Our Paul McCobb Planner Group grouping after Arlen’s awesome first attempt at furniture refinishing. Not bad!! The very original loking brushed chrome pulls were purchased from Bona Hardware in Oakley.

September 23 , 1991

Note to future self:

I’m really sorry for painting the McCobb furniture and for getting rid of the original hardware and doors.  I am pregnant and obviously not thinking clearly.  I hope one day you will forgive me. I’m sure I will make some other mistakes along the way.  Maybe there will be some way in the future that others can learn from my mistakes…..

Oh, and I’m really sorry I ripped out the original Crane sink and faucet just because it was blue….

Sincerely,

Past Susan

The Paul McCobb furniture that we purchased with our former home in Madeira. For some reason, i thought it would be a good idea to paint it, put new hardware on, and put in our son’s room. photo circa 1992. trent, age 3

Dear Past Susan:

Don’t be so hard on yourself.  You didn’t know.  It was before everything was on the internet and you had never even heard of Paul McCobb!  It did look cute in Trent’s room.  At least you knew good lines when you saw them.  But still…….how could you?!  And where did you put those original doors and hardware????  You never throw things like that away!

Sincerely,

Susan

Arlen spent the better part of two weeks stripping, sanding, staining, and sealing the solid maple furniture. We tried to match the original finish/color (which was still intact on the interior of the cabinet) as closely as possible. 

The credenza of this set has been in our gameroom since we moved into this house 13 years ago. The other two pieces were stacked in a (gasp!) storage room. It was not until I was cleaning that room out last month that I opened a drawer and saw the distinctive ‘McCobb’ stamp on the inside. Doh!

Post Script

While out showing houses last weekend, I spied another piece from the Paul McCobb Planner Group (now that I have researched McCobb and know what I am looking for!) in the musty basement of a Madeira two story.  One quick transaction later, that credenza, with the original black finish, is now on another wall of our game room, facing our original furniture. How’s that for karma?

If anyone sets a beer on this cabinet while playing pool, there will be consequences!