Better After

15 In decor

Spice Girl

Organizing your spices? Pshhh! What a waste of time. Do what I do and cram them willy-nilly into one tiny cabinet. It’s much more efficient, not to mention exciting. “Am I going to get hit in the face with a falling bottle of lemon pepper today? Or maybe paprika!”

Once that’s accomplished, you can take your unnecessary old spice rack and turn it into something worth using: a jewelry organizer! Much more fun, wouldn’t you say? From Jaimee at The La Dee Dah.

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August 11, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

5 In kitchen/dining

Lease Agreement

When I was a renter, I hated not being able to change anything about my home. Then one day some friends in the same apartment complex decided to ask the landlords if they could paint. And the landlords said yes! And my world was rocked! So rocked that I did something totally brash: I went out and bought a gallon of paint and repainted my little apartment too! Ok, I only painted the bathroom. And I painted it beige. The smallest room, the most boring color, I am not much of a risk taker. On the upside, I’ll probably never have a gambling addiction.

But, sometimes a little risk pays off. Why not ask if your landlord will let you paint? (Or … shhhh … just paint anyway! If you are planning on being there a while, why not? Just paint it back before you move out. I won’t tell.) Karen not only repainted her kitchen, a huge improvement over the previous sins of gold and aqua, but she added a stainless steel backsplash with … contact paper?! True. Check it out on her blog Lease to Decorate.

This post sponsored by Krrb.com

Krrb.com connects neighbors to buy, sell, trade and give secondhand and handmade.

August 11, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

11 In chairs/ottomans/seating

Three cheers for two chairs!

Nothing about either of these two before chairs would make me sit on or even near them, let alone put them in my house. Tasha’s $15 chair was sporting a sad floral fabric and selection of mystery stains, and Sonja’s crusty velvet chair looked to be nearing its disintegration point.

But, of course, the afters are simply lovely. I love how Tasha kept the natural wood and just stained it deep and dark. And I love Sonja’s because the fabric is fab, even though her husband thinks it looks like a muu-muu! Which just makes it all the more awesome to me. See Sonja’s HERE. Thanks ladies!

This post sponsored by Krrb.com

Krrb.com connects neighbors to buy, sell, trade and give secondhand and handmade.

August 11, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

3 In kitchen/dining/ tables/dressers

Closing Time

If this pub set was true to it name, and actually originated from an actual pub, then I bet that pub was called “The Splintered Bottom,” and it was probably a real downer of a joint. The type of place where nobody knows your name. And nobody cares.

But you know what would cheer that thing up? Some cheer in a can! AKA: yellow paint. Check out the up close shots on Brecken’s blog The Chic Life. And hey, if you happen to love it and live near Niceville, FL … it’s for sale!

This post sponsored by Krrb.com

Krrb.com connects neighbors to buy, sell, trade and give secondhand and handmade.

August 10, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

24 In miscellaneous

Pop Music

We’ve seen quite a few painted pianos on this ol’ blog, and they always seem to get a strong response. Some people are horrified at the thought of anyone slopping paint on a fine musical instrument, and they like to let me know it. But I don’t think anyone will give Kathryn’s piano here a thumbs down. And if you do, well, don’t tell me about it. Because I just can’t live in a world that doesn’t 100% embrace sweet, sweet poppy piano painted goodness.

See more on her blog The Junk in our Trunks.