Better After

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So there’s this pretty popular club nowadays. The “I Painted My Hutch White” Club. It’s easy to become a member. Step one, find a hutch. Step two, paint it white. Step three, print off your IPMHWC member nametag. Just kidding, there is no nametag. Not yet anyway.

So if you want to join the club, and you aren’t doing anything this weekend, you are now. Boom!

Weekend. Plans. Done. Here comes some inspiration:

Love the Greek feel to this one from Alyse at Sweetest Scraps.

Two become one from Lindsay at Country Girl Home. For some reason I keep invisioning this one with red handles. That would knock it right off the cuteness meter.

Whitney from the Kenworthy’s got some help from her friend Rachelle to finish this bad boy. Looks so crisp and classy now!

April at Frilly Frolic helped her mother (who has arthritis) redo this hutch from 1000 miles away! She was so proud of her Mama when she saw the final results, that she wanted to share it with the world!

I’m loving this cool gray background on Better After reader Melise’s hutch.

And last one from Leah at Little Place Called Home Sweet Home who proves that chicken wire can be chic, and who I’m extra fond of just because her blog is playing my current favorite song.

Have a great weekend friends! As always, thank so much for reading this here blog, and for all your sweet comments and emails! Now go makeover something and send me the pictures!

February 25, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

7 In decor/ lighting

U-turn Lantern

I love this Pottery Barn knock-off idea from Jill! She found this brassy lantern at her local ReStore for $5! There are also tons of these at my local ReStore, but my ReStore is crusty, expensive and staffed by an old guy named Rueben who is allergic to friendliness. It’s not my favorite. But I really like this idea.

I would probably keep a few links of chain on there for a bit of motion though, what do you think?

Check it out on Jill’s blog HERE. Thanks Jill!

This post is sponsored by

PhotoJewelryMaking.com!

February 25, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

4 In chairs/ottomans/seating

Make a Seat

File this under: “YES. Totally going to do this one someday.” Jeanne from JandJhome took the legs off a table, attached them to a board, and made a perfectly sized end of the bed bench! Just like that.

Easy as pie. Easy peazy lemon squeeze.

Ok, so maybe there were a few other steps involved, something about rust remover and staple guns, but whatever, it looks easy enough for me! I’m going to make one! You should too! All the cool kids are doing it. Thanks Jeanne!

This post is sponsored by

PhotoJewelryMaking.com!

February 25, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

2 In tables/dressers

Bambi Better

Remember yesterday how I was all, “Don’t change the original hardware, blah blah blah?” Well … Bambi changed her dresser’s hardware here and I think it looks pretty cool. Those former handles looked like squashed bugs. Also lovin‘ the craft paper on the drawers; it makes the whole piece edgy and interesting instead of so boring I think I fell asleep looking at it.

See more on her blog Crafting Occurs.

Thanks Bambi!

This post is sponsored by

PhotoJewelryMaking.com!

February 24, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

11 In kitchen/dining

Tricky Tracy

Tracy emailed me to tell me that she painted her counters to look like granite. I almost emailed her back to say, “I think you meant to write that you REPLACED your counters with granite.” Silly Tracy.

Obviously that is just new granite, right? Right? Wrong-o! She was telling the truth.

Check out her blog General Splendour to see how it was done with nothing much besides paint, Martha Stewart glitter and around $115!

This post is sponsored by

PhotoJewelryMaking.com!

February 24, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

9 In tables/dressers

Just Pulling Your Leg

I’m going to dust off my “Hey! Original hardware is awesome! Leave it be!” soapbox for a minute.

Erica knows what I’m talking about. She took this dresser from battered and beat into lovely, layered and new in blue. But she kept the old pulls. And why not! They are charming and match the character of the dresser.

Just because a piece of furniture is old and funky doesn’t mean the pulls have to go, (unless of course, you are missing a few). Take another look and see if they could benefit from a little spray paint too.

That’s what Erica did here. And if she hadn’t? Well, I photoshopped a little after version of my own. Bland stainless steel. It’s just not the same, folks, see what I mean? See more from Erica on her blog The Polka-Dot Umbrella.