Better After

Stripes and Sugar

Carlene jazzed up her boring ottoman with stripes and checks! Whoever said stripes and checks clash otto be ashamed! Ha ha! Get it? Otto? Sorry.

Check it out on her blog BS’ in the Kitchen.

Woah. This before wasn’t boring one bit. It rather reminds me of a lava lamp, or a magic mushroom. Or an upholstered lovechild of the two. This ottoman probably came from the back of a van fully covered in black shag carpeting with a blacklight dangling overhead.

But now it is cheerfully orange with a cute little ricrac border. It looks like a petit four. Delectable! From Kelly at Zerbert.

September 23, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

4 In bedroom/ tables/dressers

Confidential File

Lindy from Cottage Hill is hiding a dirty little secret: She likes to file papers in her sleep. Not really, but she has found a clever way to disguise a filing cabinet while providing herself with a handy nightstand at the same time!

If you need a nightstand, and you have even the most marginal of sewing skills (or hot gluing skills, in my case) you could have yourself a pair of these by tonight. Seriously, my Goodwill always has tons of these filing cabinets, for like, five bucks. Can’t beat that with a stick.

Well, you can. But that doesn’t mean you should.

September 23, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

13 In decor

Chalk Talk

Better After reader Jen reports that “I picked up this mirror at Goodwill for $2.50. It screamed “Make me into a chalkboard!”

Hmm. Usually the stuff I find at Goodwill screams “Put me down! I have scabies!” But that’s because my Goodwill is kind of nasty and lame.

Good things she listened, because how cute is her chalkboard? She used her Cricut to make the grid. I see she is going somewhere on the 24th and 25th called “Funktion Junktion,” and I’m pretty sure whatever that is, I need to go too.

September 23, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

4 In chairs/ottomans/seating/ kiddie

You Rock!

This run-of-the-mill old rocker just wasn’t going to cut it. Chelle intended it to be a gift for her niece’s first birthday, and everyone knows your niece deserves only the best. Especially on her first birthday.

So, she whipped out the pink paint, some paisley fabric so adorable I want to eat it, and delivered a rocker fit for a princess! Check it out on her blog Monkey Loo. Thanks Chelle!

September 22, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

15 In living room

Don’t Stair.

I’m guessing Better After reader Thomas either doesn’t have kids, or has very, very coordinated kids who can make it up the new railing free stairs without dive-bombing off the side, like my kids would. Oh well, that’s the price we pay for style, kids.

I love the way this went from frumpity and boring to sleek and chic, and curious to know what kind of treatment the carpeted stairs got. Fill us in Thomas!

September 22, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

5 In bathroom

Vanity Insanity!

Oh, IKEA, my boyfriend, you naughty little minx. You’ve done it again. Managed to be all affordable and good looking at the same time. And did I mention versatile? Why just look at the ease in which Juliana converted your HOPPEN dresser into a double vanity!

In fact, she made TWO separate vanities by repurposing items with a little help from my other lovers (shhh, I won’t tell if you won’t) Craigslist and Ebay for less than $550 total!

Check them out on her blog My Sweet Little Southern Life.