In my quest to design and customize my ostuni palazzotto I have been spending a lot of time on pinterest finding inspiration and ideas that I love. One of these Ideas came from an old carpenters bench that was converted into a small kitchenette or island. In the palazzotto there is a hallway on the ground floor that takes you to a tiny courtyard. This hallway is where I envision a kitchenette with access to a small parisian bistro set for outdoor dining. More on the outdoor space later…
I need to design this ground floor area with dual purpose. First and foremost it will be the main living room for the home with a seperate one bedroom and bathroom space. Secondly I would like to be able to lock this unit off from the main home and rent it individually, if I choose. What that means for me and my design is that I will need to have this unit function individually from the main house. Part of this is having a small kitchenette or wet bar for future guests to use. A sink, hotplate or small range, and a miniature refrigerator should be sufficient for short-term airbnb guests.
With a design stuck in my head, I set out on my quest to find the perfect antique carpenters bench. Well I found it for a bargain on Facebook marketplace from this super nice family near Ostuni, Italy! Now I only have a small vintage MGB to drive and this piece would not fit in my little two seater car. lol. The family offered to deliver the carpenters bench for me, so I was super exstatic because this purchase was working out perfectly! I purchased the carpenters bench on a Friday and by Saturday at 11am it was delivered to my Palazzotto in Ostuni!
I usually refinish items at a place I am renting in Francavilla Fontana while my home is being restored in Ostuni… but this item was to large for me to move back and forth. Thus, I decided it was easier to bring my tools to the palazzotto and complete it on site.
I started my renovation the following Monday morning. Before I started stripping any paint, I had to remove the rotten wood.
When I purchased the piece I did not realize the entire lower shelf of the bench was rotten. To remove this shelf and the left side panel, I had to completely disassembled the carpenters bench – taking off the doors, hinges, front trim and interior panels. I am trying to save as much of the old material as possible, to rebuild the table once I am ready. Hopefully I will only need to replace the lower shelf and left side panel with new wood. During the restoration, as my intention is to place a stone sink on the left hand side, I will be adding extra support beams to hold the weight and stabilize the old wood.
This is the measurement for how wide the sink can be. I have found a stonemason in Manduria, Italy that I plan on stopping by this week to see what is available. I think a long rectangle sink is my preference for the space. Though my husband thinks a round sink would be best. What are your thoughts on this? Answer the poll below. =)
Below, I have completely take the carpenters bench apart and now I am ready to strip the paint. I absolutely love the CAMP Strip Gel from amazon. It has been my go-to product for all of my furniture renovations.
Stay tuned for more updates! Until next time | Fino alla prossima volta
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