The little orphan that I've adopted

I'd like to start this post by first saying that I am not typically a garbage picker, hoarder, and/or non-committal.  But everything that led up to this post today and this chair makes me look otherwise...

You see, early this year, I found my next DIY project in the basement of my roommate's last apartment building.  Basement...roommate...apartment building...  Quite the degree of separation, I must admit.

But there it was, the little orphaned chair waiting in a dark corner, pleading with me in it's Oliver Twist voice that said, "take me home please!".  And how could I not?  That wood!  The carving!  The new project I could get into.  I was so smitten.

So I took it!

And it moved out of the dreary basement and placed lovingly in my garage...

where it sat....

in a dark corner....

For four months.

Que the end of summer semester and the reawakening inspiration that persuaded me to take the pitiful fool home.  And here we are today:

A little bit of some stripping, of the wood finish kind, and I was happily surprised to see some beautiful wood grain.  I used Citristrip and applied it liberally outside in the open shade.  I waited for about half an hour and then with a green sponge, I began to take off the old finish.  I finished up with some baby oil to condition the wood and remove any last of the Citristrip.

For now, I really like that the wood looks so much more brighter without the old finish on it.  I  admire the chair's structure and the wood grain.  I was thinking of re-staining and finishing but now I think I'll just add a semi-gloss topcoat once I finish stripping and cleaning.  I really like that the wood looks so much more brighter without the old finish on it.

 

I haven't decided on what kind of fabric to upholster the seat with yet.  I'm sure that will be one of the best parts, when I get to a fabric store and decide.  More on that later, I'm just glad that I got this ball rolling!