Hello, thank you for stopping by The Restored Dogwood. We are a family business run by me, Molly, and my husband, Doug (along with moral support from our 10 and 8 year old boys) located in the D.C. suburb of Reston, VA. We are dedicated to helping people style their homes in a sustainable, eco-friendly manner while supporting local and small businesses.
How do we do that? By finding furniture pieces that still have a lot of life, but may have an outdated or undesired aesthetic. Vintage furniture is our jam, but we’ll renew any kind of piece old or not. The refinishing process is light on the chemicals: paint and stains are low/no VOC. The cosmetics are heavy on supporting small: hardware, drawer liners and paint supplies are sourced from small businesses, local to the Northern Virginia area if possible.
The Beginning
Our furniture restoration story begins in 2019 when we moved to Reston with our two young boys to be closer to family. After previously living in four different states, and owning three different houses (and leasing a few so-so apartments), we were beyond excited to move into our “forever” home.
A quick DIY project to convert a vintage door into a home office desk was my first experience transforming an old piece into something amazing. I was so clueless about painting furniture, I didn’t know there was special furniture paint (I just used leftover Sherwin Williams), or that I should seal after I finished (hence, lots of scratches and marks on the desk). And least I knew to sand before I painted!
That SIMPLE project awakened a creative side of me I didn’t know existed. I don’t consider myself creative – “Analyst” is literally in my job title, and that describes every aspect of me – but there was something about transforming old into new and functional, and I was addicted.
The Restored Dogwood
Some research, paint purchases, a bathroom redo, a desk update, and homeschooling/working from home during Covid times, and here we are with a home business. I got the idea for The Restored Dogwood during the most stressful and hectic time of my life (so far) and I honestly think it was born out of a need to have a creative outlet. Something to focus on other than my analytical job, and trying to help the kids continue their education from home.
I am excited to encourage you to consider renewing a furniture piece instead of buying new. It’s your chance to have something 100% custom, that means something to you. And let’s do this in an eco-friendly, healthy manner while supporting local. LET’S GO!
P.S.: Love our Story? I’ve love if you shared with a friend! And don’t forget to follow @the.restored.dogwood on IG so you can see what we’re up to!
