Better After

7 In decor/ tables/dressers

Optical Infusion

Your eyes are not deceiving you, or maybe they are. All I know is I can’t look at this hand-painted rug for too long without getting vertigo. That’s right, I said hand-painted. Can you believe it? Holly, the patron saint of rug transformations has done it again! This time she opted for an eyeball exercising pattern that probably took 100 years to finish and looks awesome against that fuchsia chair. See the whole process on her blog Adventures of an Almost 40-Year-Old Intern.

And if you’re somehow not awake yet, either scroll back up and take a long hard look at that rug again, because hot wow, OR behold this acid green side table from Hannah at Champagne Lifestyle. It’s sure to give you a jolt of visual caffeine. The decorative moulding she added is a fun touch too. Perhaps it will give you a jolt of something else … something like inspiration!

June 7, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

9 In miscellaneous/ other rooms

Hobby Hubs

Are you one of those people who likes to hobby? (Are you also one of those people who can’t stand it when a noun is used as a verb? Sorry about that.) Anyway, chances are you have a hobby or two, and chances are, whatever space you’ve carved out of your world to dedicate to your hobby is a bit of a mess. Such is the nature of hobbies, unless your hobby is … I don’t know … stargazing or something.

Well, I say your pastime deserves a little showtime! Jazz that space up! You will probably stir up all kinds of creative juices as a result.

Like Pam from Simple Details whose potting bench used to be home to a rotting sponge and some old shoes. Hardly inspirational. But look how much it has literally bloomed with just a coat of paint!

And Becca needed some crafting space, so she figured she should just go ahead and craft it herself, because that’s what crafty crafters do. She found these old cabinets at a thrift-store and painted them white, then flanked her desk with them for a cozy sewing nook! I love how the windows display her supplies, it would be great motivation to stay organized. See more on her blog Practically Creative.

June 6, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

5 In chairs/ottomans/seating

Double Standards

Some things are just better in pairs. Like aces. And lovebirds. And concert tickets. And pants. And chairs! Here come a pair of a pair of chairs. Get it? Two makeovers, two chairs each. Four chairs total. Pair of pairs. Oh, the math is killing me.

First, if you like your chairs funky with a capital FUN, then cast your eyes on these zebra lovelies from Better After reader Emily. She more or less inherited them along with a whole houseful of furniture when she bought her home. That would be a selling point for me too.

And Jilly, from the Girls With Good Taste, who never disappoint, didn’t want to go to all the trouble of reupholstering this set of French arm chairs, especially since they were going on either end of her kitchen table. Thus, she needed maximum wipe-ability, so she painted them with several coats of latex for a vinyl-like feel, and a stripe or two thrown in for fun!

June 6, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

9 In living room

Shelf Control

This is what Kris’ fireplace looked like when she moved in. Yaaaaaaawwwwn. And I think something was missing from those bookshelves. Perhaps the shelves? Obviously, she fixed that problem, as well as the sad state of the fireplace. But! Did you notice how she beefed up that wimpy crown moulding at the top? Totally brings it into proportion now. And at first I was like, “Hey, where’s the mantle?” But then my eyes were like, “No, dude, that would be too much! It’s perfect as is” And I had to agree.

Lots more to see on Kris’ blog, Driven by Decor.

June 5, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

25 In desks/hutches/buffets

Samaa Shimmers

If this lovely hutch redo by Samaa at Honey Sweet Home doesn’t make your heart skip a beat, well, check your pulse, my friend. Samaa lugged it home from Goodwill after talking them down a bit on what appears to be a $380.03 price tag. (Wierd. What’s with the .03? Also, my Goodwill laughs in my face if I attempt to talk them down on a price. Also, my Goodwill kind of sucks.) She painted it a creamy white with antique gold Rub n’ Buff on the handles and a Moroccan-style stenciled back for an extra dash of oomphness. It’s dreeeeeeeeamy!

June 5, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

15 In tables/dressers

Polls and Paint

Well! I asked for feedback about my blog, and I got it! Thank you so much to everyone who offered their two cents. And I am happy to announce I have made my decision. Ha ha, that’s a lie. But I have made something. A quick and easy poll! I don’t know why I didn’t just do this in the first place. Please forgive me for being such a decision impaired mental case.

Just to get you up to speed, I’m considering moving Better After to a privately hosted domain instead of blogspot.com. BetterAfter.com would be my first choice, but it costs – at the minimum – $1,000, which doesn’t even count all the other expenses involved. Blurg.

Here are the choices I’m waffling between:

And don’t you worry, I’m planning to make things as easy as possible for you. No weird comment hoops to jump through. None of those “Read more after the jump!” links to click on. I hate that as much as anyone.

Anyway, this whole thing is giving me a headache, so let’s just look at a lovely little table makeover instead, shall we? So simple and soothing. I’m glad Ashley decided to chisel off that scalloped edge. It wasn’t doing anyone any favors, unless you like, needed your calf scratched or something.

See more on her blog Dirt Stains and Paint.

June 4, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

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