Stirling Hepburn, left, and Barbara Bowman typically take a day or two to strip a piece, like this buffet table, to its foundation, repaint and refinish it. Bowman also accepts commission work.

Marcus Larson / News-Register

One thing Bowman particularly enjoys is giving a modern twist to furniture pieces. Here, bright paint and coordinating fabric create a fresh look for a dated and damaged bench.

Marcus Larson / News-Register

Bowman took a dresser that had been painted for a child’s room and gave it an elegant look, with new drawer pulls and charcoal paint.

Marcus Larson / News-Register

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Barbara Bowman loves to browse garage sales and thrift shops, looking for beat-up pieces of furniture.

Instead of chipped paint, torn or sagging cushions and missing drawer knobs, she sees the pieces made new again, and often changed in character along the way.

She likes to "put a twist" on her pieces, she said.

Such twists include recovering a traditional library chair in a bright red floral print, for example. "I made it modern and vibrant and fun," Bowman said.

After stripping and sanding another piece, a white dresser with purple knobs, she applied matte charcoal paint and replaced the knobs with ornate metal pulls.

"I thought it needed to be more Adams family," she said. "I like to do the unexpected. I really like that."

However, she is also happy to simply restore pieces to their original look, on commission. "I can do whatever people want, if someone hires me," she said.

Originally from Minnesota, Bowman taught herself furniture refinishing as a hobby while working in Los Angeles as a screenwriter. She learned from books, magazines and Internet sites, she said, along with trial and error.

"When I had my daughter, I wanted to move somewhere with a calmer environment, more like where I grew up but not as cold," she said.

She and her ex-husband decided to jointly relocate to McMinnville, where Bowman has family, in order to continue to raise their daughter together. Soon afterward, she decided to turn her hobby into a business - Refurbiture.

Bowman has been a featured artist at two downtown McMinnville shops for the Friday art and wine walks, but does not currently have her work in stores.

She plans to market her pieces at McMinnville's new Saturday market, which opens today in the Granary District at 485 N.E. Fifth St.

She sometimes finds new uses for pieces. She recently discovered an antique turnstile that struck her as perfect for outfitting with shelves and converting into a dry bar.

"It's just the way I think," she said. "I just see the potential for things."

Stirling Hepburn, who assists Bowman, said he's fascinated with the ideas she comes up with. "They're things you would never expect, but it always makes sense," he said.

Bowman also offers consultation services on colors and textiles, for do-it-yourself types who don't want to pay the full cost of having her restore a piece. But she said the work can be harder than it looks.

The furniture must be in good condition to start with, she said.

"If it's structurally unsound, then you really need a professional," she said. "You need to start with what I call good bones. You can't have rotting wood. If there are just a few scratches, that's not a big deal."

It's also important to study the techniques thoroughly, she said, and make sure you understand the meaning of the terms.

Test the techniques ahead of time, she warned, before you dive into a major project. "A professional makes it look so easy," she said.

Redoing upholstery is a good example, she said. "It looks easy, but if you don't know what you're doing, it can be a real nightmare. It's really about learning - learning the techniques thoroughly."

Bowman finds the work compelling.

"Every piece I do, I love, because it's so personal," she said. "I see a piece, I interpret what it could be and I make it what I want it to be. When someone gets excited about one of my pieces, I love the knowledge that they're going to have enjoyment of that piece for years to come."

Bowman's work can be viewed on her website, www.refurbitureonline.com. She may be reached on her cell phone at 310-922-8074.