Uh, my kitchen. I don't think so :-(. You have no idea what I have there. The cupboards fell off, I wasn't well, and couldn't stand the thought of even dealing with the ins co, screwed myself out of more, let alone having it all torn up. I'm going to have to face it sometime. I have shower stall boards duct taped to the wall so the cold air doesn't get in so bad. I wish I could move to an apartment for a couple months and get it done, but that costs more money, too. I've been down that road and cannot stand to have the house torn up and pounding, people coming and going, actually ended up in the emergency room over it several years back. Now a whole wall needs to be redone because the studs are rotten from a roof leak for years I didn't know I had until water started dripping down the wall, that means the countertop has to come off, the sink, garbage disposal, bottom cupboards, ugh! That's why I'm escaping by making the outside better first. If I had a "normal" kitchen, that would be a really cool idea. My kitchen is cute if it were fixed back up. Thanks for the suggestions on the primers. I took everybody's suggestion and am definitely using it upside down. I simply do not have time to do all that with all the other work. I have the rose planted that may climb on it if it does ok, but I can't risk putting the rose on that hot brass finish. The stakes for the ladder are so thick, got them for 10 cents apiece, treated, painted, and the way the ladder legs splay out, drilling and putting in two screws which I was going to do originally just was too much to make sure the stakes were on straight. They could be crooked, but what I do do, it has to be as right as I can get it. Let's see, I have the baby crib, the trellis I have to pay somebody to do, my iron plant stand is still in the shop to be welded, better check on that, and that rack. If I can take my time, I can do it, but I'm really feeling the pressure. Habitat Restore just called to say they have a bunch of register covers in, my friend wants me to come see her roses, my other friend wants me to run an ad for her, I made a huge cherry pie I didn't want to do but didn't want the cherries to go bad once I had thawed them out. And I wanted to do a lot with my plants today . . .I'm feeling really stressed. I wish I could be like other people and go, go, go, but I pay a price for it and have to slow down. Sorry. I just feel like everything is closing in on me. It will pass. That's how I cope. Pretend it's not there until I find the strength to deal with it.

Pugga, aren't those chairs fun? Go for it! Please be sure to take before and after pictures for us. (I always forget to take before pics.) We would love to see what you do. Bronwynsmom, yeah that's teensy weensy! hehe Oh, Mona, that is exquisite. Trailrunner, really it is not rocket science. It's just a matter of taking it apart and putting it back together the same way it came apart. This is an easy starter chair, with no sewing, no springs to tie, you only have to handle small bits of fabric, and the price was free. So you're right, what do you have to lose? Try to look for a fabric store where the ladies will be helpful and knowlegable, and ask them lots of quetsions. I'd take it apart first, sand and paint it and have it as clean as possible, then just haul the whole thing (plus the pieces you took off it) to the store. I've been known to bop around a fabric store dragging a large chair behind me -- lol -- I'm sure I wasn't the first. Calico Corners is great if you have one. A bit spendy, but not as bad as paying someone to do the whole thing and probably has some very knowlegable help. More cost effective is Joann Fabric. You can always phone first and ask if they have an expert at upholstery working there and when she will be on duty. The hardest part of upholstery, I think, is getting things pulled tightly at the same time you hammer or staple that down... so enlist DH to help with that and you should come out with lovely results. (The problem with doing it alone is you sometimes need three or four hands.) BTW, I've used the metal tack strips and the cardboard ones, and I like the cardboard ones a lot better. They're more flexible if you need to curve a bit, and they're easy to cut shorter wherever you want. Just don't forget and sit on either one! I hope you take lotsa pictures!

This is not spam, I am not affiliated with the store. I thought someone else here might be planning a low budget kitchen reno in the Maryland area,. Peace and Plenty is a non profit used appliance store in Frederick MD. I shop there from time to time for used appliances. I was in their store yesterday to look at some cabinets they got in. They are solid wood cabinets, and I did not see any particle board. They are in good condition. They have Maple fronts. The wall cabinets are 42" high. I was told that they will be getting more, as someone is renovating an apartment building, and donating all the cabinets and appliances to them. I plan to go back next week and get some. They are priced between $25 - $75 each. Here is their Craiglist ad. http://frederick.craigslist.org/mat/4031715786.html (Cabinets look better than in their pics). Here is a link that might be useful: Peace & Plenty Cabinet Ad

I think it MAY be made of rubberwood, as lots of furniture from that area is. Here is some info I found online about it - "DEFINITION OF RUBBERWOOD What is rubberwood? Rubberwood is a hardwood belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family Rubberwood has very little tendency to warp or crack Rubberwood-Eco Friendly! Rubberwood is often the most misunderstood species of wood in the furniture industry. The name rubberwood invokes a variety of misconceptions as to it’s features and to it’s durability. Rubberwood (also called Parawood in Thailand) is the standard common name for the timber of Hevea brasiliensis. In fact, rubberwood is one of the more durable lumbers used in the manufacturing of today’s home furnishings. Rubberwood has a dense grain character that is easily controlled in the kiln drying process. Rubberwood has very little shrinkage making it one of the more stable construction materials available for furniture manufacturing. Like maple, rubberwood is a sap producing species. In the case of maple, it is sap; in the case of rubberwood, it is latex. Rubberwood produces all the latex used in the world for all rubber based products. There is one more important feature of rubberwood that is very important in today’s world. Rubberwood is the most ecologically “friendly” lumber used in today’s furniture industry. After the economic life of the rubber tree, which is generally 26-30 years, the latex yields become extremely low and the planters then fell the rubber trees and plant new ones. So, unlike other woods that are cut down for the sole purpose of producing furniture, rubberwood is used only after it completes it’s latex producing cycle and dies. This wood is therefore eco-friendly in the sense that we are now using what was going as waste. Do not mistake the name rubberwood when it comes to its quality features."