Matthew Kovacevich works on an old shop bench in his Auburn home. He prefers the quality found in most old furniture. Daryn Slover/Sol Diary
After learning more about this small table from Czechoslovakia, Matthew Kovacevich of Auburn was impressed. He applied half a dozen coats of beeswax before he was satisfied with the result. photos sent
Two years ago, Matthew Kovacevich of Auburn was browsing the Facebook Marketplace when something caught his eye.
It was a simple wooden side table, although it looked unique. But when Kovacevich went looking for it, he found "a little piece of history."
The table was from Czechoslovakia, the owner said, a piece his parents picked up from the sidewalk to decorate their apartment.
Under the table he found the signature of a famous Czechoslovak furniture designer, and a Google search revealed that it was probably made before the start of World War II.
Kovacevich was worried. He bought a table and brought it home. After half a dozen beeswaxes, the side table looks like new.
"Ikea furniture is ugly, strong and durable," he says, "but it doesn't have a story behind it."
Some, like Kovacevich, aren't content with buying new furniture, but instead give new life to old furniture. It is a hobby that entertains many people, especially since the restrictions during the pandemic.
Recyclers look for quality old furniture on Facebook, in antique shops or on the street, and try to restore it to its original condition or give it a new and creative touch. Many say the process is magical, even spiritual.
Most use the salvaged items to decorate their homes, but some, including Kovacevich and his wife Catherine Creighton, are working to expand their interest into a private enterprise.
Since restoring the Small Side Table in 2021, Kovacevich and Creighton have rebuilt tables, chairs and other furniture, often with quirky twists. They worked to build up a small inventory before starting their Find Worth It business.
For Corey DuFour, his desire to create his world drives him to change or invent almost everything at Obscura Cafe & Drinkery on Lisbon Street in Lewiston.
DuFour learned the value of reusing materials as a child when he and his brother built a treehouse connected by a bridge. As adults, they founded an artistic furniture business in Monmouth, before the DuFours decided to expand together and form Obscura.
DuFour became interested in vintage styles in the 20th century. from the early to mid-20th century, and he knew he wouldn't easily find a track that matched his vision.
"It was another time when there was magic, it felt like that," he said. "There are still new things that will blow your mind," like flying or seeing the first movie, he said.
So he decided to make his own.
Corey Dufour serves customers behind the bar at Obscura Cafe & Drinkery in Lewiston. Dufour makes recycled skins from recycled frames and other hardware. Andree Kehn/Sun Magazine
Much of Obscura's current woodwork is made from materials found in the shoe store that once occupied the building. The Obscura staircase, for example, was constructed from black walnut that DuFour found hidden behind a flush wall in what is now the restaurant's kitchen. Bar Obscura and others are mostly built from old store shelves.
He also adjusted the modern speakers to better suit the mood.
"I can't explain it. Just a feeling I've always wanted to create my own," he said. "I need a little. It's a weird feeling and you're almost a little sad when it's over (it's over). Part of the creative process is like a drug, that's all I can describe ."
This artistic vision, this desire to create something beautiful, is the basic feeling of people who restore and rebuild furniture.
Donald Ellis of Lewiston found a 19th century Eastlake chest of drawers upstairs and put his own creative spin on it, right? photos sent
After sanding, he added a photo of Marilyn Monroe from an old photo album and painted it black. The chest of drawers also has a fourth drawer hidden underneath. photos sent
Donald Ellis of Lewiston says he believes every project he does is a small piece of history, something that can match his soul.
"It's almost like having a giant work of art in your home," he says. "When I'm done, I want people to pay attention."
Ellis prefers to be creative in his work rather than restoring old furniture. For a final project, XIX. A 19th-century Eastlake chest of drawers, he painted black and added a photo of Marilyn Monroe. But you've learned that too much customization makes it hard to sell.
"Sometimes you can feel like you've created the Mona Lisa," says Ellis. "Nobody's buying it, and that's okay. You learn to (draw) the line between how creatively crazy you are."
Ultimately, for the occasional recycler, selling becomes important not only to finance his work, but also to clean up his house.
"I can't keep everything," Ellis said. “At one point my dungeon was like Tetris with different decorations and things, bookshelves. . . . Now I have more control.'
Parisian Jiselle Howe-Fortier spent no more than $5 on this octagonal end table. Then he went to work, didn't he? photos sent
After painting it white, he decided to try something new and painted a misty mountain landscape over it. photos sent
Adding her art is often an important part of the restoration process at Jiselle Howe-Fortier in Paris.
She and her husband teamed up to give new life to old furniture. He usually focused on carpentry and sales, while Howe-Fortier added an artistic touch.
The first piece Howe-Fortier painted was a small broken hexagonal table. She and her husband plan to recreate it in a rustic style with old white paint.
But once it was done, it inspired him to do more. Finally, he paints a misty mountain landscape with pine trees above.
"Personally, I like to find old treasures and things that cannot technically be restored to their original form," she says. "It's broken, it needs love. And then to make it look like a farm or really special.
It's not just about the furniture, Howe-Fortier also adds artwork to old saw blades and windows. He especially likes to accept personal orders, he says.
Like many other upcyclers, Howe-Fortier and her husband worked to turn their hobby into a business called Fine Canoe Restoration. They hope to sell their work out of their Paris Hill warehouse in the spring.
But for others, including Amanda Grenier of Lewiston, furniture recycling is a once-in-a-lifetime personal endeavor.
"When I was growing up, I used the furniture and everything," he says. "I really like to paint and make things, but I've never had the means to do more."
Amanda Grenier of Lewiston bought a solid wood dresser on Facebook Marketplace in 2020. After 10 months of trial and error. . . photos sent
... made the kitchen island. The final finish is turquoise with gold detailing, new legs and a wooden top. photos sent
Instead of buying a kitchen island, Grenier decided to build his own. In the end, the project took longer than expected, about 10 months from start to finish, and cost more than buying something new.
But he says the end result is worth it.
First, he found a suitable black parking garage on Facebook Marketplace and gave it a fresh coat of paint. There was only texture and a new turquoise color began to bubble up.
So he carefully began to remove the turquoise and black paint with thinner from the salon and vowed never to go through such a laborious process again.
"It was really tempting for me not to throw it away and move on," he said.
But under the shiny black paint she found beautiful gold accents.
Finally, Grenier painted another table turquoise and added a new top, handles and legs. It is now the heart of your kitchen, physically and artistically.
Grenier advises aspiring recyclers to go small and smart with a clear vision of their end goal. He says the use of quality furniture is essential.
Donald Ellis of Lewiston later bought and sold this restored ornament on Facebook Marketplace. First he chemically stripped it three times to remove the old coating, then used four different stains to create a weathered pattern. photos sent
Next, he sanded, primed and painted the sides, base and center panel, and finally added three coats of satin polyurethane. The project lasted a month in total. photos sent
"I have a weird idea of what I want," he says. "I changed my mind a bit and it cost me a lot, especially because I bought the paint and did it over and over."
Until they try it themselves, most people don't realize how much time and effort goes into restoring old furniture, says Ellis.
"You're probably on the last lap of something you've been working on for two months and then you come down when it's dry and there's probably going to be dust," he explains. "So now you have to sand it off and do it again."
But everyone agreed that the end result was worth the difficult process.
"The best thing about it is creating something," says Grenier. “Give (your) mind to a physical object and watch the process and enjoy it. This is the opportunity to create something special for you.'
Matthew Kovacevich and his wife, Catherine Creighton, recycle furniture at their Auburn home store. Since restoring the 2021 Small Side Table, Kovacevich and Creighton have rebuilt the table, chairs and other furniture, adding a quirky twist to the process. Daryn Slover/Sol Diary
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