Nice to Meet You!
Hi, I’m Fab! My Journey Into Furniture Refinishing & Vintage Finds
Hey there! I’m Fabiana — most people call me Fab — and I’m the person behind Fab Finds Furniture. If you love vintage decor, upcycled furniture, and giving old pieces a second chance, you’re in the right place!
How It All Started
I’m originally from Brazil, my husband, my daughter and myself immigrated to Canada in April 2011. It was springtime, and one of the first things that shocked me was seeing so much good furniture and home decor just left out at the curb to be picked up. Some pieces were practically brand new! It amazed me but also made me sad — so many beautiful things ending up in the landfill, just sitting outside in the weather, never getting picked up.
I always loved interior design and home decor. When I was a teenager, my mom let me choose a magazine subscription, thinking I’d go for a teen magazine. Instead, I picked a home decor one! Every month, I’d wait anxiously for my new issue, fold the corners of my favorite pages, and dream about my future home.
When I got engaged, I started planning and collecting things for our house. Our first home in Brazil had a coastal vibe — shells, rustic furniture, a calming, beachy atmosphere. So when we moved to Canada, leaving my things behind was hard. Some of them are still in Brazil with relatives, and whenever someone visits, they bring a little something back for me. It always feels like Christmas morning when I get one of my old treasures back!
My Love for Thrifting
When we arrived in Canada, we were a family of three + a dog and had only six suitcases. We spent a month in an "Airbnb" type of apartment and then moved into our first rented home. We had zero furniture — no bed, no couch, not even a single stool.
That’s when we discovered thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, and Kijiji. (Thrift stores weren’t really a thing in Brazil!) Slowly, we furnished our entire house without buying a single new item from a big box store. And you know what? It worked! Our home was cozy, stylish, and totally affordable. That’s when I realized: I was hooked on thrifting.
People started telling me I had an eye for finding beautiful second-hand treasures. And honestly, I loved it! Getting my hands on antique and vintage items I never thought I could afford, was so exciting.
The First Piece I Ever Painted
One day, a friend told me, "I know you love old stuff—you should try painting furniture! Have you ever heard of chalk paint?"
I laughed and said, "I’m not a painter!" Plus, Annie Sloan chalk paint was expensive, and I didn’t have the budget for it. But that conversation planted a seed. I started following furniture refinishers on social media, watching YouTube videos, and researching like crazy.
Did I mention my background was in education? In Brazil, I was an elementary school teacher for 12 years. In Canada, I worked at a daycare center before opening my own home daycare, which I ran for six years. I loved that daycare—it was my pride and joy!
It was during that time that my friend gave me an old dresser to practice on. It was a long weekend in the winter of 2017, and I decided to give it a go. I made homemade chalk paint (thank you, Pinterest!), painted it red, and had so much fun. It was far from perfect—I had no sander, no clue what I was doing, and I painted it inside the house (if you’ve ever sanded chalk paint indoors… you know the mess I made! 😂).
Life was busy with the daycare, so I didn’t touch another piece for a while. But in fall 2019, we moved to a new house, I no longer had the daycare, and I suddenly had the time and space to start refinishing furniture again.
Turning a Hobby into a Business
I started refinishing furniture I found on the curb to furnish our new home. I experimented, learned a lot, and one day, just for fun, I listed a green side table for sale. It sold in less than 24 hours!
I took it as a sign (I always believe in signs!), and from that moment on, I never stopped. What started as a small side hustle turned into a real business.
When I list pieces for sale, I love staging them—adding vintage decor to show how they’d look in a home. And to my surprise, people started asking if they could buy the decor too! So I started collecting and selling vintage glassware, blankets, trays, and unique decor pieces. It was the perfect way to rotate my inventory and the best excuse to keep thrifting!
Since then, I’ve sold through Facebook Marketplace, booths in local shops, and vintage markets. And now, five years later, I decided it was time to bring it all together on a website—to be more visible and (hopefully!) grow my business even more.
A Family Passion
Forgot to mention—I’m a mom of two girls who love thrifting with me! And my husband? Well, he has an eye for action figures and vintage toys… but he hardly ever sells anything because he loves his collection too much. 😂
Excited for What’s Next!
I’m so excited to share this journey with you! Whether you’re here to shop, get inspired, or find a new home for a beloved piece of furniture, I’m so glad you’re here.
💬 Have a favorite thrift find? A piece you’d love to refinish? Tell me about it in the comments—I’d love to hear your story too!