Better After

9 In bedroom/ kiddie

Brassed and Present

Maybe it’s because I have babies on the brain, (or bladder, to be more accurate) but I’m finding so much inspiration from this nursery by Melissa at Living Beautifully. I love the neutral colors with all the brass accents. It’s sophisticated and current, but still cozy-cute. Perfect for a little man. PS: Did I tell you? We are having a boy too! Maybe that’s why I extra love this room.

See the whole process of its evolution from teen to tot here.

So many sweet details here, head on over to Melissa’s blog to see more! And while you’re at it, check out her master bathroom makeover, still one of my all-time favorites!

September 16, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

12 In chairs/ottomans/seating

Looking for the perfect chair makeover?

Are you sitting in your office right now? Is your chair sporting an oatmeal colored fabric so inoffensive it’s offensive? Then I’ve got the perfect makeover for YOU! Check out this stunner from Griffin at Design Itch. And why not try it out for yourself, your cubicle-mates will be overcome with jealousy and wonder!

Have a sentimental antique you can’t bear to part with, nor look at? Then I’ve got the perfect makeover for YOU too! Kelly was sad that this vintage chair was hiding all of its cool dragon-scale like carvings under a sticky and glittery coat of black paint.

So she slowly chipped and stripped it away, at times using dental tools and toothbrushes to get into all the nooks and crannies, until she realized that it would probably look pretty darn awesome (and save her sanity) to just leave it there. Doesn’t it look cool against the blonde wood? Great choice Kelly! See it on her blog The Ridiculous Redhead.

Wait, let me guess. You have an IKEA folding chair lying around that could use a little pick-me-up. Oh yeah, I’ve got the perfect makeover for YOU too! What are the odds?! Check out what Amalia at Linescapes did with this plain old thing, it practically looks like a piece of art now.

“Aww man,” you are thinking to yourself. “I don’t have any old chairs to makeover. All I have is a crummy old ottoman that is falling apart because I got suckered in by all that bonded leather talk at the furniture store. Hmmph. I bet there’s not a perfect makeover for ME.”

Hold your horses, girlfriend. I HAVE got the perfect makeover for you, and it comes from Tara at Suburble,who knows and understands your bonded leather pain. Head on over to her blog for a quick lesson on why to never buy the stuff, and a simple no-sew tutorial on how to hide it when it inevitably falls apart!

“OK wise guy,” you are now thinking. “What about me? I have an ottoman covered in Shih Tzu! You heard me. Do you have the perfect makeover for ME? Ha! I didn’t think so!”

Well, first of all, calm yourself down. And second of all, um YEAH. Of course I have the perfect makeover for you. It comes from Jen at Girl In The Garage who told her ottoman she wasn’t going to put up with any more of its Shih Tzu, and recovered it in a fun Suzani pattern and matching nailhead trim instead.

Now. Let’s continue. Have a retired rocker reupholstered in grandpas flannels? You guessed it. I have the perfect makeover for you. From Georgie at Writing to the Sound of Legos Clacking who made a drastic difference in the life of this chair with nothing more than fabric and paint.

And finally, do you have a disgustingly rotting chair carcass that would probably be best to set on fire? Before you get out the matches, let me just tell you something. I’ve got the perfect makeover for YOU! See how Cara saved this chair corpse? It can be done! See how on her blog The Project Addict.

Have a great weekend friend. Just wanted to say a quick thank you to you for reading, commenting, sharing your work with me, and generally supporting my blog. It truly means so much to me. THANK YOU! (Pretend I have just embraced you in an awkward hug).

PS: Last day of the Silhouette deal is today! See my review of the new stamping starter kit, and check out the special pricing here. Don’t forget to use the code AFTER at checkout to receive your mega discount.

September 13, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In outdoors

Shutter to the heart!

I would be happy as a clam if the exterior of my house looked anything like Kristen’s before. So cute and charming! Brick! Shutters! I’m forever trapped in stucco-paradise here in Phoenix it seems. But as cute as it was, Kristen thought it could be even cuter. She toyed around with the idea of painting the shutters aqua, then did a quick Photoshop mock-up to see what it would look like. She got so excited by what she saw that she nearly knocked over her computer on her way to the paint store, and hasn’t looked back since.

Just adorable. Looks like the whole house is smiling! See more on her blog Team Fuest.

September 12, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

5 In desks/hutches/buffets/ office

From Stodgy to Stunning

So when we moved a few weeks ago, I gained something fun. A real office! With a door and everything! Previously, in our old home, Better After headquarters were situated in a computer nook at the end of a hall between my kid’s bedrooms. That made for fun worky-time after they were in bed. Mooooooom! I need a drink! Moooooooom! My blanket fell down! Mooooooooom! I can’t sleeeep! Mooooooooooooommmm! I just feel like yelling at you all night!

Now my office is by itself, downstairs where I can quietly do my business, er, not like that, and it’s great. Wendy at Designed to Dwell had some office issues of her own, but more of the ‘what-were-we-thinking-when-we-bought-all-this-stodgy-furniture-this-isn’t-us-at-all’ type issues. Nothing a little paint and fun accessorizing can’t fix!

They dismantled the desk and painted the hutch white to really lighten up the space, but Wendy doesn’t waste! She and her husband took the old top half of the desk, built an x-base underneath, and moved it in front of the window. Stunning! See the desk makeover here.

September 12, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

9 In tables/dressers/ wood

Nautical Nonsense

Feeling naughty? Naughty as in nautical, I mean. Naut-y? Knotty? As in the speeds of vessels relative to the fluids in which they travel? What are we even talking about here? I just have some nautical themed makeovers I want to show you, that’s all! Sheesh.

Here’s one now, from Jessica at Dear Emmeline who wanted to add a something special to this worn-out side table besides a fresh coat of paint and stain. Why not a little anchor stencil? So fun! I love the look of using stain with stencils, it’s kind of an unexpected touch. Don’t think you need some fancy vinyl cutting machine to make one either, Jessica just cut hers herself out of contact paper. Easy as pie.

And Jenny said bon voyage to the beaten up finish of this old chest (she finds them by the hundreds, I swear) and went with, you guessed it, an anchor-theme too!

That reminds me, the other day I saw this girl in a restaurant with an anchor tattoo on her shoulder that said “I refuse to sink.” A lovely sentiment. But then I got to thinking … wait, if you are wanting to NOT sink, why an anchor? Why not like … a life vest or something? A rowboat? Floaties? Obviously because those would not be nearly as attractive as an anchor, but hey, logic.

See more from Jenny at Ava Blake Creations.

And one last nautical makeover that you are sure to love, especially if you are six and under, in which case, I hope you have your parent’s permission to be online! But parents are sure to appreciate this one too, because who wouldn’t love a kid kitchen that doesn’t look like a KID KITCHEN!!! You know, with all the plastic parts and florescent colors and such. Super cool. From Serena at Thrift Diving.

September 11, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

3 In bathroom

Glamorama Bathroom Makeover

Looking for a super masculine bathroom of manliness? Continue to look further. Because this bathroom by Eden is 100% girly-girly-girly-girl. Her teen daughters desperately desired a bathroom that no grody brother would dare step foot in, and Eden (who’s quite the girly girl herself) was happy to deliver!

She started off the look by painting this awesome ReStore mirror and adding appliques to the thrifted buffet for the vanity. To complete the look? How about a sequined toilet? Yep, pretty sure the boys will be staying away from that. But don’t worry about them, Eden has already created the manliest mancave bathroom in existence too, right here.

See more on her blog Decor & DIY Projects.