Better After

8 In tables/dressers

Fearlessly Fulgent

A wise man once said, “Go big or go home.” Actually, that was probably just a No Fear t-shirt. Remember when No Fear was the coolest brand, like, ever? Maybe that was only at my high school … Anyway, back then I had a No Fear sweatshirt, but I thought I was so clever by unstitching the embroidery on the F, so my shirt just said ‘No ear.’ Sigh. That girl needed a hobby.

Anyway, what on earth were we talking about. Yes, going big or going home. Or, in today’s case, going bright and staying home! Check out these eye-popping makeovers that add a hearty gut-punch of color to their respective owner’s homes.

This first chartreuse lovely comes from Statia at Failure to Nap. Check out the whole story on her blog as to how she came to obtain what she calls “The Murder Dresser” and how it was formerly painted the color Ugly. It’s hilarious.

And if your eyeballs would love to fondle some fuchsia, then observe this flagrantly fabulous dresser from Sarah at Funcycled. That girl never quits! She’s certifiably amazing.

January 25, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

9 In kitchen/dining

A hostess’ gift.

That’s the trouble with building a comfortable little guest cottage in the country, you know. Pretty soon your “overnight” guests turn into “weekend” guests, who turn into “practically permanent residents who demand a better cooking set-up so you are forced to remodel your guest cottage kitchen to accommodate them.”

Luckily, Laura at Top This Top That was happy to oblige. What a gracious hostess! The amenities at my guest cottage (aka: my living room) currently equal air mattresses and water from the tap.

Have you entered to win the RYOBI tools giveaway yet? You still can right here!

January 24, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

10 In chairs/ottomans/seating/ decor/ outdoors

Bedknobs & Benchsticks

Eagle-eyed viewers might notice that this before headboard is ever so slightly different then the one Ashley at Distressed Boutique used for her headboard-to-bench makeover. She forgot to take a before pic, it happens. So, I’m not sure if her actual headboard came with those extra bedknobs on top and she chopped them off herself, or if it was already like that, but I dig it. Makes it look much more benchier, yeah?

Hey, remember that movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks? I verrrry faintly do. Wasn’t it something like a cross between Mary Poppins and Murder, She Wrote? I could be wrong …

Have you entered to win the RYOBI tools giveaway yet? You still can right here!

January 24, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

8 In kiddie

Your plays are numbered.

Oh, man. I could already imagine what it would be like to have this before kiddie table in my home. Endless fighting about who gets to sit in which chair, daily facial tics as I tried to ignore the scribbled on surface that never quite comes clean, the pastel color scheme passive-agressively urging me to throw it in a bonfire …

But Kristi at Lolly Jane solved all three problems by making this little play table cute, cleanable, and numbered. No more fighting over chairs, the chalkboard top is a snap to wipe, and it’s so dang adorable that I would probably discourage my kids from actually playing with it!

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January 23, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

16 In kitchen/dining

Perc me up!

Don’t be deceived by Better After reader Leatha’s old kitchen. It wasn’t outdated at all. No, it was actually postdated. It was so far ahead of the trends that it knew that Emerald Green would be the 2013 Color of the Year, like twenty years ago. This was finally it’s moment to shine!

But by then Leatha had had enough. Enough! Out went the green formica and the wallpaper made from retired clown pants, and in came a whole new look.

She added so much detail and character in here. The pantry door is a showstopper, and don’t you love the thick new moulding on top of the cabinets? Also, how appropriate that the new colors are espresso and cream, because she’s got a little ‘coffee’ theme happening in here too. The cabinets were solid maple, so they simply painted them, which is a fine example of brown-painted cabinets done right! That’s hard to pull off … believe me.

One last thing. For her island, she decided on a black walnut top. It arrived looking like something that had just been pulled off of a barn. That’s normal, don’t worry. (I would have been worried, and likely in tears.) But in the end it polished up to a shine! All in all, the grand total came to around $3,000. Thanks for sharing Leatha!

January 23, 2013 By Lindsey @ Better After

8 In decor/ miscellaneous/ tables/dressers

A Funky Furniture Friendship

This old thing was a trash bin. No, not headed for the trash bin, but an actual trash bin. You know, to stick your garbage can in and stuff, probably so you don’t have to look at it, and so your dumb dog won’t eat all your garbage whenever you leave the house. Not that that’s ever happened to me.

But funnily enough, Carolyn actually used this trash bin to store giant bags of dog food. Everyday she would walk past it in the garage and think “I should paint that.” So one day she did. Check out all the fun and funky details on her blog at Carolyn’s Funky Furniture.

And while you’re there, tell Carolyn I have found her a kindred spirit! It’s Mary from The Decorative Paintbrush. Check out her fun and funky side table makeover below. There is SO much fabulousness going on here with the stripes and prints and patterns, but I think the look is cohesive rather than crazy because she’s only used four colors. Or technically three, if you want to be one of those people who insists white isn’t a color. Great job Mary!