Better After

3 In bathroom

Born in a Barn

Do you have some crappy cabinetry stinking up the joint in your house? Whitney did, as seen by this fading and distressed bathroom vanity below. Completely uninspiring, unless you count the fact that it inspired serious change. So she settled on the rustic barn-wood look she had been lusting over, complete with a deep stain and new doors built with cedar fencing from Home Depot of all things!

She says, “If sitting and staring at it for hours didn’t involve me on the floor of the bathroom, I’d be here all day.” I’d call that a success! See the whole process on her blog The Rooster and The Hen.

January 16, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

2 In kitchen/dining/ tables/dressers

Minty Condition

Meg found this table abandoned on the street (this is where I bitterly shake my fist at the sky and gnash my teeth because this never happens in my world. Ever. The only thing I’ve dragged in from the curb is my garbage can). Anyway, she thought it would look lovely with a minty green base and a lightly stained top, and she was right! And she just happened to have four matching chairs in the garage and put it all together to make one great set. I love the gentle distressing on the chairs, don’t you? Get an up-close look on her blog Meg and Mum’s.

January 16, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

274 In Uncategorized

Blush Accessories Giveaway! (GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED)

(now closed)

Woohoo, it’s time for a giveaway! Blush Accessories is giving away a product that I can’t seem to live without, their one and only Tee Shirt Extender!

These are perfect for anyone who loves the layered look but actually hates layering.

Or who can never find shirts that are quite long enough.

Or routinely shrinks her clothes on accident.

Or has a freakishly long torso.

Or all of the above.

Much better, yes?

Or, to be more specific: The Tee Shirt Extender is an accessory worn for the look of layering without all the bulk and straps on top. They are shaped like a tube top, but worn around the waist to give you any desired length you want your undershirt to be. With the tapered shaped, hemmed edges and spandex blend, the undershirts stay put exactly where you want it.

These are also great for getting you through your pregnancy without having to resort to maternity pants (shudder) and helping you keep wearing your favorite shirts too. Also perfect for postpartum bodies.

They are super soft and stretchy, but the best part is, they don’t slip! You can wear it long or short, or however your little heart fancies.

You could even wear it up top to add extra coverage to a v-shaped neckline or low-cut shirt too!

Comes in black, white and mocha, sizes S through XL, made proudly in the USA!

Enter to win a free Blush Accessories

Tee Shirt Extender of your choice here!

For one entry, please leave a comment here.

For an extra entry, please “like” Blush Accessories on Facebook
(and tell them Better After sent you!)

For another entry, follow follow Blush Accessories on Twitter
(come back and leave a comment about it here please!)

OR, shop now with the code BETTERAFTER

and save 20%!

Winner will be chosen randomly on Monday, Jan 16th. Good luck!

January 14, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

21 In chairs/ottomans/seating/ tables/dressers

Yellow Fever

I was never a huge fan of yellow, but it is slowly growing on me. Literally. My daughter recently informed me that my teeth are looking yellow, but what does she know, she’s just a little three-year-old baby with a brutally honest opinion. Whatever. So anyway, I hope you are fond of yellow and will be inspired by today’s collection of makeovers! I was! I think there is some yellow paint in my future! Also, Crest whitestrips.

First up, this freebie dresser that Darci found on the curb! Doesn’t it look snazzy against the white and gray stripes in her bedroom? I give it two hearty thumbs up; maybe that will help sway her husband who is not convinced. See the whole story on her blog The Buhl Family.

And here Dana from Circa Dee probably took one look at this aging dresser and declared, “If you’re going to look yellowed and distressed, do it right!” She achieved this look with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Arles and a combination of clear and dark wax.

Check out the ebony stain on top too, so pretty.

Krista from The Dabbling Crafter decided to dabble in a little furniture fixin’ when she found these chairs. Their mismatch-iness didn’t bother her one bit, because she thought white paint and yellow fabric would bring them together in the end. And, of course, it did! White paint, you never fail us.

Heidi at Lily Field Furniture reminds us never to overlook an outdated stereo cabinet again, which is what I’m pretty sure this boxy thing was, judging by it’s similarity to the cabinet in my grandma’s living room that houses her Marty Robbins tapes. I couldn’t be more in love with the new look!

And Courtney wanted to add a little more pizazz to her already yellow dresser, so what did she do? She added zigs and zags! And owls! And flags! The whole thing is a picture of extreme cuteness. Brace yourself. See it on her blog A Little Glass Box.

And lastly, Stacy at Sugar Scout recently shared this chair that went from stained and sad to so awesome I would punch my own mother in the face for it. Not really Mom. (but I would definitely throw some elbows to get my hands on it first).

I hope you were inspired by this yellow round-up. Now go paint something! And send the pictures to mee!

January 13, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In tables/dressers

Lookin’ wheely good!

I would really like to know how this console table managed to acquire so much wear and tear. A console table is probably the least used item of furniture in an entire house. Seriously, name ONE thing that gets used less. Perhaps the previous owners were very enthusiastic about tossing their keys and mail across it, or rearranged their picture frames to the point of mania or something. Who knows. But what I do know is that it looks a heckuva lot better now! And I’m digging that wagon wheel too! From Caitlin at Hardly Housewives.

January 13, 2012 By Lindsey @ Better After

2 In bedroom

Let’s head out!

Sheena wasn’t dreamin’ about putting her head anywhere near this funky old headboard, especially since it had spent the last few years propped up beside the house while she waited for inspiration to strike. (Sometimes inspiration takes its sweet time. I know this to be true). Finally her husband could take the sight of it no more and just did it himself. Lucky Sheena! That would happen zero percent of the time at my house!

And do you like the nailhead trim? Because guess what? It’s black river rock! Six bucks for a bag! Pretty cool. See more on her blog Modern Missus.

But wait! There’s more headboard makeover madness where that came from! Actually, not really, this one is from Ann, a decorative paint artist who turned this $9 headboard from sweet to sophisticated with little more than linen fabric and a glue gun. Somehow I don’t think I’d get the same results. See more of Ann’s work on her website AbzoluteCustom.com