I named her Belle as an homage to the furniture company where she was created over 100 years ago.

 

She had clearly been abandoned by someone who had lost their connection to her beauty. Or perhaps they never recognized it to begin with.

 

She was buried under boxes of junk and I almost didn't see her.

 

We carefully loaded her into our van and carted her home.  Initially we had planned to store in the garage along with the 'others' waiting their turn to be Restored, but for some reason my husband urged me to bring her directly into my studio. So we did...that's when she began to tell us her story.

 

She was painstakingly constructed in a small furniture company in Southampton, Ontario.  The Bell Furniture Co. Limited was in business between the years of 1907 & 1937 so she is a pretty old girl.  However, for such and old girl her bones were in remarkable shape and although she had some lines and cracks on her she was still lovely.

 

She clearly had been loved through the years since we found her still holding old hand-crafted linens inside her red cedar chest.  The air & dust proof mechanism still in perfect working order and the white paper lining her as suggested in the pamphlet was still intact.

 

She told a story of years of faithful service to a family who valued fine things, of children climbing her to see snow falling outside and boys running their toy cars along her top.  Puppies napping on her as her owners aged, they would use her as a support to put their shoes on. She had so much more to offer but as is the human condition, we don't last as long as a well made cedar chest might. 

 

And that is how she came to be seemingly discarded and forgotten. Shoved aside as though she was of no use anymore.

 

But I saw her and I recognized her beauty.  All she needed was a new start.  

 

So we talked about how to Restore her and help continue her Legacy.

 

We agreed she would look so lovely in a muted Duck Egg Blue and after a few minor repairs, her paint job and a good waxing she is a NEW THING and ready for many more years of faithful service.

 

Now we just need to find the perfect home and family who will treasure Belle and hide their family treasures in her!

 

Is that you?

If so head over to Restored Legacy now to take Belle home!