Nathan Bridges credits his mom for creating the necessity that mothered his invention.
That’s because there were no handouts at the Bridges household. The 20-year-old Patterson furniture redesigner was told by his mom that if he wanted money to spend, he would have to find a way to earn it.
He took up the challenge with gusto.
He was 12 when he began hand-decorating Mason jars and making Christmas ornaments to sell. He soon turned his attention to old unwanted furniture pieces that he transformed with paint and, later, adhesive “transfers.”
“My mom had an odd idea that if I needed money that I should find a way to earn it,’’ Bridges shared on his Facebook page. “I’m glad she did! The past couple years have opened up some great opportunities.”
The results of his handiwork are surprisingly fresh furniture reinventions that have generated yowzas both on and off the web.
His finished pieces are often unrecognizable from the dated, worn furniture he scours from yard sales and Facebook Marketplace.
“That’s where I get most of the stuff from,’’ he said.
“He has a really, really good eye for a new look,’’ said Lilli Hurst, the owner of The Blessed Nest in Poplar Bluff’s Bluff Town shopping district, where Bridges sells his reincarnated furniture.
Hurst discovered Nathan on Instagram where he has nearly 2,800 followers under his account nb.restorations.nathanbridges.
“His creations were absolutely amazing,’’ said Hurst, who has about 20 of Nathan’s pieces at her shop currently. “He just has a unique perspective of looking at the old classics in a different way. To me, they’re pieces of art.’’
The Blessed Nest is a home goods store that sells both new, antique and vintage items.
Of Nathan’s recreations, Hurst said, “I thought they would be perfect for us. They sell great. We have a following where people come to The Blessed Nest all the time and want to see what the new finds are.”
Bridges’s rebranded furniture has garnered him followers and rave reviews on Instagram, turning him into an ‘’influencer’’ to whom paint companies send free products in order to cross-promote their brands while showcasing Nathan’s redesigns.
One of Bridges’s furniture reincarnation was featured on the Instagram page of HGTV “Fixer Upper” star Joanna Gaines. His creations have also been “liked” by Ben and Erin Napier, stars of HGTV’s “Home Town,” as well as HGTV magazine.
The founder of Lemonade House Grille in Poplar Bluff hired Bridges to paint a piano at their store at 2789 Tucker Road.
“It’s like an off-green color,’’ said Dennis Wickham, the restaurant’s general manager. “It’s cool.’’
Bridges, who along with his three siblings was homeschooled by his mother Rita Bridges, a professional cake designer, will buy used furniture for as little as $40 or $50 at yard sales and transform them into a “reloved” piece he sells for as much as $600.
“It used to take me a lot longer because I used to hand-brush them,’’ he said. “But I have a sprayer now and that gives them a better look, a nice smooth professional look. And it saves a little time too.’’
Among the companies who have sought him out and provided Bridges with free paint are Jolie Paints, The Chippy Barn and the Dixie Belle Paint Company. In exchange for using their paints on his revamped creations, “they post it all over social media to advertise me,’’ he said.
ReDesign with Perma, a company that creates adhesive “transfers” to transform furniture has also “reached out about being a brand ambassador,’’ says Bridges.
He’s now turning out five to 10 pieces a month that he sells through The Blessed Nest.
Bridges hopes to branch out into designing rooms and would like to go into interior design and entertains the idea of appearing on TV. Currently, he does his recreations at his parents’ home but soon will move his production into a building that his family is refinishing for his and his father’s woodworking. His dad is Tim Bridges, pastor of the Beulah Baptist Church in Brunot, and manager of the Johnson Farm and Pet in Piedmont.
“I’m proud of him,’’ said Rita Bridges, 47, a professional cake designer for AbbieCakes, who said her children have made everything from cupcakes to hand-painted Mason jars – anything to earn money while being creative.
“We have so many creative outlets it’s not even funny,’’ she said.
She says her son not only works hard – but works hard at doing a job well-done. She says if he isn’t happy with the finish he’ll restrip the furniture and do it all over again.
“He doesn’t let little things slide,’’ she said. “He makes sure that it’s first class when it goes out the door.”
You can visit Nathan’s Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/nb.restorations.nathanbridges/?hl=en.
You can visit his Facebook page at https://m.facebook.com/pg/NBRestorations-705029889694601/posts//
