Better After

12 In lighting

Knock It Off

I sure do like Jason Mraz. What does that have to do with anything? Nothing, I’m just listening to him now and I love all the wordplay in his songs! He is so clever. I am a nerd, ya’ll. The way to my heart is … wordplay.

This redo has wormed its way into my heart as well, because I can’t resist a cheap knockoff. Not that this light fixture looks in any way cheap, though. I think it looks amazing. Amanda from The Hand Me Down House was inspired by a $269 Pottery Barn lookalike, but managed to make this great version for $29.34!!! Help me out math people, that’s like {a big percentage} less.

I said I was nerdy, I never said I was mathy.

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September 2, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

7 In bathroom

Rachel’s Red Removal

My first apartment had red kitchen counters just like this before bathroom. Did they add a dash of “whimsy” and “fun” to my kitchen? No. They brought shame. Red counters are just not ok, unless they are installed in a preschool or at the pediatrician’s, or maybe at the front office of the circus.

Rachel felt the same, and thus took a sledgehammer to the red counters and just about everything else in her old bathroom. In only eight days she had transformed it into the serene and spa-like space it is today. Lots more to see on her cute blog First Home Makeover.

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September 2, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In decor

Vino Vase

If I told you that you could make a classy vase out of an empty wine bottle, would you believe me or just nod and smile and back away slowly? Well, you’d better believe it, because it’s true.

This imaginative redo comes from Stephanie at Birdhouse Family and it has convinced me to take up drinking! Or to take up scrounging around in the dumpster for empty wine bottles, at least.

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September 1, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

12 In desks/hutches/buffets

Hutch Hooray!

Han found this hutch at a used furniture store for $85. That’s a great deal considering how she can sell it for way more now that it’s all beautiful and stuff.

I shudder to think of the time when that gold trellis design was in style, or “groovy” or “keen” or “neato” depending on how far back in time we actually need to go. Looks so much more open now without it. Thanks Han!

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September 1, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

7 In decor

Racking It Up

In a former life, this magazine rack probably held outdated copies of Woman’s World in a dusty corner of the dentist office waiting room.

Today it is still employed as a literature holding device, but way cuter! Crystal from Ready.Set.Plan. is responsible for this lovely redo. I love the extra touch with the blue applique. Thanks Crystal!

But wait! There’s more repurposing where that came from! Not really, because the following redo is actually by another person, and that person is Charity from All Things Beautiful!

She hung onto this old hutch knowing that it had potential to be … something! But the streaky brown paint was a turn-off and so the hutch was relegated to the basement. However, inspiration finally struck, and with a little paint and some help from a saw, she turned it around into the sweet storage shelf it is today. Nice job!

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September 1, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

13 In outdoors

Cottage Carport

Lindy from Cottage Hill has done it again! Check out her amazing carport redo! If loving a carport is wrong, I don’t want to be right, because I seriously love it.

She turned this sad space from a room to dash quickly through to a total extension of her house. Who knew a carport could look so homey?! I love the way she used what she had, from the left over door to building a welcoming little staircase over the existing concrete steps. Amazing job, thanks Lindy!