Detective Detergent

If my deducing skills are up to snuff, I'd say we have another case of 'entering the home through the laundry room' on our hands.  I came to this conclusion by observing the deadbolt on the door and the coathooks and rug nearby.  Or maybe I've been watching too much Elementary lately.  (Have you been watching it?  It's so good. The finale knocked my socks off!)

But back to the case. When I noted that Krista had disguised her telltale washer and dryer with a cute little curtain, I knew for certain that this was no ordinary laundry room.  And my suspicions proved correct when Krista admitted that it was, in fact, a glorified mud room/laundry room/hallway/closet. Precisely why she was eager to add more functionality and style to this space. Case adorably closed.

See more on Krista's blog The Happy Housie.

 

PS: Congrats to our Folio Creations winner, Megan Harrison!  I will be emailing you ASAP!

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Dipping Down Dressser

Are you a DIY dynamo?  Or more of a take-your-time-a-mo?  Or start-a-project-with-good-intentions-then-get-tired-of-it-quickly-and-pretend-it-doesen't-exist-when-you-see-it-sadly-sitting-there-in-your-garage-a-mo?  I think you can guess what I am.  But there's value in that approach too!

Shannon loved this dresser she found at an auction, but not so much the 'banana pudding' color scheme.  So she gave it a coat of white primer, and got no further than that for nearly a year.  But by then, the white had grown on her. So she finally finished it off with a glossy top-coat and a dipped look by painting the bottom in gold, and I'd say it was definitely worth the wait.  See it on her blog Burlap and Lace.   

And check out her makeover of the wall right here.

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In Zinc

You're all I ever wanted! Zinc furniture, you're all I ever needed, YEAHH.  So tell me what to do now, 'cuz I can't ... afford ... you ...  (That was an N'Sync joke in case you couldn't tell, or are way younger than me).

Yes, zinc furniture is what all the hip kids are into these days.  Check out any Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware catalog, and you're sure to see some hardcore zinc happening.  You are also sure to see price-tags that will make you choke on your own tongue.  But, good news: you can easily recreate that zinc look yourself!

Check out this formerly flat, matte, and unexciting table top that Shelly at Shizzle Design made shine with several paint and wax treatments.  At one point, she had sprayed water on the wet paint, which gave it a really cool aged and spotted look, but then she claims she messed up and added another coat which ruined it. I don't think it looks ruined at all Shelly, still looks great to me!  It added so much more depth and detail.

So, if you like the zinc look, knock it off!  As in, make a knock-off, like Carrie at Painted Furniture Ideas did with her nightstand. Check out her blog for a thorough rundown on how exactly she achieved the zinc-like finish you see here. 

Debbie also hopped on board the zinc-train with this dresser makeover.  The white had to go, as well as the flower decal, which she replaced with a nail-head design to complement the metallic motif.  (Now that I think about it, maybe I should have started off this post with a Metallica joke instead.  I'll save that one for another time).  See it on her blog Painted Therapy

Feeling overwhelmed?  Don't be!  You don't have work with large items of furniture only.  You can zinc-ify anything. See what Kelly did with this little bird statue? So chic!  Plus, she's got even more small items getting zinc-y with it on her blog DTTD: imagine design create.

 

And finally, one last attendee at our zinc round-up.  This table from Aimee at The Vintage Estate was just dying for a zinc-treatment.  C'mon, look at those handles.  They were way ahead of the game. Now they look right at home with the new paint, which you'll notice has more of a white undertone, particularly on top. You could also go with more black to make a deeper look too.  There are so many techniques out there for achieving this look, why not give it a shot!  Then send your pictures to me!

PS: Last chance to enter the Folio Creations giveaway!

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Win a $1000 Shopping Spree from Krrb and Apartment Therapy!  

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Thrift Shop Hop

Sometimes you just want a quick fix, you know?  Remodeling a bathroom? Reupholstering a sectional?  Ain't nobody got time for that. So today I present to you some fun and easy projects that you could probably whip out in a few hours or less.

Step one: hop on over to your local thrift shop, where you are sure to find some decorative plates like Better After Britt did.  But, turns out her daughter thought the old-fashioned girls were way creepy, so she opted to stencil on a set of bird silhouettes instead.  Totally cute and non-creepy!

And while you're at the thrift store, don't be so quick to pass up something like this tulip-infested milk jug. Simply look past the speckled paint job and the dead-eyed stare of the cow in her wallpapered pasture and appreciate its curvy shape instead. It makes a fantastic vase!  From the gals at Shabby Gals. 

And, if you hit the thrift shop lottery like Christy did, you too might come upon a $13 wobbly old dress form that could use a little love.  Christy put her back together, cinched her up tight and re-dressed her in a bold print that matched the bedroom, where she now stands at attention, proudly displaying jewelry. See her in action on Christy's blog This From That.

Win a $1000 Shopping Spree from Krrb and Apartment Therapy!  

Details HERE.

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California Dreaming Dresser

This post is dedicated to my mom and sister who are living it up in California as we speak, without me. Bunch of lame-o's. They are planning to go to Disneyland and go shopping and hit the beach. I'm planning to fold some laundry and sweep my driveway.  It's practically the same thing.  Except NOT. They're probably drinking colorful beverages and hanging out of the back of a convertible and starring in a music video right now.  Well, guess what?  I've got this adorable dresser makeover by Debbie at Painted Therapy to distract me, so ... wait, is that a beach cruiser?  Et tu, Debbie!?

Like that?  Check out Debbie's red bike dresser right here.
*sniff*

Win a $1000 Shopping Spree from Krrb and Apartment Therapy!  

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Boring Kitchen Affliction Eviction

Chances are, you or someone you love suffers with Boring Kitchen Affliction. I've seen it a hundred times. Heck, I've seen this exact kitchen layout a hundred times. But Cheri wasn't content to live her life this way.  She was sick of being sick of her kitchen. So armed with nothing but paint, stain, and a bit of lumber, she took charge and eradicated Boring Kitchen Affliction from her life one honey-colored cabinet at a time.  Ask your doctor how you too can be Boring Kitchen free, or better yet, get more information on Cheri's blog Burlap and Tin.

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From white to RIGHT white.

If you've ever needed help explaining to others why the heck you bother painting something just to sand it up and distress it when you're done, I present to you this dresser makeover from Christina.  Before: white and distressed.  After: white and distressed.  But OBVIOUSLY better!  Right?  Right!

So the next time some smart-alec tries to give you a hard time about painting something old just to make it look more old, simply show them these pictures and be like, OH YEAH? WELL WHO'S THE IDIOT NOW, YOU INCOMPETENT FOOL!?!  Actually, that wouldn't be very nice, I don't advise that.  Just let the pictures speak for themselves.

See more from Christina and her lovely $20 flea market dresser on her blog The Frugal Homemaker.

Win a $1000 Shopping Spree from Krrb and Apartment Therapy!

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In The Auto Zone

Gentleman, (all, like, six of you) start your engines.  I've got some man cave inspiration for you.  It all began with this $25 vanity from ReStore, which looked like an unsalvageable hunk of water-damaged firewood to me. But not to Eden. Eden knew this could be the perfect starting point for her manly-man bathroom makeover.

With a completely blank slate of a bathroom and three boys plus a car-obsessed husband in her pit-crew, she hit the automotive-theme throttle full force and didn't look back. You have to check out her blog DIYHer for all the details, like the tire-mats she used for the black wall, the pegboard wall, the faux 'vessel' sink, the aluminum plating that cost her a mere $47, and the toolbox for holding toiletries.  Take a victory lap, Eden!
 

Also, check out Eden's unforgettable Mama Cave too!

Win a $1000 Shopping Spree from Krrb and Apartment Therapy!

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Santa n' Pants

I'm so excited!  Today my two best gals Jilly and Mia from Girls With Good Taste are coming to visit me and be my DIY gurus for the day. We've been trying to arrange a get-together for almost an entire year now, and today is finally the day!  I'm not even exactly sure what we're going to be doing here at my house, but I can guarantee it's going to be awesome, whatever it is.  Can't wait to show you the results, whatever they are! Follow along on Instagram @betterafterlnz to see what we're up to!

In the meantime, please enjoy the following chair makeovers, first from Sara at It’s Good to be Queen.  Her chair was big and comfy and stolen from Santa's hunting lodge. Not really, but with all that red and green plaid, you never know.  She updated it with a natural linen, and although the trellis inserts looked cool, they were a flimsy plastic and not worth saving. Now the whole thing is airy and right instead of merry and bright. (Like the Christmas song? Ha! Get it? Oh, nevermind).

And can you believe Better After reader Giedre found this chair on the curb? Ok, in the before state maybe. It it wasn't in terrible condition, but that fabric was what I would call 'Grody Granny.' So she ripped off the dust ruffle and reupholstered the whole thing in denim.  I just love how it turned out!  And if you have the urge to try it yourself, Giedre says it was surprisingly easy.  You just need patience.  And a LOT of pants.  So many that you might get desperate and rip them off of innocent denim-wearing bystanders.  You should probably put up a warning sign or something.

Win a $1000 Shopping Spree from Krrb and Apartment Therapy!  

Details HERE.

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