Better After

7 In lighting

Lamping It Up

Ronda has been hard at work updating her master bedroom, and working just as hard at making sure it stays on budget. So when it came time to spruce things up in the lighting department, there was no way she was going to go out and just buy a new pair of lamps because she was tired of her old ones, pshh, no. That’s How To NOT Be Thrifty 101.

Spray paint and thrifted lampshades to the rescue! She painted the base gold and added stripes to the shades, (which I must commend her on, because I have tried that and failed spectacularly every time. How do you get the tape evenly around the curves? Truly a mystery of the universe.) Check out the rest of her thrifty accessory solutions on her blog Batchelors Way.

And just in case you wanted to look at another fabulous lamp, (it’s the least I can do after the terrible eyeball abuse you suffered from the Ugly Lamp Contest last month), here’s another one from Jenna at Rain on a Tin Roof. Can an orange, yellow, and brown lampshade work with a bright aqua lamp base? Surprise! Yes!

September 24, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

3 In tables/dressers

A Vain Vanity

If your primping station could use a little primping herself, sass her up with some black and white stripes why don’t you? Add a couple of fancy glass knobs, contrasting paint on the legs (my favorite part!) and she’ll be the chicest girl on the block.

But, she might look so good she’ll get too vain. She’ll probably turn into a major diva and and stop working on weekends and start throwing tantrums and demand that the air conditioning be set at exactly 75.7 degrees and that no one look her directly in the mirror. So just think about that.

From Jen at Girl in the Garage.

September 23, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In bedroom

Buh-bye Brown

Renting? Here’s a solution to a common dilemma: if you can’t paint your walls, paint your furniture! See how Jenny kept almost everything the same in her guestroom? The wall color, bedding, artwork and lamps are all the same, the only change is a few coat of chalk paint on the bed and nightstands.

But what a difference! The blue is doing a much better job of looking fresh and fun with the coral accents than all that brown was. Nice try brown. But you’re fired.

See more from Jenny on her blog Northwest Lovelies.

And a side-by-side for funzies!

September 23, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In Uncategorized

FAB finds for Fall!

This post is a collaboration with FAB.>>

I think most people LOVE Fall. I love Fall! The weather isn’t boiling hot or brutally cold, the leaves are falling, you can eat pumpkin-flavored anything, ahhh, it’s the best. The only, only thing I don’t love about Fall are the “traditional” fall colors. I’m sorry Fall. But decorating with orange and browns doesn’t really get me going. At all.

That’s why I’ve teamed up with FAB to bring you a few ideas for refreshing your decor for Fall without ending up somewhere in ’70s hunting lodge territory. I’m excited to share my favorite picks with you today!

So, if orange and brown and maroon aren’t your bag either, check out some of my favorite finds below. I personally love an elegant color scheme of black, cream, and gold. Cool and classic, but able to warm up any room so nicely. And bonus, it will keep on looking fantastic right into those winter months too.

I hope you enjoy!

1. Gold Wall Beehive

2. White Arrow

3. Ball Lamps

4. Feather Tray

5. Golden Thyme Candle

6. Adelle Rug

7. Gold Geo Work Lamp

8. Crocodile Placemat

9. Bees Knees Cards

10. Dropp Fruit Bowl

See a few of my other past FAB favorites: Boy Bedroom Inspiration, and Big-Girl Bedroom Inspiration. And be sure to visit FAB and sign up for their newsletter for more great finds that you didn’t know you couldn’t live without!

Plus, every item is now backed with their”Smile Guarantee.” They aren’t happy unless you’re happy! Full refund if you aren’t 100% satisfied. Have a lovely weekend friend!

September 20, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

11 In tables/dressers

Ace of Base

Sometimes a good thrifted side-table is hard to find. That’s not true. They are pretty easy to find, but they are usually about 2 feet tall. Why was furniture of yesteryear so dang short? It’s not like people were knuckle-scraping neanderthals a few decades back. Maybe ceilings were really low back then or something. Maybe that was just the groovy cool style. Who knows.

So Stephanie was having trouble on her search for the perfect bedside table. Nothing was the right size for the place she had in mind. Luckily, she’s a resourceful gal, so she just whipped one up herself with an old lamp base and an oval frame, both found the same day at Goodwill. Genius! See the specifics on her blog Madeline Lewis.

September 20, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In outdoors

Porch Authority

Trina was out of love with her front porch. She practically sold her home because of it. In fact, she had even met with a realtor who told her that she’d have to sell her home “from the inside out,” thanks to the porch of sadness. Well, that struck a nerve! Without warning, her husband ripped apart the offending exterior and they spent the next few weeks getting it into sell-worthy shape. Then they thought, “Hey, this house is so nice, why are we selling it again?”

Get a closer look on her blog A Few Miner Adjustments.