Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauryl Yates.
Hi Lauryl, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I worked as a nurse for 10 years at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore City. I had my second daughter in 2021 and left nursing to stay home with my girls. I’d seen a few furniture flippers on social media and wanted to try it for myself. In November of 2022 I flipped my first piece. In January of 2023, I sold my first piece. What started as a hobby slowly transitioned into a business. My daughter, who was 5 at the time, picked the name Flipiture. I’ve been learning how to refinish furniture ever since and loving every minute of it!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There was a serious learning curve jumping into this craft with zero woodworking experience, but it’s been fun practicing all the new skills. I’ve also worked on some rather heavy furniture pieces and having to move them all by myself can be challenging. And I’ve made mistakes I wasn’t sure I could fix. That was never easy. I’m lucky I have a handy husband who helps whenever I get stuck.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I refinish wood furniture. I love finding old furniture pieces and making them beautiful and usable again. My favorite style of furniture to work on are the midcentury modern pieces, specifically old record cabinets. I’ve been fortunate to work on a few and have contemplated keeping them all. I have been lucky to work on some very old restorations that I loved doing so much. I restored an old steamer trunk from the late 1800’s that was in such rough shape it took weeks just to clean the tarnished tin. I also restored a 7 foot, one-of-a-kind bench, also from the late 1800’s, that had only tongue and groove connections. I appreciate learning the history of the furniture I’m working on, I find it motivates me into restoring a piece to perfection.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me, is waking up surrounded by those I love. Having my daughters tell me I’m the best mommy in the world feels like the ultimate success. Can’t go any higher than that.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Flipiture_by_Lauryl
- Facebook: Flipiture by Lauryl
