All it takes is an imaginative eye, basic carpentry skills, and the transforming power of paint. Artist Molly Spain and her brother, blacksmith Sean Spain, see possibility in some of the most forlorn pieces and prove the point through their company, Blue Road Studio.

Together, this designing duo takes unwanted finds and refashions them into elegant furnishings.

By choosing to paint all the disparate pieces in black, Molly and Sean create a classic, unified look that works as well in a vintage setting as it does in a contemporary room.

Moss green on the fireplace wall and leaf green on the remaining walls provide the ideal backdrop for the richly hued pieces. The entertainment center, for example - fashioned from exterior shutters, plywood, trim pieces, and table legs — gets its vintage look from two coats of black satin latex paint.

By cutting the table in half and repositioning two of the legs to the long back edge, the pieces was transformed into an elegant console.

For contrast, paint the table white and add a pattern on the tabletop. The apron and turnings were highlighted in black.

Sanding the edges makes it appear as though the finish is decades old.

Door to Sofa
A massive paneled oak door, salvaged from an old house, yielded the classically styled sofa. To make the piece, cut the bottom two panels off the door.

Use the remainder of the door as the sofa back and the bottom panels as the sides.

Simple legs, wooden cabinet knobs across the back to hold loops on the cushions, and two smooth coats of black paint finish the piece.

One was cut in half and secured to the other headboard for the bench sides. After applying two coats of black paint and letting them dry, the edges were sanded and rubbed with oak stain over the entire surface.