Better After

8 In outdoors

I shutter to pink…

I love the idea of a little pink house. In theory. In reality, this little pink house was pretty sad. Nothing about it confidently said “Hey you! Get your eyeballs over here and have a look!”

But Karah knew that eventually it could not only catch your eye, but also give you a hug while lovingly inviting you into a rocking chair on the front porch. I accept!

She replaced the siding, added chunkier posts, and installed new windows and shutters, which I think is my favorite part of the whole thing. They just change the look so dramatically. More to see on her blog The Space Between.

July 30, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

14 In chairs/ottomans/seating

Chairy Crush

Chairs. Chances are, you’re sitting in one right now. Or, possibly lounging in bed reading blogs on your device. Or standing in line at Target. Pssst, your kid just opened a pack of gum and ate it while you were playing on your phone. But listen. We’re not talking about devices, we’re talking about chairs. Chances are, you’ve sat in at least one today. Maybe you feel like giving a chair a makeover today? Here’s some inspiration if that’s the case:

Dena at Hearts and Sharts rescued this Renaissance-inspired chair that was not safe for sitting with some friendly red fabric. It’s super stellar.

Better After reader Peggy slipcovered this sweet slipper chair (say that five times fast) that belonged to her husband’s grandmother. I just love when sentimental items like this get an opportunity to keep living on in style. Plus, I didn’t even know you could make a tufted slipcover! Did you? Have you been holding out on me?

Deb at Lake Girl Paints decided to replace the padding on the backs of these chairs with individually painted strips of lath board instead. Ooooh, great effect. Don’t worry though, she didn’t sacrifice comfort, she made removable pillows too! Love that birdwatcher fabric as well. Fabulous job ladies!

***The Ugly Lamp contest is coming soon! Submit your original ugly lamp photo to enter! BetterAfter(at)live.com, subject line: Ugly Lamp. Deadline is August 15th. More info HERE.***

July 30, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

4 In tables/dressers

Flip and Stir

Here’s a dresser-turned-entertainment-center idea flipped on its head. Literally, Better After reader Sarah flipped this dresser upside down. She planned to build some extra components on top and she says it just worked out better building it from the bottom. Huh! That would have never occurred to me.

Not only did she add extra storage for the electronics, she also beefed up the top (which is now the bottom, follow?) with some chunky trim and created a super cool chevron patterned top with a bunch of free paint sticks. (Stir sticks? What do you call those?)

Here’s a look at the top, obviously before she attached it. What a cool way to add a custom look. Grand total of this entire piece: $105!

July 29, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In chairs/ottomans/seating/ kitchen/dining/ tables/dressers

Table for 14

Eden had a dream. She dreamed of finding a dining set that could seat 14+ people and cost less than $500. (Pause for laughter). Newsflash: she didn’t find one. So she made one instead!

Using simple pine boards and hardware she already had on hand, Eden and her husband created this 9’x4′ table for around $75.

“Thats great, but what about the chairs?” you are thinking. Well, I was just about to tell you. Eden’s dream chairs were $289. APIECE! Let’s do some quick math here, 14 chairs at $289 apiece … that’s $4,046!!! Uh, no thanks. So she hit up Craigslist and found a restaurant going out of business that sold her these chairs for $6.50 each. Using her JoAnn’s coupons, she was able to get a deal on fabric and slipcovered the tops and reupholstered the seats for a grand total of $28 per chair. And THAT is how you do it folks.

See more on her blog DIYHER.

***The Ugly Lamp contest is coming soon! Submit your original ugly lamp photo to enter! BetterAfter(at)live.com, subject line: Ugly Lamp. Deadline is August 15th. More info HERE.***

July 29, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

5 In tables/dressers

Blame it on the Grain

Lindsey (not me, another, more productive Lindsey) had a solid set of dressers on her hands that she found at a yard sale. It appears that someone at one point had attempted to spray-paint them white, then, realizing that pressing a button for 10 seconds at a time was far too much work, gave up, leaving behind one white drawer front and a half-hearted streak across the top. Wow, that person is even worse than me.

Fortunately Lindsey isn’t afraid of a process, and took her time taping, painting, staining and sanding them into the lovely grain-sack-inspired pair they are today. They look great! See more at This Delightful Life.

July 28, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

12 In laundry rooms/ tables/dressers/ Uncategorized

End Decoration Procrastination in 30 days!

Do you have case of Decoration Procrastination? Symptoms include ignoring a problem-area in your home while vowing that you’ll get to it someday. Only someday never comes, and random piles of junk slowly overtake the space until it becomes a bonafide ‘Room of Shame,’ and you rush to close its door anytime company unexpectedly drops by.

Serena at Thrift Diving has a cure. She recently challenged herself and her readers to a 30-day challenge, with no excuses! Thirty days to whip her Room of Shame into shape, which in this case, was her laundry room. So she gave herself the month of June …

And what incredible results! She even tiled the floor herself! It’s amazing what a deadline can force you to accomplish. She created a folding station by chopping a standard size dining table in half, genius.

If you’re interested in a 30-day challenge for yourself, Serena is doing another one starting August 1st! Sign up and reap the benefits of camaraderie and accountability! More info at Thrift Diving.

***The Ugly Lamp contest is coming soon! Submit your original ugly lamp photo to enter! BetterAfter(at)live.com, subject line: Ugly Lamp. Deadline is August 15th. More info HERE.***

July 28, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

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Living Rooms

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I shutter to pink…

Chairy Crush

Flip and Stir

Table for 14

Blame it on the Grain

End Decoration Procrastination in 30 days!

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