Better After

21 In tables/dressers

Hammer Time!

Hello and Happy President’s Day! I don’t normally get all that excited over President’s Day, but I have a 5-year-old boy who thinks any holiday is cause for major celebration, (he burst into our room first thing this morning with a sincerely excited “MOM, DAD, it’s PRESIDENT’S DAY!”) so celebrate we will.

But first, I will leave you with this amazing coffee table transformation from Better After reader Peggy. I’d say she “nailed” it! HA! (Sorry). Not sure how exactly she accomplished this look, as she doesn’t have a blog, but maybe she will enlighten us in the comments! Great job Peggy!

February 20, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

24 In kitchen/dining/ miscellaneous

Islands in the Scheme

Better After reader Angela didn’t quite know what to do with this old table she nabbed from her uncle’s garage (he wasn’t using it) but since she’d been wanting a kitchen island, she thought “What the heckles!” (I’m paraphrasing) “I’ll give this old table a shot!” She repaired and repainted the porcelain top which makes for some fabulous contrast with the raw pallet wood she added for extra support and storage. She is happy to report that the whole project was practically free, and she couldn’t be more thrilled with her results!

So that’s one way to island-ify your kitchen, but if the industrial chic look ain’t your bag, then how about this frankenfurniture creation from Allyson at The MVP’s of Mesa Town? Its kind of like what would happen if an old kitchen table and a cruddy thrift store dresser had a baby, and that baby went on to become President of the United States. Yeah, it’s that freakin’ rad.

February 17, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

12 In office

An Official Office

Does your office need a makeover? Well, I would give my big toe to actually have an office, so stop whining. I’m sorry, I’m just cranky because my “office” is nothing more than a little nook in the hallway in between my kid’s bedrooms, and there is constantly a lot of noise and naked barbies flying through here. It would be nice to have a door, that’s all I’m saying. A door with a lock, if I’m dreaming big. And if I really wanted to dream big, I’d even imagine a happy yellow accent wall, a chic chandelier and a comfy spot for “creative refueling.”

Yep, that about sums this office makeover up, maybe Gemma from The Sweetest Digs will let me move in!

February 17, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In chairs/ottomans/seating

The Fabric Factor

A boring office chair is OK if you have a boring office job.

Ha ha, I kid! A boring chair is never OK! Not when you could easily transform your standard issue khaki-colored chair with cute fabric and paint. That’s right, BE the boss of your cubicle! Show the world what you have to offer! Take a stand, starting with your seat! I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I’m pretty sure your fabulous chair will definitely get you a promotion.

This particularly plain chair was a $5 thrift store find from Better After reader Meghan. (Her first reupholstering project too!) Great job Meghan!

This next chair was anything but boring. But ‘broken’ and ‘upholstered with the same green vinyl they use on school buses’ weren’t desirable descriptions either. Fun fabric to the rescue again! Anne reupholstered it, shined it up (I love the natural wood here) and put it back together, and now she’s got a mid century modern masterpiece!

See more on her blog She Loves Life.

February 16, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

14 In innovative idea/ tables/dressers

Do the Stumpty Stump!

You might look at this before picture and see a plain ol’ stump. But you are wrong! No, you are right, it’s a stump, there’s no fooling you! But strip away those mangy layers of bark, and sand and lacquer it until it’s smooth as butta’, and you know what you’ve got? You’ve got yourself a chic little stump table, that’s what, AND also about $187 more bucks in your pocket plus shipping, had you been planning to buy the West Elm version. (Seriously West Elm?! $200!?)

I’m totally making one of these. From Francesca at Restyle Restore Rejoice.

February 16, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

13 In desks/hutches/buffets

Do it yourself! Or don’t…

Do you love the look of gold or silver-leaf furniture but hate the price? Or the idea of DIY-ing it? I’ve never done silver leafing myself, but from what I gather, it entails furiously rubbing tiny particles of expensive silvery paper stuff onto a large surface and hoping that it sticks, even though nine-tenths of it won’t. Don’t tell the other DIY blogger people I said this, but I think some things are not worth doing yourself! Like making your own chapstick. Seriously, just go buy some. It costs 99 cents. DIY something worth your time!

So yeah, silver-leaf is probably worth your time, because it looks pretty darn cool in the end, but if it’s simple shiny silver you’re after, try Better After reader Rebecca’s method seen below. Nothing more than Rustoleum’s metallic aluminum enamel paint and a foam roller. And how cool does it look against that wallpaper, huh?

But.if.you.want.something.less.funky.and.futuristic… (that was me typing in a robot voice, in case you couldn’t tell) then here’s a warm and welcoming buffet from Gretchen in a buttery yellow. Even just removing the lattice inserts went a long way in updating this piece. Check out more on her blog Gretchen Moore.