Black and white thrift-store stool makeover

I found this shabby little stool at the Goodwill outlet a few weeks ago for only $2. Nothing special, but it was sturdy and obviously the price was perfect.

I needed a little perch for my basement studio and knew it would be a quick project.

A coat of stain-blocking primer and a couple of coats of my favorite black latex enamel was all it needed. That and some "dipped" gold feet. Because what doesn't look better with gold dipped feet?

But why stop there? I covered the seat with a few layers of quilt batting (because that's what I had on hand) and a black and white houndstooth-y upholstery fabric sample (from this long-ago haul).

It's not really what I would call "cushy," but it's a bit more comfortable. And I'm crazy for black and white right now.

In situ. Yeah, the place is still kind of a mess.

See more furniture transformations here >>

DIY Kitchen makeover reveal

The kitchen makeover we started way back in January (when I was seven months pregnant, no less) is finally done! (Or more like "done," because nothing around here is every really done.)

This wasn't a gut job to reach unattainable "dream kitchen" status -- more like a very practical and realistic update. We kept what worked (the layout, the cabinets, the tile floor) and replaced what didn't (the aging appliances, the pinkish counters). A new paint job did wonders for brightening the space. I ended up re-painting the white portion of the wall and all the trim as well just to freshen it.

I didn't add up every last penny, but I think were all-in at around $4000, and about $3000 of that was for the appliances alone. Not bare bones, but totally affordable for such a dramatic change that better fits our style.

I still want to figure out a solution to make our countertop microwave look more built-in and I might hang a few more pieces of art, but when things are 95 percent complete, you might as well call them done and show everyone the before and afters.

And more photos...

I have a number of posts coming up on some of the details, but if there's anything you really want to know about, give a shout in the comments!

p.s. I'm kind of dying that I didn't get a photo with my schoolhouse light in it. It's one of my all time favorite things, and it really caps off the room. Maybe next time.

See all the kitchen related posts >>

Sources
Appliances: Whirlpool
Microwave: Frigidaire
Range hood: Broan
Counters: Wilsonart 'Oiled Soapstone'
Faucet: Kohler
Paint: Cliveden Gray Morning (Valspar)

Next up: Mini office makeover

This is our basement office. It's the only finished space in our basement, and you have to walk through unfinished space to get here, but Dan and I both use it pretty regularly. (Dan, for MBA schoolwork and guesting on podcasts. Me, for sewing and storing random project supplies.) It's basically the same as the last time I showed it to you, but messier. Now I want to make a few changes.

It needs a purge, a good scrub, some organizational systems put in place, a new desk chair and oh, a new paint job. I've never liked this weird shade of beige that was here when we moved in, but it wasn't offensive enough to top the priority list. Its day has finally come, though. The walls are an odd, drab tone that I swear was matched exactly to one of those standard beige outlet cover plates. See what I mean?

I want something lighter, fresher and with a bit more energy. So dipping back into my paint stash, I'm going to go with the same barely aqua I used in Elise's closets. There's plenty of paint left and shades of blue are supposed to be conducive to creativity. So it's a win-win.

The ceiling also needs to be done. It has a bunch of random smears and scratches. I usually detest painting ceilings, but this one is only 6'9". Meaning, I can touch it while standing on the floor. That's short! I'm thinking that might be easier to deal with. I'm going to try and find some paint I have on hand already that will work for that too. Gotta use up that stash!

I'm gearing up to start painting this week when I get some free time. Dan spent hours on Sunday moving things off of two of the walls. This small room is pretty packed with stuff, and there's really no space to move it all out completely, so we're going to have to tackle it piece by piece as we can shuffle things around.

See the last office makeover >>

See details about the office artwork >>

Stairway makeover reveal

My stairway makeover is finally complete. It only took three months, including some procrastination. (I'm really good at working on a project until it reaches about 95% completion, then the fire goes out.)

This project involved stripping ugly and peeling wallpaper, drywalling, painting stripes on the walls, painting the stairs and addressing a couple of egregious design dilemmas. But all is done now, and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out!

This space is very tight and narrow. The door to the stairwell (shown in the first photo above) is a scant 23 inches wide and the stairs themselves are only three feet wide. Not a big deal if it's open on one side, but enclosed like this, it feels so much smaller than that. (Plus it makes it nearly impossible to take good photographs. Sorry, I tried.)

Despite the limitations, I did manage to squeak in a few decorative touches. I hung these two round mirrors in probably the only spot they wouldn't be in danger of getting knocked off the wall. Like I've mentioned before, I find it nearly impossible to go up the stairs without touching the walls. I'm sure everyone else does too.

I found this convex porthole mirror at an antique mall for $16. I'm not sure if it's old (probably not), but I thought that was a pretty great price. It's about 14 inches in diameter. The small mirror above it I pieced together from a round frame I found at the Goodwill Outlet and a mirror from the craft store. A little bit of E-6000 adhesive and all is good. I like how the wood tone corresponds to the banister and the door.

Speaking of the banister, it was the only existing piece that made it back into the space. It was in good condition. I liked the brass hardware. So I didn't see the need to replace it.

I also found a spot for these hanging brass monkeys I picked up a few months ago. I tucked them back in the corner behind the door frame as an extra touch. I kind of like how they are half hidden.

One major change was the lighting. The old sconce was pretty hideous and didn't adequately light the space. We actually installed two sconces replacing just the one, though I'm noticing now I don't have a photo of them both. (One is at the top of the stairs and the other about half way down.)

I scoured the entire internet for affordable (less than $100) sconces that would fit the space. I found this one for $57. There was one I liked slightly better, but at $99, the price difference was just too great, especially when multiplied by two.

Before I ordered, I did a final search on the name of this sconce and found it for $22 plus free shipping at a no-name online shop. The shop had good reviews and let me use Google checkout, so I took a chance. And they were at my house within four days. Two sconces for $44! Bargain accomplished! Lesson: Before you click "buy," always Google for a cheaper price.

The top of the banister used to be mounted to the wall with an unfinished piece of lumber. How chic! I decided that had to go and replaced it with this shield-shaped plaque I bought at Jo-Ann and painted the same color as the wall. (I'm kind of into shields for some reason.) I paid less than $1 after coupon. Cheap and better.

Elise talks about this space like she's annexed it as a part of her bedroom. Hopefully, I won't find her sleeping in there. I'm just glad she loves it as much as I do. It looks like it belongs with the rest of our house now, and it isn't the abrupt transition between her bedroom and the upstairs playroom it used to be.

See the before pictures >> 

See all the stairway updates >>

Record cabinet makeover: Scratched to basic black

My brother found this old record cabinet at a thrift store for $10. I told him to drop it off for a makeover and decided to lump that in as a Christmas gift. It's about the size of an end table, so I knew it wouldn't take long.

It's solid wood and was in good structural shape, but the top was really scratched up. See how sad it was?

My brother didn't have any specific instructions about how he wanted it to look, so I just decided to go with basic black. Keep it simple.

This was my first time painting with latex enamel. I thought it might give me a smoother finish than regular latex wall paint and it did. It comes in a few colors (like black, white, navy maybe?) off the shelf at a similar price point to regular latex paint ($9/quart). I chose a satin finish, but it also comes in gloss. It takes longer to dry/cure than regular latex paint, but I think it's worth it for furniture. It feels smooth and durable and doesn't need a top coat. I hardly used a fourth of the quart on this cabinet, so I'll be using it again I'm sure.

I did not paint the inside. I know it's begging to be painted, but I resisted. With the dividers and all the angles, that just looked like a peculiar form of torture, even for this girl who likes to paint nearly anything. The finish inside was in pretty good shape, so I don't feel terrible about it.

But I did want to put some small surprise on the inside and if it wasn't going to be with a paint color, the insides of the doors needed something. Enter Mod Podging with fabric to the rescue. Seriously, this is like my new favorite thing to do (if you didn't know already).

I found a yard of this home dec fabric on the upholstery remnant pile at Hancock Fabrics. (The remnant pile recently went up from $4/yd. to $5/yd. Oh no!) Anyway, it looked sort of antiquey and modern at the same time. It's mostly traditional, but the parrots make it a little cuckoo bananas. And I like that. A quick google image search tells me it's regularly about $15-25/yd., so I'm happy with the price I paid.

I picked out these glass knobs at Hobby Lobby on sale 50% off, so $8 for the pair. I have to admit, it was unintentional, but the slightly yellowish tint coordinates well with the fabric on the inside.

And now the cabinet is ready for his record collection. And soooo much happier!

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This is part of my 2011 Handmade Gift Challenge.

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