Better After

7 In office/ other rooms

Where’s the closest closet?

My internet died all day yesterday and half of today, which was
frustrating, but also kind of nice. It’s probably good for the soul to
have an internet detox once in a while. Even though my ‘detox’ was
mostly me forlornly stabbing at my iPad every few minutes to see if
there was life there, I didn’t hate it. I’ll tell you what I did hate
though, the marathon phone call to customer service to get it fixed.
Especially when there was like, a 15-second delay between us:

“Hi, I’m having trouble with my internet.”
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“Is anyone ther—”You are having trouble with your internet, is this correct?
“Yes, it hasn’t worked since yesterday.”
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“Hel—”It stopped working yesterday, is this correct?

Ugh! But we’re back in business now. I missed you internet *snuggle snuggle*. Anyway, it happens to be the first day of summer vacation here! If that news kinda makes you want to lock yourself in the closet, it’s OK. Here are some fabulously made-over closets you might never want to leave.
Vel had already converted this closet into a craft room, now she just needed to convert it into a cute and functional craft room closet. She painted the drawers, added a ton of organizational features and used every last inch of wall space for hanging a gallery of craftin’ inspiration. Did you notice the plastic storage drawers got a makeover too? See how on Vel’s blog Life & Home at 2101.

Kristen frequently has overnight guests in her home, so she decided to spruce up this little guest-room closet, which wasn’t at all sprucey. Whereas I probably would have slapped on a coat of white paint and called it eh, good enough, she went the extra mile and added a little element of Louisville hospitality. Perfect for her clothes-horse friends! See more on her blog Twenty Paper Links

And finally, Tricia may not be able to use her closet as a hideout, but she probably opens it up just to gaze in organizational awe at it now. Before, a crammed and crowded avalanche of bedsheets waiting to happen. After, a clean and colorful closet of calm! I love those Swiss Army baskets and the chrome shelf dividers. And the white paint makes all the difference too. There’s totally value in refreshing a space like this that probably only you will see. It’s like Feng Shui for the mind! See it on her blog Simplicity in the South.

May 24, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

10 In tables/dressers/ wood

Metal Heads

If you want to be ‘fashion forward’ consider adding some metallic looks to your wardrobe, like so:

Hmmm … maybe this is a little too fashion forward. Maybe you don’t want to look like a gold-plated Indiana Jones. Or an unopened Pop-Tart. Or like you picked up two dead things and forgot to put them down. Never fear. You can still hop on the metallic bandwagon in the comfort of your own home, with your furniture instead!

Julie at Simple Redesign added decorative aluminum sheeting over the worn-out wicker of this dresser. It adds just the perfect amount of sparkle without taking anything away from the dresser’s sleek, modern shape. I love the deeper stain of the wood now too. Mmmmmhrrmmm. That’s the sound of a grunt of approval.

And Stephanie discovered this cast-off dresser in a dumpster and was able to make magic with it, even though the middle drawer was missing. She simply removed the drawer next to it, and replaced them both with the top drawers. However, the top drawers are smaller than the other drawers, so what did she use to hide the gap? Strips of metal of course! This would look awesome prancing down any runway. Check out more on her blog The Hardscrabble Home.

May 23, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

4 In kitchen/dining

Splish, Splash It’s a Brand New Backsplash

If you’re going to do a backsplash, for crying out loud, DO A BACKSPLASH! What is going on with that weenie little square thing behind the stove here? How very puny and strange it looks. It should be called a backsplish.

Obviously, Shavonda at A Home Full Of Color wasn’t feeling it, or anything else about this overly tan kitchen, and swapped it all out for a cool blue and gray color scheme and a beautiful brag-worthy backsplash.

She also lightened things up even more with open cabinets in this area, although there are no pics of the other side of the kitchen, which I’d love to see. Show us more, Shavonda!

May 22, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

4 In chairs/ottomans/seating

Cheers for Chairs

There are some things that are best purchased in pairs, if possible. Lamps. Chairs. Implants. Just a few suggestions. But today, let’s talk about pairs of chairs. Amanda at Mommy Is CooCoo was lucky enough to find this perfectly nice set of linen chairs, but wasn’t feeling their conservative non-vibe. She’s got more of an eclectic style, if her metallic damask wallpaper hadn’t already tipped you off. Slipcovers to the rescue! They add so much more color and drama, yet can be easily switched out on a whim, which I suspect happens often at Amanda’s house.

And Kristen found this set of chairs, alike in shape and size and general disrepair, but brought them back to life with a deep turquoise and fun print. Did you know that it’s good marital Feng Shui to have pairs of chairs in the bedroom? Lamps too. I’ll leave that other one up to you. See more on Kristen’s blog Cat Eyed KP.

May 22, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

1 In other rooms

A Garage Mirage

When you hear the name ‘Shelley’ from Custom Slipcovers by Shelley, it will probably ring a bell, because I’ve featured her several times and done a couple giveaways of her “How To Slipcover” DVD. She is the real deal. She started making slipcovers for her own home just a few years ago, and became so darn good at it that it quickly turned it into a full time job.

And she was quickly outgrowing her space. She envisioned a roomy studio with plenty of workspace and storage, and decided that converting her garage was the best way to go. Once her husband realized that he would no longer be hauling furniture down into the basement, or tripping over furniture crammed into the spare bedroom and garage, oh, and that it would pay for itself, he was on board too, and the dream became a reality.

Check out Shelley’s dining room chair slipcovers and living room makeover, and learn more about her instructional DVD here.

May 21, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

9 In desks/hutches/buffets/ kitchen/dining

Come away with me, to Craigslist Island…

Julie’s kitchen needed a kitchen island, but you know how custom islands can be. Essspensive. She didn’t want to spend big bucks, she only wanted to spend about $100 bucks, which is exactly how much she paid for this massive buffet she found on Craigslist. Pros: sturdy and solid. Cons: fakey-fake veneer and not actually tall enough to be a kitchen island. Did that stop her? Don’t be a silly pants. Of course not.

She worked some magic underneath to raise it up to counter-height, then added extra trim around the bottom. Then she primed and painted over the veneer and topped it off with a new zinc countertop, large enough to overhang so her family could belly up to the buffet, er, island. Fabulous.

Check out on her blog Tre Sorelle Cottage to see how she disguised the backside!