There are no words to express how I felt coming back from Shipbottom, NJ where we helped “restore the shore” by reconstructing a firehouse that had been destroyed in Hurricane Sandy.
When I first saw the space, I am not going to lie…I gasped. The place was dirty and had a distinct odor from being wet. It had become the safe house for people who had lost their homes in the storm and the constant traffic had taken it’s toll on the place.
We had been given the task of refinishing the cabinetry, converting an old door into a dining room table and updating several thrift store items to give it a designer look. With 3 days to complete a task that would normally take 2 weeks…we were overwhelmed but…UP FOR THE CHALLENGE!
After three 16-hr days, take a look at our transformation!
We refinished the cabinets using a combination of Modern Masters Iron Paint and Rust Activator with Sherwin Williams Gauntlet Gray Latex Enamel. It turned out fantastic!
The D9 crew constructed built-in cubbies in the soffet to fill the space and add clever places extra dishes or decor.
We also added new hardware (knobs for the doors and pulls for the drawers) which made a huge difference
We painted the old door using a combination of Modern Master’s Iron Paint & Rust Activator, Modern Master’s Copper Metal Effects Paint & Green Patina and Modern Master’s Rich Gold Metal Effects Paint & Green Patina.
We added large upholstery tacks that we ordered from Amazon.com and the D9 crew added table legs.
This table is a stunner!
Now for the accessories…
We made these Faux Metal letters out of Paper Mache Letters and Modern Master’s Iron Paint and Rust Activator.
These accessories are actually bed risers that were purchased at the thrift store. We spray painted them with Rustoleum Dark Brown spray paint and then foiled them with silver and gold foil.
Another thrift store find, we added silver and gold foil right over the existing finish.
This thrift store find got a coat of Rustoleum Gray spray paint and then silver foil.
These blocks were painted with Modern Master’s Bronze Metal Effects Paint and Blue Patina.
This picture shows a lot of the accessories in use. You can see the “Strength” sign displayed proudly. This sign says it all…These fireman risk their lives to help their community every day under normal circumstances but to add such terrible devastation such as Hurricane Sandy to the mix and not get discouraged …well…it speaks of their character.
I am so honored to have been a part of this amazing experience. I am forever changed and humbled to have been able to give a small part of me to this amazing firestation in Shipbottom, NJ.
You can catch a re-run of Impossible: Holiday Impossible 2 on the Food Network Channel, Monday, December 8 at 11 PM EST| 10 PM CST which will air after the new Holiday Impossible that will air at 10 PM EST | 9 CST. I will have all the updates for you on Tuesday morning with some of the projects I had the honor of working on at the Double H Ranch. These kids are absolutely amazing and I am so blessed I was able to work with such a supportive group of individuals.