Adrienne is a successful lawyer who, with her husband, owns her own business. Susan is a new mother who left a high-powered job on Capitol Hill and moved, with her husband, to the serenity of the countryside.

However, these two gals do not take it easy. They are both naturally inventive and resourceful, always looking for fun and creative ways to make their homes a joy to visit and inhabit. Here are some of Adrienne and Susan’s furniture and bathroom projects, which may inspire you to try refurbishing that old chair or table sitting in your garage. If a large piece of furniture is too daunting to tackle, start small, with a bench or tiny table, and work your way up. You’ll reap the benefits of creating a personal statement and something that can be passed on to future generations.

This week, be inspired by Adrienne's projects ....

From Grandmother’s Buffet to New Living Room Storage Cabinet

One thing I learned from Adrienne is that there is no need to paint pretty flowers or patterns on your old furniture when a solid color creates a more substantial statement. Unfortunately, there is no “before” photo of this piece, pictured above, as this was one of her first painting projects. The original finish of this buffet was dark oak, typical of Spanish Colonial Revival furniture. I wanted to feature this piece because the carved detailing lends itself so nicely to the white lacquer and in fact makes it stand out in a bold, contemporary fashion. It is a great example of the effects of white high-gloss lacquer paint on vintage furniture. Details really pop.

Before painting this cabinet (in her garage, with lots of air circulation), Adrienne sanded it, which took about one hour. She used a sprayer to apply the even coating of lacquer but says it took her longer to clean the sprayer (30 minutes) than to actually paint the furniture (one primer coat and two coats of spray paint, which took 10 minutes each). Also, when spraying, it is common to wait 24 hours between each application. The sprayer technique leaves a smooth sheen that is very easy to maintain.