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7 In chairs/ottomans/seating

A Bowl Full of Chair-ys

Today a friend and I went on a little excursion to a fabric store that we had heard was pretty cool, about 25 minutes away.  When we got there, it was out of business!  A little discouraged, we decided to turn around and try a different fabric store we had seen on the way there.  Also closed!   Did the poopy economy hit fabric stores especially hard?  It seems like the opposite would be true, don’t you think?

Because why go out and spend big money on a new chair, when you can find an old one to recover for next to nothing?  It makes sense to me!  Here are a few examples that might get your creative juices flowing.  If so, here’s a tip: Call ahead to the fabric store.

From the identical-twin designing duo, Milla and Kah at Design Par Deux.













One more shot, because I always love to see the finished product at home.  Works PERFECTLY with those the accents in the room.  *coughfabricjealousycough*












 


From Better After reader Rachel who purchased this chair for cheapity cheap and will probably be able to turn a tidy profit when she sells it.  Heck, I’d buy it!  I love the glossy black.













 





And a granny-chic rocker redo. That old fabric was pretty grimy. It looks like it may have crossed the plains once or twice.  (No, no, I haven’t featured this one before, you are thinking of this one).  From Ashley at Domestic Imperfection, who helped rescue this cute little thing from a dumpster!   








Great job ladies! 




 

August 26, 2011 By
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14 In tables/dressers

Aesop’s Tables

Once upon a time, there were three tables.  A papa table, a mama table, and a wee baby table.  They were pretty boring and plain.  They never did anything exciting, like take walks or eat porridge. 

Until one day Janette snatched them up for $30 on Kijiji  (a site similar to Craigslist, let you think I just had a stroke) and brightened their lives with a rocking shade of red.  Now they’re the fairest of them all; the absolute belles of the ball!  Uh, I might be getting my fairy tales confused. 

See it on her blog Janette Drost.  Thanks Janette!






August 26, 2011 By
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3 In outdoors

Sit for a Spell

Nothing massively major took place in Gloria’s porch makeover here.  But see how adding a couple of chairs and an outdoor rug made such a huge impact?  It is much more welcoming now, whereas before I would have thought twice before trick-or-treating at that door, just based on the gloomy picture.  Not that I trick-or-treat at my age.  Often.  Usually I just hide most of my kid’s candy until they forget about it, then I eat the good stuff.  What?  I’m saving them from cavities.

And here’s a good idea if you don’t feel like drilling through your brick wall to hang house numbers.  Put them on a sign!  It’s far more noticeable anyway. Simply hang it from a screw drilled into the wood trim up above like Gloria did here.  Smarty pants.  See more on her blog A Little Paint.





 








August 26, 2011 By
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9 In decor/ kiddie/ miscellaneous

Rock-a-bye-bye

There is a painful transition in parenthood, the point when the last of your widdle babies has finally outgrown the crib.  In anguish you cry, “Where does the time go?!”  “He’s all grown up, he doesn’t even need me anymore!”  “It seems like only yesterday that he was born!” Also,  “I paid 300 bucks for that crib!” 

In this case, the not-so-anguished parents tossed it to the curb.  Beckie from Infarrantly Creative came along and scooped it right off the sidewalk and made it into a bright scripture plaque to hang in her home.









 





And rejoiceth in this while you’re at it:






Oh yeah, stealth jewelry storage! Awesome. Step by step tutorial on her blog HERE.



 


 





Courtney also found herself with an old crib on her hands, and she knew exactly what to do with it.  Remove all but one of the sides to make a trainer-crib, to discourage her children from rolling in their sleep!  Oh, no, my mistake, actually this is a bench!  Much better idea. See it on her blog A Diamond in the Stuff.














August 25, 2011 By
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10 In bedroom

Haute Pink

This room had a lot going for it.  Like uh … like … that, um … that phone!  That’s a handy bedside item!  Also the … umm …  the … the mini blinds sure looked sturdy!  Ok, fine, there was nothing.  A beige wasteland of beige.  If I had to name the paint color, I would either call it Boredom or State-Funded Nursing Home.

But that that was then. Today it is home to a spunky, sassy little girl named Lily,who craves color and excitement!  Submitted by her grandmother and Better After reader, Kathy B, who tells us that the stripes were made by alternating gloss and flat versions of the same shade of paint.  A shade I would name Ooh-la-la Fuschia!










August 25, 2011 By
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