Today we’d like to introduce you to Adriana Medina.
Hi Adriana, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I recently graduated with a master’s degree so for the past six years, most of my time was dedicated to studying. Due to this, I felt my creative side was sad and withering away. After graduating, I moved into my first home. It was then that I realized the furniture I collected over my college years were immense eye sores. However, I could not afford to buy new furniture. I logged into Pinterest and was astonished how people were turning basic furniture into high-end look-a-likes. Naturally I thought, “I can do that!” Naively, I headed to my local hardware store to buy the materials I needed to flip my TV stand into a bench. I had minimal experience with anything inside a hardware store, and by minimal, I mean ZERO. The questions began to rise as I was faced with a multitude of options. Do I use latex or chalk paint? Why are there numbers on the sandpaper? Do I really need a topcoat for the paint? What’s the difference between a #6 and a #8 screw? The doubt in my head began to sink in and I felt overwhelmed. However, I persevered and bought the materials.
The process was a tough one and I learned many things. Yet surprisingly, I had fun. I placed the bench in my front entrance and stared at it for a while. “I did this,” I thought to myself. I regularly got compliments on the bench when people walked in! I felt accomplished and wanted to do it again.
I started with flipping my own furniture. However, with the many compliments on my own pieces, I realized I could flip for profit. These student loans are not going to pay themselves off! Fast forward to today, I have been flipping furniture for seven months now.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Every furniture flip encompasses its own struggles. Each piece has a different builder and is made from unique materials. Because of this, something always veers off the plan. Experience has helped mitigate the mistakes; however, it does not eliminate them.
In the beginning, I constantly made mistakes due to my inexperience. I often felt like a failure when things did not go as planned. Negative thoughts frequently flooded my head. “I keep making mistakes; therefore, I should stop.” “What if I mess up this new technique?” “What if people don’t like this piece?” “The person in the YouTube video makes it look so easy!” I was close to quitting furniture flipping because these pessimistic thoughts made the process unpleasant and stressful. I recognized I needed to reframe these thoughts to be conducive to the process and for my mental health’s sake. I now try to view my mistakes as a learning experience. At least I know what not to do next time. Plus, there can always be a plan B, C, and D! I know each piece I flip will not always go as planned. I am finally okay with that and have learned to adapt to these situations because each piece’s imperfections are what makes them unique.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I flip furniture and give it new life. I gain inspiration from high-end furniture stores; however, I do not charge an arm and a leg for my pieces. It feels like only yesterday I was a college student with a small budget to furnish my apartment. I purchased furniture that did the job but was not the most appealing. My home felt uninviting and cheap.
I am a firm believer that people’s homes should make them feel happy, warm, and at peace without breaking the bank. I price my pieces with that in mind. The furniture I work on each have been given hard thought and are worked on meticulously. I enjoy what I do and treat every project with passion. The most rewarding part is seeing people’s reactions when they pick up their furniture. I truly feel honored that people buy my work and place it in their homes. The most important place in the world!
Contact Info:
- Email: medinadriana33@gmail.com
- Instagram: HandyDandyAdri
