration of wooden furniture. 12 cool ways to update old furniture.

Old furniture can be slightly changed in appearance and then it will fit perfectly into your intended interior.

What ways are there to update furniture?

1. Decor with paper.

Do you want to change the color of your furniture to an unusual, non-standard one? Old wallpaper and pieces of beautiful paper are perfect.

The paper is glued to the cleaned surface of the object using PVA glue or wallpaper glue.

The principle is the same as when gluing wallpaper - after applying the glue, leave the paper for a couple of minutes to get wet

It would be a good idea to update the furniture in the nursery using old maps.

The idea, by the way, is very popular.

Remnants of wallpaper and beautiful paper are also suitable for decorating furniture.

Great idea to update the sides of the drawers with paper. It turns out quite original.

2. There are ready-made stickers - sticky paper. With its help, you can update the surface of furniture with unusual patterns.

Old furniture is often updated with regular vinyl film.

People with imagination get creative with film. One drawback is that if it is not glued correctly, the film is short-lived in use.

But the film is good for beginner furniture renovators; it will cover all the imperfections and cracks.

There is a film with figures of various animals and flowers. Typically this film is used for a children's room.

3. Decorative elements.

If the furniture is boring, you can decorate it with plastic elements that are sold in construction or art stores.

You can also cut the elements out of plywood with a jigsaw if you don’t find any ready-made ones for sale.

4. Decor with fabric.

Furniture is still decorated with fabric today.

There is also a new technique for working with fabric, Patch decor.

Pieces of fabric soaked in PVA glue are used to paste furniture in different orders in the Patchwork style.

Patch decor uses not only fabric, but also various elements made of fabric and cord.

Add a back wall and a front frame

1. Cut out strips G for the back wall (“List of materials”, Fig. 2).

Adjust the offset of the router bit and rout a rabbet along both edges of each G plank on opposite sides.

For assembly you need three clamping bars and six long clamps. Make sure the shelves are fully seated in the grooves and aligned with the front edge of wall A.

2. Mill rebates 10 mm wide and deep along both edges of each plank G , but from different sides (Fig. 2a, photo I), so that the ridge of one plank overlaps the rebate of the next one. Then, on the inside of each plank, mill a 3-mm rounding with a ledge (the so-called “nail”) (Fig. 2a and photo J ). Finish sand the inside sides of all planks with 220-grit sandpaper.

To decorate one edge of each plank with a narrow nail profile, simply adjust the offset of the 3mm fillet bit to create a slight offset.

After installing the facade frame, the internal surfaces will be less accessible, so it is advisable to start finishing them now.

3. Cover with masking tape the front edges of the cabinets A-E , to which the facade frame will then be attached ( photo K), and apply a finishing coating to the internal surfaces of the cabinet, as well as the inner sides and edges of the rear strips G. We first applied a generous amount of linseed oil to reveal texture, wiped off the excess, and dried for 12 hours. Then three layers of shellac polish were applied, slightly diluted with denatured alcohol to make it easier to work with a brush. Intermediate sanding after drying was done with sandpaper No. 320.

4. Remove the masking tape. Cut out the top and bottom crossbars H , I and posts J. Glue the bottom crossbar in place (Fig. 2) and secure with clamps.

5. Mill a 10mm shoulder fillet (“nail”) J (Figure 2b). Glue the racks to the body (photo L ) close to the bottom crossbar and secure.

With the profiled edge of post J aligned with the outside of wall A, glue the piece in place and press with clamps.

Using a square, align the first plank G flush with the partition D. Secure only one edge with 4.2 x 32 mm screws.

6. Glue the top crossbar H pressing it against the posts J.

Mark the overhanging G strips and then file them to the final width.

7. When the glue has dried, turn the case over with the front side down and attach the back strips G with screws (Fig. 2, 2a, photo M), starting from the center. Use a couple of small coins to even out the gaps between the slats.

8. The extreme strips at the ends of the body will protrude beyond the walls A. Mark their width and file them (photo N ) before securing them with screws.

Beautiful examples

This photo shows a buffet restored in the Provence style using decoupage. The combination of two non-standard colors (lilac and pale green) creates the effect of ease of perception. This color scheme has a positive effect on the mood of the beholder and evokes a positive emotional response.

Here is a sideboard that has been restored while maintaining the natural wood tone. This solution makes it possible to bring its visual design closer to the original and helps the observer to feel the presence of antiquity. A similar effect is achieved thanks to the tinting paint coating and darkening the protruding parts.

Beginning of restoration

New life for an old sideboard

The desire to make a unique thing in a fashionable vintage style is not enough. Grandma's buffet or sideboard can only get a second life with enough effort. Before starting work, you need to prepare everything you need.

Buffet in Provence style after restoration

First, you should find out everything about the restoration of the selected piece of furniture and decide on the restoration technique and subsequent decoration, because simply painting the old sideboard will not be enough.

Restoration of an old cabinet with decoration of the back wall and bottom of the drawers

Removing chips and cracks

Therefore, if you are not sure that you will be able to carry out repairs at home, it is better to contact a specialist.

If you decide to do it yourself, you need to stock up on the necessary minimum tools:

• White spirit (nail polish remover);
• Stain of the desired shade;
• Wood primer;
• Fine sandpaper (100, 180, 300, 800, 1200 and 3000);
• Wood putty;
• Masking tape;
• Roller or brush.

Clean the damaged area from the varnish coating using white spirit, treat the wood with a primer, then putty.

After drying, level the putty with the surface using sandpaper. Remove dust with a damp cloth and apply stain to obtain the desired shade.

It is important to apply the stain exclusively to the putty area, without getting it on the wood. Otherwise, the wood will change color, and then major repairs will be impossible.

After complete drying, you can varnish. The varnish should be applied with a brush or roller, depending on the area of ​​the area.

Each new layer can be applied only after the previous one has completely dried and preliminary sanding with sandpaper with a fraction of 600 or 800 units.

First at 1200, and then at 2500 or 3000. When finished, wipe with polish or furniture wax until a glossy surface is obtained.

Materials and tools for work

Most likely, you will not have all the necessary tools for restoring a wooden sideboard. Then review the list and buy the missing accessories at a regular construction supermarket. They will be useful to you in the future in case you want to update something else with your own hands after the sideboard.

List of required tools and materials:

• sandpaper of different numbers;
• spatula;
• steel sponge;
• furniture scraper;
• clamps;
• screwdrivers of different formats;
• wood glue;
• oil paints;
• stain;
• solutions for removing old paint and varnish;
• brushes;
• wood putty;
• ruler, tape measure and square;
• furniture markers;
• gloves and respirator;

You may also need a regular toothbrush, toothpick, and other utensils that you always have on hand.