Thursday, March 31, 2011

Picking Paint

A multitasker to a fault? (sigh) Yes, that's me. While working on my settee makeover, I'm also trying to pick out paint colors for the sunroom that will soon be its new home.  I am inspired by the monochromatic scheme in this picture I found, hosted by another blog:


I'd like to get this same kind of look with the blue and white tones in the fabrics I've selected. Here's a shot of the paint swatches next to the Toile:

And here's a shot of the front runner in my paint selection thus far:


It's called Cincinnatian Hotel Lindner Blue from Valspar's National Trust for Historic Preservation collection. I'm off to Lowe's to pick up a sample.  I'll be putting it to the test on the walls this afternoon - stay tuned for the results...


Wednesday, March 30, 2011

China cabinet turned toy chest update

It dawned on me while I was jam-packing the little one's toys away in her toy chest that I haven't put anything in my new shelves yet.  They were just sitting there empty, screaming for something to be put on them.  And put things on them I did.  Here's a snapshot of what they look like now that they are accompanied by all of her toys:


And a view from the side:


It reminds me of a toy store display - much more inviting and practical too.  Now she can see all of her toys and point to the ones she wants to play with.   

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Showing a little leg

I thought I'd give a sneak peek at the progress on my settee makeover:

I'm already loving how this project is turning out.  It's one that I've had to recruit the handywork and expertise of my fabulously talented mother and mother-in-law.  Stay tuned for the big reveal...

Monday, March 28, 2011

Fabric Finds

After some careful consideration and a lot of blog surfing for inspiration, I've decided upon a color scheme for my newfound treasure and sunroom makeover.  BLUE.  A color I've shied away from since we bought our home four years ago...why, you ask?  Well, here's a glimpse back at what our house looked like when we first purchased it:
 

And the master bedroom:


And the living room:


....And one of the spare bedrooms:



 Ah, yes that blueberry blue was everywhere, and enough blue to last me, well, four years.  I'm finally coming around and am ready to give it another chance.  I decided that for this particular project, upholstery fabric was a must, so I took full advantage of JoAnn fabrics' sale currently going on.  I've always loved toile, but have never had the opportunity to use it anywhere.  Well, I finally found the perfect place for it.  Here's a snapshot of the gorgeous fabric that will soon embrace the "new" old settee:



And here's a snapshot of the materials I'm using for the project as well as a few other fabrics I'll use for pillows and other accents in the sunroom makeover:



Check back in to see the after shots!






Thursday, March 24, 2011

A Treasure Hunt

I love to pop into consignment and antique shops every now and again to see if there are any hidden treasures just waiting to be found.  I ventured out this week to a few nearby, looking for a great deal on some old bar stools.  Well, I haven't found any that have fit the bill just yet, but I did stumble across something great along the way.  I've been seeing a lot of old furniture revamps on some of my favorite HGTV shows.  So, when I spotted this little gem hiding amongst old ash trays, lamps, and dishware, I was instantly intrigued.  It was in a room marked 50% off (music to my ears!).  I mustered up the nerve to ask if they'd take $60 for it (someone wise once told me, just ask - all they can say is no, or in this case - YES!) I'm certainly taking a risk on this one since its not your typical unscrew-staple-rescrew-type-deal, but I'm never one to shy away from a challenge.   Here is a picture of my newfound treasure:


The task at hand is to find some great fabric to reupholster this baby.  I'll also use a complimenting color to paint the wooded frame and legs to give it a whole new, updated look.  Here's a little before-and-after snack to hold you over:  I decided to paint the little desk in my kitchen/dining room to match all of my other freshly-painted white furniture in there.  Here it is before:

And here it is after a new paint job and some new hardware:


A closer look:


I think I'll find a cute chair to use with it - maybe something to contrast the white.  Total cost for this project $1.87. (I still have leftover white paint, I found the hardware at Home Depot for $1.87)

Monday, March 21, 2011

Wallpaper taste, Wrapping paper budget

I was inspired by another blog to redo my china cabinet (which now lives in the little one's playroom). I decided however that $350 a roll for wallpaper was a little out of my budget.  So, I found some pretty wrapping paper to use instead.  Here is the before picture (not a great one, apologies!) of my dated china cabinet:



Here it is after it's paint job:


  And here is my china cabinet now:



What's neat about this project is that I can easily change out the wrapping paper for different seasons, style, mood, etc. Total cost: $28.95 ($18.95 for wrapping paper, $10 for foam board ).   If you'd like to give this a try, here's how I did it:

1. Purchase a few rolls of wrapping paper.


 2. Purchase foam board (I used 10 boards from the dollar store).


3. Measure the inside of each shelf, and cut foam board to fit exactly.


4. Wrap paper around the foam board and secure with tape.


5. Place papered foam board into each shelf.
6. Step back, enjoy!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Stool Makeover

It took me a little longer than expected to find a fabric to cover the stools I rescued from the garage.  I haven't been all too impressed with the local fabric store so I went hunting around in some unusual places to find a good deal on something that could double as a fabric cover.  Well, a little extra searching paid off.  I stumbled upon these really pretty towels (pictured below) at Target for $9.99 a piece.  I figured since one towel could cover both stools it was a pretty good deal (not a great deal, but pretty good).  Here is another peek at the stools before their makeover:


And here they are after:


Here's a shot of the stools pushed in:


And a closer look at the fabric:


I really like the spring-like feeling these stools bring to the dining room.  They are so soft and inviting - exactly what I was hoping for.  If you would like to try this on your own, here's how:

1. Find a great fabric (and don't forget to look in all of the "unusual" places).


2. Unscrew the seats of the stools and remove old fabric. (check out the new Vanna White!)


3. Pin old fabric to new fabric, and cut out the pattern.


4. Use a staple gun to attach new fabric.



5. Screw on new seat cushion.
6. For a fresh look, give your stools some white paint.
7. Stand back, and enjoy!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Coming up next...

I think I'll make use of these two old stools that were just lying around in the garage.  A fresh coat of paint and some new fabric should do it.  Stay tuned for the after shots!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Subtle but sweet

I've recently been on a "painting things white" kick...and the other night I decided that I was going to finally take the plunge and paint our cream-colored kitchen island to match the kitchen cabinets, trim, and doors.  Since the island was already cream, I was hoping that I wouldn't need 4 coats of paint to get it bright white. Luckily, this time it only took me 3 coats...hey - I'm happy. Here is the island before "rembrandt" got a hold of it (not a huge difference in color, but enough to make me cringe):


And here it is after:



...And just for fun, lets take a peek back at what the kitchen looked like when we first bought the house:



Check out the old countertops, floors and trim around the window before its 4 coats of white paint!  A few things on my to-do list:  Find inexpensive stools to fit under the kitchen island,  change out or just remove current window treatment, remove the dated cornice over the window, paint refrigerator black, or (sigh) white...

Saturday, March 12, 2011

A shower gift

One of my favorite gifts I received as a bride-to-be was a package which held a few bottles of wine...but these were not just any ordinary bottles of wine. Carefully crafted on each label were the first big milestones my husband and I would reach together as a couple:  First Christmas, First House, First Anniversary, First Baby.  These custom-made wine bottles quickly became a tradition in my family.  I was recently invited to a bridal shower and decided this was the perfect gift for the bride-to-be:



If you'd like to give this a try, here's how:
1. Purchase 4 bottles of wine. (if you know the bride-to-be's favorite kind - all  the better!)


2. Find card stock, or scrapbooking paper to use as the "new" label:


3. Buy shipping labels to write each milestone on, and practice a few times before choosing a font:



4. Use the wine bottle's current label as a guide to measure how big the new label should be:

5. Cut and glue the card stock around each bottle, and carefully place the sticky label onto the bottles to complete the project:


ENJOY!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Clean and pristine: server after shots

Alas, I have yet to complete a project in fewer than 4 coats of paint.  But a wise person once told me that “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” I just keep telling myself that as I paint, paint, paint, paint, away.  Anyhow – here are the after pics of the table I rescued from the garage.   


Here's another shot of the table before:




I found great hardware at Lowes on clearance (one of my favorite words these days!) for a whopping $0.74 a knob.  I couldn't get to the register fast enough with these babies.  Total cost for this project was $1.57 (factoring in sales tax - the paint was left over from the dining room set makeover). 




A small confession:  When I finished the last coat of paint on the server last night, I realized there was still a considerable amount of paint left in the rolling pan.  Never wanting to waste a drop of my precious white paint, and not quite ready to put the paint brush down, I decided to put it to good use.  The kitchen island that we bought a few years ago has always bugged me because it came in “cream,” not bright white (which would have matched the cabinetry, trim, etc. etc. etc.).  Well, I thought to myself – maybe this time I won’t need 4 coats of paint, and with that I began painting away.  Before and after pics to come. 

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Repurposing an old table

Have I mentioned that I like to paint things white?  I found this old table in our garage.  I think I'll give it new life as a server in the dining room.  Here's a peak at it in its original state:


By painting it white, and giving it some new hardware - I think this just might work.  Check in later to see my after shots.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Drapery on a Dime

I took a risk with this one.  I was very afraid that in the end it would look like I was drying my laundry on a bunch of curtain rods.  Thankfully though, not the case.  I mentioned in my previous posts that I stumbled across a great deal on blankets ($9.88 each).  They are (pictured below) bright white with great texture.  They worked well on the chair covers so I decided to snatch up a few more and make curtains out of them.  With the help of a few packages of curtain hooks ($3.95 a package of 14) I was able to give the blankets a new life.  I think they give a "shabby chicish" look to the dining area:




And remember that ugly air conditioner in the wall?  (Here's a pic to jog your memory):



 I used a curtain to make it appear as though there is a window there instead:


Here's a shot of the cafe rings I got at Walmart to hang the blankets:


So, for a total cost of $47.42 I was able to outfit the dining room with drapes and give it a softer, "shabby-chic" look.  Not bad considering 90" drapes typically cost $40 a panel.