Waterfall Vanity

I’ve been busy working on furniture lately.  I am hoping to have several pieces finished up soon…I want to get my garage cleaned out and I want to get as much painted as I can before it gets too hot for Summer. 
Sorry for the un-staged photos, this one was just to big to move around so I took them in the garage.
This great waterfall vanity is a different type of piece for me and it was really fun to paint!
Originally I had planned to paint this one green but when it came time to paint it just didn’t feel right so I went with ASCP in Aubusson Blue which is one of my favorite colors. 
 

I’m pretty happy with the way this one turned out.  Really great pop of color with nice smooth lines  I wanted to leave some of the decorative veneer in place and I think it really is nice to see those accent pieces. 
Here is the before, I almost forgot to get before pictures on this one so it is sans drawers.  


This piece came from an estate sale my Mom went to last Summer and it sat in waiting for a while.  In waiting were the roof was leaky and it got wet which cause a lot of the veneer to peel up and the drawers were really tight because the wood swelled up.  It took a lot of prep work to get this one paintable.  I would work  it in about 1 hour increments and come back to it as time allowed.  So it’s been sitting in the garage under construction since February.

I used an iron to get the veneer off by using a wet towel with a hot iron on top to steam the wood to pop off.  It was time consuming and pretty much ruined my iron.  Next time I have a piece with peeling veneer I will likely not take the project on.

The iron trick worked and it was a bit fun to scrap away all that veneer but it took a really long time!
On the flip side, this was a very easy piece to paint.  I only needed one coat of paint and the wax went on really easy too.

Close up of the veneer I did leave.  The knobs did not clean up real well so I used Rub-n-Buff in silver to finish those.

Here is a close  up of the mirror, it is really sweet and feminine with the etching on the top and bottom.

Did you notice the changes?  I removed the piece in the center under the middle drawer as well as the gold tiles and wood appliqué on the mirror.  I thought these changes gave the piece a simpler look. 
This piece is now for sale!  I am pretty pleased with the final result.  What do you guys think?  How do you like the veneer I left in place.  Are you a fan of vanities?

April
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Design Decisions that Last

You know, those decisions that you are going to have to live with for a while, sometimes longer than you want.  It seems like the right idea when you are in need of an item, later you realize it was not the best idea.  Or maybe you are very young and you have no idea what your personal design style is yet…that was me when I picked out this couch and chair for our very first home. 


I knew I wanted a reddish color couch that was solid.  We were also looking for a BIG comfy couch.  When Will and I first got married we had hand me down furniture and had been given a master bedroom set as a wedding gift from his parents but we had no living room furniture.  Well, I take that back, we did have Will’s college apartment couch that he shared with two other roommate's that looked like it was from the 70’s.  Not happening!  So we needed living room furniture quick.  We went to a very GOOD furniture store and picked out this couch and chair and they are both solid pieces.  The furniture store was about to close up for the day, the custom fabric order took 4 weeks to come in and so once we found the style we wanted we had to pick the fabric quick and get it ordered.  The color for the couch was perfect at the time, it was just what I wanted.  The green on the chair was a quick decision, it was August, must have had watermelon on the brain. 
Fast forward to now, I know my decorating style better and I would have gone with something way more neutral!  I am having to work around it in other areas of our home.  The house we are in now is open to the kitchen and dining room so I have to be careful how I chose colors for those areas.  I am trying to buy things that are more my style and I love whites, blues, browns with small pops of color.  I love a coastal or cottage look.  My favorite store for inspiration is Pottery Barn.   Couches are expensive so….I have to work with it for now.
The kitchen is right beside the living room. 


Our kitchen has very dark cabinetry so I am trying to keep things on the counter top minimum and add clear or white accents.  I did purchase the rug from World Market when we moved in, it has the same colors of the couch and chair and also purple which matches my dishes and Kitchen Aid mixer, which stays out.
I am having a little more trouble decorating the dining area.


The small chair I had recovered a few years back and it was in our living room before, I thought bringing it over to this area helped tie the colors together.  I had a lot of trouble choosing the color for the china cabinet because I wanted the blue but it really doesn’t go with the living room furniture.  It’s a work in progress but it’s ok for now.  I’m considering bringing in my round table with these dining chairs and adding some artwork. 
As for the couch and chair, we hope to one day use it in a bonus room because it is very comfy and great for lounging. 

Maybe one day it will look like this….

Source: www.bhg.com, Better Homes & Gardens

What design decisions do you regret?  Do you have issues with choosing color over neutral?

April

Updated Barstools

I heart barstools!  I grew up with a bar counter in our kitchen and love the idea of having an area to sit and chat while cooking is going on or for when I am eating alone.  Our last house had an abnormally high bar and no barstools were high enough to work so it’s nice have this option in our new kitchen. 
My Aunt recently gave me her old stools and they sat in our kitchen for about a month or more before I was inspired to fix them up.  Last week Amy over at Eat.Sleep.Decorate inspired me to get moving in this POST.  I went back and forth in my mind debating over using a pop of color or going neutral.  Will liked them black because they blended with the cabinets but the seats needed recovering and I also felt that they needed to pop a little.  So I opted to go for a more industrial look and painted them stainless steel.


Here is a look at the before.


Now they stand out but are still neutral enough to blend in with my living room furniture.


I used Krylon Stainless Steel spray paint for the color.  I first sanded the chairs lightly and they simply sprayed 3 light coats of color. 

The top portion is wood and I wanted to make it look more like wood and stand out.  I used CeCe Caldwell Chalk Paint in Virginia Chestnut with a clear wax.

The fabric came from Hobby Lobby and I bought just enough.  Those circles fooled me with their size.

I may eventually change the fabric to a solid, but for now I like the whimsy.  I am pretty pleased with how they turned out.  I have been using them every morning for breakfast and sometimes I work from the bar just to sit in the kitchen.

Here is a close up of those beautiful poppies I bought at the farmer’s market this weekend!

Also…all the pets wanted the be in these pictures.  Little Diva’s.

April

Stress of Life

This week I am going to tell you a little bit about my personal life.  I really prefer not to write about it on the blog but it absolutely affects the blog and projects that are completed so here goes….
This has been a hard week!  I have had many ups and downs from being stressed and upset to happy. 
As you long time readers know, me and my husband own a piece of land that we have developed into a neighborhood and we are actively trying to sell lots to builders.  You can read more Here and Here if you are unfamiliar.  We purchased the land 5 years ago and began this journey.  Little did we know when we purchased the economy would take a downturn so we’ve been patiently waiting and trying to sell lots.  It was a huge risk that becomes more and more obvious to me as the days, weeks, and months pass.  We have had ups and downs all along the way mainly being financial stress for me.  I am NOT the risk taker, Will is. 
In the last year we have sold a total of 4 lots and currently there are 4 occupied homes in the neighborhood.  We are currently living in one.  Over the Winter we’ve had water lines installed to open up additional lots.  This is necessary to record lots and recorded lots are necessary to sell lots.  This week everything was finalized and recorded on the next phase of the neighborhood but it was no easy task.  I won’t go into all the details but it was a roller coaster ride of paperwork and funds to make it happen.  My husband did all the work and I worried all week!
Will did an awesome job running around getting paper work signed and making things happen.  The reason we needed everything to be complete in such a short time is because we have a few interested builders and we needed the lots recorded by the county and available for purchase. 
Purchasing this land and going through the motions of payments monthly and other expenses associated with the ownership has truly changed my life.  Having just turned 32, I certainly thought my life would look differently at this age.  As this weeks stress mounted I had a rush of emotions and felt like the process would never end, that we will never be able to move on with our lives.  In reality I know this is false.  
I am the type of person that will have one negative emotion and it brings up everything else that feels wrong in my life at the same time and feel miserable for a few days.  
This week felt like a breaking point….I had a wake up call.  I realized that I needed to eliminate stress from my life and stop being so hard on myself.  I also realized I need to have more fun and stop being so worried about the next project and get it done when I can. 
My Mema’s (grandma) brother, Freeman,  died this week and his funeral was Wednesday.  It was the best service.  He was a man of few words but his life was celebrated in the best way and the reflection of a life well lived really got to me.  It really made me think about changing things and making things better and easier on myself. 
As you all know, we have moved 4 times since June of last year and that has been tough.  The moving has been in an effort to build and sell in the neighborhood.  
I have struggled with two things during this phase of life more than ever. 
I have gained 15-20  pounds that won’t  budge. I know I don’t exercise and eat like I should.  I’ve always been an emotional eater and that is definitely the case. 
We have also struggled to find a church home since we’ve been married.  I am a member of my hometown church and have just not been able to find one that compares, but I crave a church home and I need the messages and teachings  in my life. 
I know if I can get these two things under control my life will be better and  I will be happier. 
So today I made two positive changes…We went to a new church this morning and I ran for 20 minutes this afternoon.  Already my heart feels more filled and my legs are killing me!
As for moving ahead I am making small positive changes to better myself and manage my stress level.  How it affects the blog…I will still be here and I will do what I can when I can.  I have a mountain of projects including those for the new house. 

But and a big BUT, I don’t want the projects to run my life.  I am still a wife, cook, animal mom, and have a 40+ hour per week job.  I am also determined to find more time for a healthier lifestyle and more importantly GOD! 
So there you have it…my week, my life, all out on the table. 
I clean to make myself feel better…some people would say that is the real sickness.  I now have an organized potting bench and paint station in my garage thanks to this weeks events. 

Before

After

My week did end very happy!  It’s going to be alright! Good things are to come with the land sales and I am optimistic about the future.  Everyone has moments in life and this was one of mine, I hope my small changes make a big impact!

April

Nightstand Makeover

I worked on a smaller furniture piece recently that turned out lovely.  This piece was in great shape and just needed a little paint.  Such a sweet look. 

I painted this piece with Maison Blanche, color  Sugar Cane and the drawer accent is painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in color Paloma.  I accented with silver Rub–n-Buff on the pull and edging on the top.

Here’s a look at the before and after side by side.

I’m really loving the colors on this piece.  I think it would be a really cute in a little girls room or a soft, feminine bedroom.  This one is for sale, hoping it finds a home soon. 

What projects have you guys been up to lately?

 

April