Better After

3 In decor/ innovative idea/ miscellaneous

Patriotic Projects

This weekend America celebrates her freedom, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of fabulousness. What better way to mark the occasion than with some patriotic projects? Today we shall set free a few everyday items from a lifetime of mediocrity and send them onward and upward in a blaze of (old) glory.

First, a box of dirty golf balls. Do you see where this is going?

Of course you didn’t! Unless you did. Did you take a look at those golf balls and instantly imagine them painted in stars and stripes, layered in a cute wire basket? If so, pat yourself on the back for me. If not, head over to Laurie’s blog My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies to see more.

I hold this truth to be self-evident that this crib spring was headed for the dump. But Julie had a better idea. First she counted the spaces between the rows of wire. Thirteen in all. Sounds perfect for …

… the thirteen stripes of the American flag, which she made for next to nothing using ribbon. I guess I need to go find an old crib spring somewhere, somehow, because this looks rad and I want one.

See it on her blog Redhead Can Decorate.

And lastly, we know that all men are created equal, but I’m not sure if all women are, because when I saw this project that my friend Kristen Duke dreamed up, I wanted to punch myself in the face for not thinking of it first. It’s so simple, but SO COOL!

Before, an eight-foot wide melamine board, plus 180 wood screws. It doesn’t look like much yet … but once you add in that secret American ingredient (carbs), you get:

An American flag doughnut wall! Have you ever seen anything better? Seriously, somebody call the president. Tell him to retire. Kristin has GOT THIS.

More to see on her blog Capturing Joy.

Please please have a safe and happy 4th of July!

July 1, 2016 By Lindsey @ Better After

8 In bathroom

Headed for the Hills

Angela’s before bathroom looked like it belonged in a nice hotel. But who wants to live in a hotel? (Other than me; but I’m a weirdo like that. There’s just something appealing about a clutter-free environment with 24-hour maid service. Hmm, maybe it’s not that weird after all).

Her bathroom wasn’t screaming with personality, just sleek and simple. Nice. I’d say it fell somewhere near ‘Marriott.’

But why stop at ‘Marriott’ when ‘Beverly Hills Hotel’ is right around the corner?

Hit the brakes! Stop right here! Let me out. THIS is where I’d like to stay, thanks.

What a glamorous impact she made with just a few cosmetic changes. I love how she swapped out the wall-length mirror for three smaller mirrors. With a double sink, I don’t know if using three mirrors would have occurred to me. I probably would have stuck with two mirrors, and then agonized over what to put in between them.

But that wall tile is what really makes this entire space special. And I wish I could ask those striped pendants out on a date. (You guys want to … I don’t know … hang out sometime?)

I love the height Angela chose to hang them at as well. They might have gotten a little lost against that tile if she had hung them any higher.

There is so much more to see on her blog! Check out how she disguised her closet doorway, that’s my favorite part. See it on her blog blue i style.

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June 30, 2016 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In kitchen/dining

Floor Fluidity

I often despaired about the state of my kitchen in my previous home. The cabinets were a streaky cherry color, the countertops were a muddy red/brown, and the tile was decidedly orange. I liked none of it, and didn’t have the means to correct all of it at once. It felt pointless to put in the effort to fix one area, such as painting the cabinets, only to continue hating the other two-thirds of the kitchen.

If this before kitchen had belonged to me, I probably would have thought the same thing. So much tan and cherry! Why try? What’s the point? What’s the point of any of it? Why are we here? Where are we going? And then I would have thrown myself dramatically on the couch.

But then I noticed that the super tan tile floor in the before picture …

… is the same neutral tile floor in the after. Who would have guessed that it would work so nicely with fresh white cabinets and gray walls?

The key is the countertop that Kristi chose, along with all the other wood-toned accents she used throughout the space. From the butcher-block to the shades to the shelf, it all ties together and balances out the warm and cool tones. If she had gone with a white or black countertop instead, the results wouldn’t be nearly as cohesive.

So, the moral of the story is don’t be afraid to work with what you’ve got. You already know that. But do you know not to be afraid to work in what you don’t got? Like a long expanse of countertop where there used to be a blanks space, for instance. Go ahead and add that in.

Add in some subway tile to the ceiling while you’re at it. I’m never mad at that look. Tons of other great details to see in Kristi’s kitchen on her blog Chatfield Court.

June 28, 2016 By Lindsey @ Better After

22 In desks/hutches/buffets

Post Up

People often bemoan the lost art of letter-writing, but let’s not forget the kid sister of hand-written letters: the postcard. Do people send postcards anymore? I can’t remember the last time I sent or received one.

That ends today, my friends. I happen to have a stack of postcards sitting right here on my shelf, because even though I don’t send them, I apparently like to buy them. Leave a comment and I’ll mail a few of you lovely souls a postcard with a handwritten note. Perhaps a doodle of a dinosaur if I’m really feeling it. Or a knock-knock joke. What could be more exciting??? OBVIOUSLY NOTHING.

I even have the perfect place to sit and compose these sure-to-be masterpieces:

A desk that looks like a giant vintage postcard! So lovely. This desk belongs to Jenny at Ava Blake Creations who gave it a shabby chic makeover and hand-painted that artwork and script. By herself. With her hands. I mean … it’s no dinosaur doodle, but it’s pretty great.

June 27, 2016 By Lindsey @ Better After

4 In living room/ other rooms

I’m all about that basement.

If you’ve been here a while, you already know why this wood-paneled before basement is giving me the sweats.

If you’re new here, let me explain that I have a mild phobia of knotty wood. No joke. It’s not like I’m terrified of the stuff, but I just feel so jumpy and anxious and weirded out when I’m around it. I should probably look into that someday and figure out why, but my plan so far is to just avoid knotty wood for the rest of my life instead. So far, so good.

Luckily for me, this look is far out of style and most people prefer to paint their paneling, presently. Also, alliteration for the win.

Yes ma’am, this is the SAME room. Where did that paneling go? Who cares! Everything has been updated and brightened up from floor to ceiling. And from the windowww to the WALL! (I hope you read that in your best Lil’ John voice). But speaking of the wall, do you see the full-length chalkboard painted on the back wall? Not only does it provide the kids with a little fun, but it also provides a great contrast to the rest of the bright white space.

Why aren’t more basements painted white? It’s a great choice for an area that’s … I don’t know … underground.

Night and day difference, truly. And how much do I love those painted stairs? Enough to be giving my own carpeted stairs the stink-eye right now.

This fabulous makeover comes from Heather and Dave at The Heathered Nest, much more to see over there!

Happy weekend friends.

June 24, 2016 By Lindsey @ Better After

3 In bedroom/ kiddie

I’m on the hunt …

Don’t look now, but hunter green is making a quiet comeback. You may think this color is best left alone in its ’90s heyday, when it could typically be found sharing space with mauve and gingham and geese, (geese everywhere), and the whole world appeared to be a terrible combination of nursing home and hunting lodge, but no!

It’s sneaking up again.

First of all, hunter green mascara is a thing now, and getting rave reviews, so Ima have to try that.

Second of all, do you watch The Bachelorette? I do … sort of. Most of the time I’m watching it from under a pillow because I’m so embarrassed for the contestants and the stilted awkwardness of it all that I can barely face the screen. It’s literally painful. I’m really fun to watch shows with, by the way.

But anyway. JoJo had on a gorgeous hunter green dress on the last episode. I wanted to find a picture for you but my four seconds of googling turned up nothing, so you’ll just have to believe me that this proves my point even further:

Hunter green is cool again. Now you can rest easier at night.

Just like Malorie’s baby boy who gets to call this new nursery home!

Such a classic look, but with a few fun twists to keep it modern, like the stuffed animal taxidermy (I guess ALL taxidermy is technically ‘stuffed animal,’ but moving on), leather pouf and clean lines throughout. The green really grounds the room and keeps the mix of elements from ‘floating.’ If you don’t understand what I mean, just imagine if she had kept the walls beige. Right?

Malorie also refinished the dresser, which used to look a lot worse for wear:

Now it’s all cleaned up and ready to serve this little guy for a long time. I love that this is a room he can really grow into. I’d never move out!

See more from Malorie on her blog Home Work Design Co.

June 23, 2016 By Lindsey @ Better After

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