These mid-century modern tables have sleek lines were good project pieces with a lot of lessons. Another way to say this is — I almost threw these out because it was challenging all along the way. Ever have a project that you think is a good idea in the beginning and just lose steam? I was feeling that with these two tables. If I started with the “finish” photo in mind, it would have been much easier. I love “before” pictures”. This is what these tables looked like before I started. I was overly optimistic that I would be able...
Furniture Fixes
Serena & Lily Inspired Dip Dyed Stool
These “Serena and Lily Dip Dyed Stools” are so simple and pretty, but a bit expensive! I wanted to build a DIY version of this and searched for some hacks. In the end, I used tips from Shanty 2 Chic on cutting circles and others for tips on attaching the legs and House Becoming Home for tips as well. This is the inspiration picture! Isn’t she pretty? The materials for this were not expensive, apart from the tools, which I consider an investment. I used a single 2 x 4 x 8 (less than $6); a 2 inch dowel (~$15,...
Refinished Garage Sale Desk
Making spaces for home schooling is a big topic this year and it doesn’t need to be expensive. This piece was a garage sale find that was gifted to my sister (Cost = $0) . It was refinished using primer, poly, powder glaze, sponges, bondo, shellac that were all on hand. (Cost = $0) The only purchase was a quart of paint that was on sale! ($13) This is a super solid piece and needed only a minor repair on the drawer using bondo. I sanded it down to scuff the surface and mostly removing the varnish. I used a...
Settee Upholstery Success!
Upholstery can be daunting – but, doesn’t have to be! I took an online course created by @chairwhimsy (Wendy Conklin) and it approached upholstery with some simple chairs and worked my way to this settee. My neighbor’s settee needing re upholstery is pictured below. The piece looks to be about 100 years old based on the nails used to attach the fabric and the hay used for cushion. The most challenging part of this project was removing the fabric. The nails were difficult to remove and especially without damaging the wood. I did some minor repair on the wood and...
Cedar Chest Refinished
This little gem has been sitting in my garage for a couple of years and it was time to make it pretty again. It is a super solid piece with great storage and built in the 1950’s. It is made of red cedar with a lot of red undertones. My first thought was to strip it and then stain it a lighter color. (It’s nice wood so I was reluctant to paint.) Even after stripping and sanding, it was too red to take a light stain. Instead I used Sherwin Williams Snowbound that I had on hand and gold paint...
Three Basic Updates to Make Your Laundry Room a Happy Place
Anything I can do to make doing laundry a bit more enjoyable, I am all for it. In my case, changing the aesthetic of the room definitely uplifted the vibe and made it more pleasing to enter the room. Now, to be clear, I am not doing cartwheels over doing laundry. I’m not crazy. But, these three basic updates will easily change the look of the room. It’s always fun to see the room from the start. My laundry room had a very 1990’s vibe with oak cabinets, medium green walls and vinyl flooring. Flooring As with any room, the...
Powder Glazed Sideboard | Beautiful Detail
I found this little gem and its larger buffet companion (which turned into a vanity) at an estate sale several years ago at a great price. Both pieces were solid construction, with beautiful detail and perfect for a powder glaze finish! I was a little hesitant to paint this piece initially, however, it has some damage on top. I used a powder glaze technique. In simple steps, this means I cleaned and primed the piece. I applied two coats of Sherwin Williams Snowbound ProClassic using my Home Right paint sprayer. I love the finish with a paint sprayer. After the...
Master Bath Vanity & Storage
Re-purposing solid, beautiful, furniture pieces gives me joy! AND, furniture inspired bathroom vanities made a this project really fun and a challenge. I rehabbed the master bath in my investment property which included a new double bowl sink vanity. Since I had good luck with fashioning a buffet into a vanity at my house, I decided to give it another try. I purchased this piece from Facebook marketplace for $75, which included a hutch. It was a bit too country looking for my taste, so I removed and replaced the front wood panel. I added a shelf on the bottom...
Office Storage Refresh
We all have that piece of furniture that no longer quite fits in with the new decor. This Pier One piece is about 20 years old and is Asian inspired. So with a little plywood, paint sticks, paint and hardware, this little beauty got a facelift. Supplies Sherwin Williams Primer Sherwin Williams Naval Paint MinWax Polycrylic Protective Finish HomeRight Super Finish Max Power Paint Sprayer ABN Stainer Cone Funnel Sand paper, 120 grit TSP DAP Wood Filler Paint Sticks, 5 Gallon Miter and Table Saw 1/4 inch plywood Wood glue Staple gun HInges and knobs NEW PANELS I removed the...
TV Tray Refresh
Ever find yourself needing extra table space? Take those plain-Jane TV trays and give them some color, fun and function! This DIY was so easy that I made a few pairs of trays and gave them as gifts. SUPPLIES TV Trays (I found mine on Facebook Marketplace, estate sales, Craigslist – average price was $5/tray.) TSP Cleaner All Surface Enamel Latex Primer All Surface Enamel Latex Paint (2 colors, one for base and another for lettering) MinWax Polycrylic Protective Finish Paint roller (small, foam) Paint brush Make up sponge Stencil Paint tape STEPS 1. Clean the TV Trays with TSP...
Sewing Machine | Refinished
This little beauty was a great $50 find at an estate sale. It was a solid piece and the wood was in good condition. It really just needed a new finish. I just don’t have the heart to paint over pretty wood, especially antiques – so, I stripped and stained it. No new or fancy techniques. I just used stripper, denatured alcohol, a palm sander and went to work. Not a fun job – but, always so satisfying when it’s done.
Upscaled Buffet with Paint and Hardware
Paint and hardware can totally transform any piece of furniture. I purchased this buffet at an estate sale for $30. To be honest, it wasn’t a great quality piece of furniture, but it had tons of storage. And, I wanted to experiment with using SW Naval on a piece – so, this was a low risk opportunity to do that. The paint color was the biggest factor in transforming the piece. (SW Naval) One of the drawers had a broken corner that needed to be “camouflaged”. I looked on Pinterest to see what I could do. I found these L...