The Hope Chest

Last summer, right as we were coming back home from vacation, my Grandmother gave me this hope chest that had been in the family. I didn't have the chance when we first got back to do any work on it since school was starting, and I became pretty busy!Once summer started this year I decided I needed to get started on it. Here are the "before" and after pics...I don't have the best "before" pic, basically because I was so excited to get started on the project that I had forgotten to take a picture before doing anything. So I ended up remembering about halfway through the paint stripping process to get a pic.From the first picture you can at least get an idea of the color it had been painted it what it might have looked like.The second pic shows the completed project, basically I stripped the whole thing down, sanded it, stained it, and finished it with about 5 coats of polyurethane!The third pic shows the placement of the chest in our house! I'd been hoping to put it at the foot of our bed if it turned out nice, it's probably a little "too much" with all the other giant furniture we have in our bedroom. But at least it makes me smile when I see it every day!Finally, it is not actually all the way finished...there is a seat cushion and pillows that go with it as well, but I am having those reupholstered. So I will get you a final-final picture when that comes in!