9/22/2013

Dining Room Makeover Part 2


It's been a few weeks since we started revamping our dining area so I wanted to give a little progress update. Here's a reminder of where we started. 

The white Eiffel chairs arrived a few days after ordering and they have been great! They're sturdy, comfortable and easy to clean. Jesse assembled and hung the sliding barn door but it needs a few modifications and a coat of stain. I also completed an artsy/craftsy project for the long wall. 

The space already looks a lot better, but of course there is still a lot I want to do! I'm hoping that with the deck and shed finished up I can nag Jesse into building a trestle style dining table and installing this vintage milk-glass light fixture.



While Jesse is busy with electrical work and furniture building, my next project-within-a-project will be to paint stripes on the long wall. I saw this A-MAZING striped wall on pinterest via Design Sponge and I'm going to attempt to mimic it in subtler colors (khaki + white).


9/21/2013

Vintage School Chair Revamp

Today is the last day of summer, which means "Spray Paint Season" is ending. I’m so happy I had a chance to indulge in over half a dozen spray paint projects this summer. Each revamped item added a touch more pretty to our ever improving home. This fall, Jesse and I will be preparing the outside of our house for winter (raking, cleaning gutters, staining both the deck and shed) so this vintage school chair will probably be the last spray paint project until spring. 
Vintage School Chair
We needed a chair to go with B’s desk and the one I was eyeballing from Land of Nod was $69. I thought I might save some cash by going with a vintage school chair, but it didn’t exactly work out. The chair was $45 (did I pay too much?) and re-finishing materials were $15. I didn't save much money, but the vintage chair is more unique, more us. Plus, I got to practice my wood re-finishing skills and seeing/creating the transformation was super gratifying.

Vintage School Chair Refinished and Repainted

Vintage School Desk and Chair Revamped with Paint

Ta-da! Isn't that the cutest 'lil desk and chair?! 
This project was fun, but I don't think I will ever take on a large piece of furniture, sanding is way too tedious! Have you ever refinished (sanded + stained) a piece of old furniture? How'd it go?

UPDATED: 10.21.13
I paid way too much for my vintage school chair!  They were everywhere at Junkstock and most were priced under twenty dollars.  This school chair was already nicely re-finished and the dealer only wanted sixteen dollars for it. Sixteen dollars! Ouch! I'm embarrassed to say that I should have started my hunt by at least performing a five minute Google search to see what a fair price would be. Ugh. Lesson learned.

9/15/2013

I Heart Fall: What to Wear for Family Photos

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. The combination of blue skies, gold leaves, crisp air and soft light feels so magical to me. Add the packed calendar of fun activities and projects and I am feeling positively blithe!


To kick off the season, we are taking family photos at our friend's acreage. I'm planning photos featuring a golden pasture, tree lined road, old tractor and perfectly rustic barn. I put together outfit ideas on Polyvore so I'll have a clear idea of what I need to dig out of our closets or buy new.
Here are a few more things I have lined up:
Check out my "I Heart Fall" Pinterest board for more fall inspiration!

9/09/2013

Vintage School Desk Revamp

These days, nothing is safe from the threat of me spray painting it. Let's count up this summer's victims projects; two tension rod lamps, two picture frames, two kitchen bar stools a five piece patio set and now this desk. Yikes! Jesse and I keep joking that hopefully the weather will cool off soon and "Spray Paint Season" will be over. My latest revamp is this nifty kids desk that my mom found at a rural flea market. She is THE BEST Vintage Scout EVER!
Vintage School Desk Before

Vintage school desk revamped with spray paint
Yesterday, Jesse removed the desk top and I painted over the institutional blue with a semi-gloss white. The transformation is nothing ground breaking, but I think it looks more crisp.
Thanks, Mom, for the awesome find! (PS - I still owe you 20 bucks.)

9/07/2013

Thrifty Find: Mod Plastic Shell Chair


Yesterday afternoon, Jesse stopped by our neighbor's yard sale to say "hi" and be neighborly when he saw this little mod chair and picked it up for five dollars. The funny thing is that, unbeknownst to Jesse, I had gone over in the morning and inspected the chair but decided I didn't really need it. Later in the day, I started to think about what fun it would be to revamp the little mod chair; but when I arrived home from work I couldn't see it in the neighbor's driveway so I figured it had sold. 
My husband is just the best ever. I don't know how I got so lucky. Not only does he encourage and help me with my crazy DIY projects; he now picks up orphaned furniture for me too! 
Oh Little Mod Chair, you won't recognize yourself when I'm through with your makeover!

9/01/2013

Thrift Store Art Project

We needed "Art" or something for the wall in our dining area. My first thought was to do a mini gallery wall, but then I was inspired by the "Make Art" piece I found on Polyvore. I wanted to make something with a fun quote and hang it on the wall. But what exactly? I was driving down the interstate by myself when I thought of this and I started to laugh out loud because I thought it was so damn funny.
Canvas can be pricey, so I picked up a junky piece of wall art from a thrift store instead (FYI it was just a print, not an original masterpiece). Besides, actual canvas is for actual artists, which I am not. I'm just kinda crafty.
DiY Thrift Store Wall Art - Before

DiY Thrift Store Wall Art

DiY Thrift Store Wall Art

Feelin' inspired? Good! Here's the supply list:
icky wall art from thrift store - 20
spray paint - 6
letter stencils - 10
sample size jar of paint - 4
painter's tape - 5
Project total - 45