Studio Scroggie: Custom Rework

I specialize in taking old, dated, and discarded furnishings and making them fun and hip accents for your home. I can take a dresser or table from the "curb" and give it new life with a great new finish and restyling. If you like the look of a piece of furniture or mirror you see on my website, consider having me create a similar look with a piece you provide me. You can select the color and finish style and I can make simple alterations to restyle your piece that can have a big impact—from adding trim or applique, to changing hardware. For samples of my work, see my Furniture Portfolio and Mirror Portfolio pages.


One of my specialties is transforming old and antique frames into fresh and stylish showpiece wall mirrors. I offer colors and decorative finishes that are not easily found at mass-market stores. By starting with frames that have good detail, age, and an existing finish (often gilded), I'm able to give the frame dimension and patina. This antique gilded frame was reinvented in a subtle shade of blue with white painted details. The effect is stylish, romantic, and "Old World." The final finish has a wonderful, glowing aged patina.


My popular Red Asian Side Chest (see Furniture Gallery) inspired the reinvention of this table. An unremarkable "curbside" find was radically refinished and restyled. I stripped off the glued on drawer lining from the top, sanded the whole piece, built a drawer to replace one that was missing, attached Asian-inspired applique to each drawer front and trimmed around the applique, added new hardware, and gave the whole piece a glimmering coat of red lacquer. The result is a fun little accent table that really makes a statement.


While I'm not a carpenter or woodworker, I use simple techniques to transform existing furniture into pieces that are fun, eye-catching, and practical. Given the small size of so many New York City apartments, I keep in mind the importance of scale and storage. In this case, what was once an over-sized and rather clumsy looking entertainment cabinet becomes two great and practical pieces. I separated the upper "wardrobe" portion from the base cabinet to create a dresser and a compact wardrobe. It took a little engineering and the addition of legs to the wardrobe, but it was done primarily with hand tools and a little creativity.

Custom Refinishing

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