Hey there, thanks for stopping by! Want to know a little more about me? I’m Tara Lou, a Dairyland girl who has always had a passion for home interior. For almost 20 years I have been restoring furniture. Everything from: antiques to new household furniture. I started my career with my father in 2000, working at his furniture refinishing company. Being a 17 year old, I filled in where it was necessary, which landed me mostly in upholstery. Taking some courses at WCTC to learn what I could about the craft, I soon became skilled in most upholstery. Shortly after, I was needed in the office handling client’s receivables and payables. That was not where my passions lied. I wanted to be working with my hands. I was able to squeeze my way into the woodworking shop in no time and learn the refinishing trade.
My father’s company specialized in fire and water damage restoration. That had led us to many interesting projects, from entire houses restoring the woodwork, to ornate china cabinets covered in ice. Each project was uniquely different and so rewarding to restore. We were able to bring back to life these families furniture, after most of their belongings where lost from the fire or other damages. We employed many skilled craftsmen, each of them have helped to pave my path to continuously learning the refinishing trade.
In 2015 my father was ready for retirement and I was pregnant with my first child, Colton. We choose to sell the company and pursue our new direction of happiness. That is when I started doing more upcycling, being able to transform something into something completely different, was a way for me to really challenge my knowledge of furniture. A bonus reward is saving these household furnishings from a landfill demise. During that time, I also accepted a job at a local furniture retailer and was ready for my life changes. The lord above of course has other plans. The trade of refinishing would not leave me. Although in my new job I also repaired furniture, I felt it was not the same. I continued to refinishing for clients and working in my garage. Soon a new workshop was built and more clients have made their way to me.
The trade has become very popular in recent years and the work being done is exquisite! However, I have noticed poor practices being used which was the birth of the blog. My blog is to provide all the DIYers with proper practices when restoring furniture. I also have sponsors to my blog and review products, which I love, because product knowledge is a huge part of furniture refinishing. Everyone has a reason the do what they do. For me, it’s many things that have brought me to my love of upcycling/woodworking, it’s the story behind each piece of furniture I refinish, how many generations it has been passed down from. Being able to preserve not only the quality of antique furniture, but to be giving the opportunity to transform it for my clients, so that the stories and memories can still live on. It is also being able to share my gift and all I have come to know from my past generations of family woodworkers with you all. Each one of my children have furniture in there room that had either been in my Husband’s family or my own. I love being able to teach and show my children what my family taught me. Now you know a little more of how I got into the industry, and thank you for getting to know me a little better. I encourage you take a look around and leave a comment or two! I would love to know what you think.
