Mondays with Mike…7-18-2022 Edition 23

Everything Old is “New” Again

If it’s a period look they’re going for…then ‘Ding’ is the sound we’ll all hear from the award tower as they chime the winning bell, I suppose. This is undoubtedly the most unique bit of ‘décor-ing’, I’ve witnessed. As I normally act when cleaning up a skillet or pan and equipped with a stainless steel sink, I‘m inclined to go for more of a ‘gentle’ mode, but that all gets thrown out the window when I’m doing my normal countertop work. As a matter of fact, I may actually consider skipping the traditional countertop wipe-downp and instead go for a light-grit sanding to remove some of those scrub-ready stains. In all seriousness, this could be a real contender for folks with small children and/or a care-free spouse/lifestyle. The use of old barn wood, iron fixtures and antiques says everything old can indeed be new again. It just needs repurposing.

Admire, if you will the fantastic incorporation of the ultra-modern floating shelves, which we see regularly in kitchen design. Don’t miss the hardware latches from a bygone era and their accompanying bin pulls. WAY back in the day, kids! Can someone please advise what I’m guessing might be a melon-squisher is exactly being used for? I thought they only used those things in the workshop, not the kitchen…and for hammering/bending/blacksmithing?!

Regardless, if rugged is your thing, we have the components on hand to get you closer to your inner John Wayne ‘sharpen your knife on the countertop’ mindset. Just look us up at: www.WoodworkerExpress.com. And remember, don’t throw anything away just yet because it could all come back into vogue at any time!

Rustic kitchen using old barn wood and iron hardware
Image courtesy of homebnc.com

Mondays with Mike…4-25-2022 Edition Thirteen

Gold is back baby!

Gold finished hardware and matching dunce caps go hand in hand…apparently. Looking back several decades, I wasn’t a problem student when I was in grade school, but the threat of stepping out of line and thusly receiving the punishment of having to stand obediently in front of the classroom, subject to student mockery was enough to keep me behaviorally compliant. But I digress. Gold hardware, faucets, light fixtures etc are back in style.

Thankfully, those youthful days are gone and I’m now free to lead a life of compliance or deviance, depending on the equinox…and a coin flip. Some of that story is inaccurate, but what IS accurate is that these gold finished pulls and knobs are a fantastic aesthetic choice to pair with this beautiful blueberry painted cabinets. I just don’t think a Satin Nickel or Oil Rubbed Bronze finish would elevate this to the degree that this brilliant Gold finish does. A++ to the designer of this space!


If you look up, down and forward, you’ll notice some bold woodgrain choices on the floor, ceiling and as part of the floating shelves so appropriately on display here. Also coalescing nicely with the bold woodgrain theme underway would be this colossal cutting board…not to be mistaken for a baseball bat.


There’s lots of items here that www.WoodworkerExpress.com have available to make your kitchen (and home) an overall better, brighter place to live in. Speaking of brighter, did you happen to notice the low-profile LED puck lighting overhead…maybe you’d even like to change that to a gold finish. If so, you likely now know where to go or who to call.

Cabinets featuring gold hardware
photo courtesy of houzz