Better After

4 In tables/dressers

Mirar a Mi Mirror

Do you love mirrored furniture? Do you doodle hearts around mirrored furniture in your Trapper Keeper? I sure do. The only problemo is mirrored furniture is rather pricey. You just can’t have the whole enchilada on a burrito budget. Or can you?!

Better After reader Melinda also loved the look but not the cost, so she had a glass company cut mirrors to fit this old dresser that she had painted black. Grand total, including the mirrors, knobs, paint and thrifted dresser came to $276. She says “I saved about $500 by doing it myself.” So cool! Thanks Melinda, great job!

September 15, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

4 In other rooms

Baby Alice’s Closet

Annie had a little girl on the way and was in full-on nesting mode when she transformed this blah before closet into a beautifully organized display of all things frilly and pink. Her dad and husband helped with the built-ins, and all that was left for little Alice to do was be born and enjoy that rockin wardrobe! Congrats Annie! Check it out on her blog Life’s Tails.

September 15, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

10 In decor/ desks/hutches/buffets

Lucy Lucy Lucy

What organizes your papers and is about the size of a breadbox? How about a breadbox turned organizer, that’s what! Lucy of Lucy Designs modified this ordinary breadbox with a few decorative shelf supports and a cute knob. Ingenious! I would have never thunk of that one.

But that’s not all! She added her creative touch to what used to be a plain old bookcase too. (Secret: this is not the actual before bookcase. The picture has been misplaced. The actual before was even plainer, basically a rectangle). She added the moulding at the top and bottom, nail head tacks and balusters!

(Another secret: I just learned the difference between ‘baluster’ and ‘balustrade.’ According to about.com, “A balustrade is a row of repeating balusters – small posts that support the upper rail of a railing.” Feel free to use this tidbit of knowledge to impress your friends!)

Holy smokes, there’s more! Lucy attacked this old and damaged chest with her signature artistic flair and gave it personality and then some. Check out more of her work at Lucy Designs. Great work Lucy!

September 14, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

5 In bedroom

Stripey Stripes

If this was my kid’s room, I would totally be kicking him out so I could enjoy that fabulous window all for myself! But Cassie from Hi Sugarplum! is a nicer mom than me. Not only did she give this room with a view to her son, she gave it a big kid makeover to boot! (“To boot” is a really dorky phrase, at least that’s what I think.) You know what isn’t dorky? This room! Great job Cassie!

September 14, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

11 In chairs/ottomans/seating

Fabric and Funk

Here’s another great chair from the mother/daughter duo over at Fiber and Fire. From a distance this before chair appears to be pretty cool, but on closer inspection one can see that the fabric is in foul shape and there is some sort of stuffing appendage dangling from the top. Not good.

I’m loving the after though, so bright and sunny and fun. It really shows off the great lines of the chair and makes it looks so youthful. Hmmm, I sound like I’ve been watching too much Project Runway.
Thanks Andrea!

September 13, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

10 In kitchen/dining

Bridgett in Black

Would you love to redo your kitchen, but just don’t have enough cash? Well throw that idea out the window my friends, because Bridgett redid her 80’s kitchen with nothing more than a can of black paint!

Ok, now you are probably picturing Bridgett slopping paint on her cabinets with her bare hands, so let’s admit: she probably had a few brushes and some tape and maybe even a paint tray and dropcloth. But with such dramatic results, it’s well worth it, wouldn’t you say? Of course you would. Great job Bridgett!