Welcome! The Bell and Key Blog
It has been just over 2 years since I bought an old beat-up coffee table on Facebook marketplace, sanded it, repainted it, and flipped it for a profit. I've always loved painting, and I had redone some pieces of furniture here and there, but it was the first time I had done it with the mindset of flipping furniture. 24 months and many dressers, nightstands, desks, and side tables later, I consider myself hooked on this DIY hobby.
I wouldn't have been able to grow as a refinisher if it weren't for all the helpful resources and inspiring work put out by other furniture refinishers online.
I am by no means a professional artist or woodworker and I still struggle with self-doubt even when I've worked on a piece and it looks 1,000x better than it did before I started. But I'm more confident than I used to be and I'm proud of the number of skills that I've accumulated over my short refinishing journey.
Refinishing is not just a hobby for me - it's a passion that has sustained me through the stresses of work in the ER, the COVID-19 pandemic, through pregnancy and early motherhood. It's a learning opportunity and a skill that I plan to continue honing. I've decided to write this blog to help women like me - regular girls who want to use their artistic abilities and creativity to redesign their environment. I know from experience that refinishing blogs can be inspiring and instructive guides as you begin your journey as a furniture and home DIY-er.
The most important thing I've learned to date is that being a DIY Refinisher doesn't require tons of artistic talent and woodworking ability. For me, here's what it took:
A lot of time and energy
A mindset where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities and not failures
Support from friends and family
An endless playlist of podcasts
A couple of new tools
Inspiration from other online refinishers
I look forward to sharing my journey with all of you! Please leave me a note if you ever have a question about refinishing - I'm always willing to chat and help out where I can - and I'm always willing to learn more myself!
-Kelly
