Hutch Top Turned into a Cabinet

The cabinet in my laundry room used to be the top of a hutch that I picked up at a flea market for around $30. The only before picture I could find was this one.

It’s a simply made (probably homemade) shelf unit. It had the “legs” on it so that it could be on top of a lower cabinet. You get the idea. I needed closed storage in my laundry room in a bad way. After I priced upper cabinets, uh, not gonna happen, I started looking around the house. Nothing is safe around here. I had another hutch top in the garage that was too big for the space. So I asked Rob to use the doors off of it to make a closed cabinet. I think he did a great job.

He cut the bottom off and sanded it. Added a piece of 1x12 to the middle, so that the doors would fit, and then I painted them. I didn’t have the heart to paint the chippy white sides. I love ‘em. I might end up painting the front off- white. Are you always tweaking like I am? Are you my kinda crazy? ha
More detail.
 

It’s a tiny laundry room so the added storage really helps. Now I’m on the hunt for a cabinet for the powder room. Wish me luck!
Tanya
I’m linking up with Between Naps on the Porch.

Cloth Napkins & Tablecloth

We’ve been trying to use cloth napkins a lot more around here. It works best if I have them on or near the table. This is my solution.

Keep them in a basket and they’re easy to use and put away after washing.

Rob also mentioned that he really likes a tablecloth on the table,which surprised me because he doesn’t usually have an opinion on such things. I’m not a big tablecloth fan except for holidays. I’d prefer not to have another thing to wash. But, hey if it will keep everyone at the table longer, then I’m for it!

I found this blue linen one in my stash. I love the color but it’s too long and it needs a serious ironing. Since that’s not likely to happen, I’ll call it the casual, beachy look.

We both agreed that some changes need to happen in our dining room this year. A new (larger) tabletop, which we’ll make and more comfortable chairs. Of course they have to be adorable. Also, a new light fixture. Maybe something industrial. The walls could use something too. This list is getting long. It’s going to take some time but I’ll keep you posted as we make progress.

It looks better in sepia…

 

Tanya

I Still Love Chalkboard Paint

I had some chalkboard paint left over in the garage. Around here, that can be dangerous. I had painted a little bit on the wall and framed it for a chalkboard as you can see here. That worked great until I moved the brown bookshelf upstairs. Then the frame fell down one night and scared us half to death. I left it off for awhile as you can see in this picture at Thanksgiving.

Before.

I stuck the frame back up for Christmas but by this time it was BUGGING me. So I pulled a little shabby desk up to it and painted the whole wall with chalkboard paint. Rob added some vintage wheels onto the desk to make it the right height. I love it now. It’s a great little spot to sit and write and I could still serve drinks there for a party. Take a look.

After: A comfy place to sit and a few of my favorite things.

I didn’t write on the chalkboard because it wasn’t completely dry. But I had to let you take a look. What do you think? What will you paint with chalkboard paint this year?

 

Tanya

I’m linking up with Faded Charm!

Shabby Chic Aquarium

We have this 29 gallon aquarium that we bought last Christmas. Sounded like a good idea at the time. You know how it goes. Anyway, it was in my dining room and it was becoming an eyesore. Not really, but I can’t handle furniture that I can’t move around! So it had to go up to teenage son’s room or get a makeover. So we went on a thrift store shopping hunt for anything funky, kitschy or just different. We found this “blue boy” statue for $1. We both thought he looked like an artifact that had fallen from a Victorian shipwreck long ago. I added some decorative paper to the back and a couple of pottery Sake’ cups that we had. Voila! Now the aquarium gets to stay in the kitchen (where we moved it).

The fish seem to like it.

On another note, cooler weather and some rain have finally arrived. It’s beginning to feel like fall around here.

 

Until next time…

Just for fun say “turquoise purse” 3 times fast! Don’t look at the words as you say them. Can you do it on the first try?

 

Tanya

Repurposed Baskets to Nightstand

It’s a simple idea. Try some alternatives by your bedside; baskets, a stump, crates, books. Use what you have, throw a lamp on it, crawl in bed and read a book!

While you’re at it, why not put a vintage blanket up (on clip rings) for a funky,re-purposed curtain. I used this one for my linen closet upstairs. No sewing required!

More thrifty ideas to come. I’m full of it them!

Tanya

Thrifty Outdoor Table Setting

Summer is the perfect time to have dinner outside. I gathered a few things from around the house and garden to set an inviting table.

Come and see…

I have a chippy picnic table and benches that I picked up at a garage sale. I plan on refinishing it. But for now, I’ll use what I have.

I pulled a vintage glider up to the table to make it more comfortable and interesting. I added a lace tablecloth that was handmade by a grandmother. Wicker placemats are layered on. Add white dishes, vintage flatware, sparkly glasses, cloth napkins, and river stones.

The mix of rustic with refined, such as the crystal pedestal next to basic jar candles, keeps it casual. In lieu of blooms are fresh cut herbs surrounding a couple of nursery pots with ferns in them.

A little brown butterfly couldn’t resist the Oregano blossoms.

Canning jars and a galvanized bin work perfectly to keep the iced tea and lemonade chilled.

Add in a few comfortable cushions and hopefully you’ll linger at the table while it’s still warm and green outside.

Use what you have. Set the table, add some natural elements from the garden, mix rustic and refined, and make it comfortable.

Enjoy your Summer meals without buying anything but the groceries!

Tanya

I’m linking up with The Shabby Nest and Faded Charm. Go visit them for more inspiration and fun! Of course, after you leave me a comment.

Closet Door Before & After

When we carved out a space for our pantry in the kitchen, some of the closet under the stairs was sacrificed. This was ok by me because it actually made the odd space at the back more useable. However, I hated that it didn’t have a door!

You might recognize that shoe rack! Anyway, I now have a door and I want to show it to you.

Ta da!

I think she’s lovely. We (of course by “we” I mean Rob) used hardware that is traditionally used to frame up a fence gate.

It’s still kind of messy in there. But it gives a place for mail, vacuum hoses, and backpacks to live. I did a whitewash on the actual door and painted the trim. What do you think? Should I just go ahead and paint it? Your opinion please…

I’m linking up at Cindy’s Romantic Home. So much fun and inspiration that you have to check it out!

Tanya

Thrift Store Frames

Most of my house has what I call “awkward wall space.” These are spaces that traditional art or wall decor won’t fit or just looks…awkward. Besides, although I love it, I’m too cheap frugal to spend a lot of cash on art. Of course up-cycling has become an art in itself, no?

The first place I’m showing you is in my kitchen. There’s a hallway that leads to my garage but it has a nice big window. It was ok but still needed a little something.

“Why not my kids artwork?” I asked myself.

I placed the artwork in thrifted frames that I had stashed away. The pop of color is just perfect.

The next area in need of help was also in my kitchen. I had removed my large windowpane chalkboard and now the wall was naked!

Back into my frame stash. This time I pulled out a large one and stapled chicken wire on the back. Adding stamped clothespins turned it into a message/photo board. It’s a great place to put pictures, sayings, schoolwork, reminders, or anything else that you can pin up with a clothespin (not including your laundry).

Well, there you have it. A couple of ideas for all of those garage sale frames that you’ve been hanging onto. Go forth and fill them!

Tanya

Loft Transformed to Family Room

Another day, another tour! I want to show you our upstairs loft. I’ve tried to use it  in several different ways and none of them seemed to work. It has wonderful light, high ceilings, and large windows. However, it doesn’t have a closet or any privacy. So it’s not practical for a bedroom.

Here it is before I ripped up the stained carpet.

Yuck! I pulled up the carpet and put a couple of coats of Sherwin Williams porch paint on the plywood. After new paint on the walls and the addition of my “bleached” couch, it started to come together.

Here it is now.

My favorite part of the room is the light fixture which replaced an outdated ceiling fan. I fished it out of the dumpster of a furniture store! No, I didn’t go digging around. I was driving by and saw them as they were throwing it away. I asked if I could have it and actually scored two of them! The coffee table was $10. at a garage sale. I had to literally dig it out of the garage. Of course it had an ugly, old finish on it that begged to be covered with paint. The pillows I made myself.

We have loved the loft as a family room and I think that it will stay that way for a long while.

I’m still working on getting the tv side of the room looking like I want it to. Ugly cords showing aren’t my favorite.

The best part is that it got the tv out of my smallish living room. Now when my grown kids come over, there’s room for everyone to hang out.

What do you think? Good use of this space? What would you use it for?

Tanya

Living Room Reveal

Here we go. A little tour of some changes that I’ve made. I got rid of a lot of “stuff” that I just didn’t love. The only money that I spent was on two vintage chairs and a very used ottoman , which I slipcovered. Otherwise I shopped the house.

I’ve really pared down a lot of the clutter. Some of the elements that I wanted to include were:

I pulled my Ikea Ektorp couch out of my bedroom and added some squishy, down pillows. I already had the fabric and pillow forms in my stash. The curtains from my bedroom also came in here to soften the blinds at the window and cut down on glare.

I purchased two vintage chairs off of Craig’s list and I’ve slipcovered one of them. The other one is still a work in progress. I followed Miss Mustard Seeds’s video tutorial. She’s a genius!

A couple of pillows on a trunk turn it into extra seating.

A couple of hand-made pieces organized my entry area with style. Rob made this coat rack out of vintage hooks that I found at a flea market.

A painted table with casters added for height was just right to place under my twig mirror as well as a place for much needed extra lighting.

I usually shy away from too much collecting of things that aren’t useful. However, I do have a rock collection that the whole family enjoys. I say the more unique your collection, the better.

A collection of vases.

A collection of ferns held in terrariums brings the outdoors inside.

Even river rocks can look beautiful when placed inside of a pretty container. I love their texture.

Vintage dictionary pages rolled up in a jar add a fun touch on the entry table.

If you limit your colors to two or three, even unrelated items look like they belong together.

There you have it. A tiny tour of a living room that used to drive me crazy. Now it feels relaxed, personalized, and a lot more completed. Will there be more changes to come? Of course. But they will likely be just small changes instead of the big chucking of everything in the room that happened recently!

I hope you like it. Tomorrow, I’ll show you how I transformed our messy loft into a fun and funky family room. Say that five times fast!

Tanya

I’m participating in White Wednesday and Transformation Monday. Go check ‘em out!