Tuesday, April 7, 2015

A small console makeover


I've had this small console table a long time - ( I searched for a mate for it forever because the dimensions would have been great for end tables - I LOVE large end tables in a bedroom )
It was in terrible shape when I got it - it had sustained water damage and the bottom veneer was literally falling apart..................I think this may have been the first piece that I actually performed surgery on.


It was black until a week ago - when I decided to put the secretary that was there in the living room -
but a black piece of furniture against a black wall was a no - no
And you know how it is - the paint was out and I was walking by - and the next thing you know it was getting a quick makeover on my way to cook supper.  Annie Sloan Pure White.


The next time I walked by it - I sanded the edges and painted the inserts Paris Grey
And here's where I'm fighting with myself - do I show  you what I did next?
Or do I just keep it to myself and pretend it never happened?
Nah - lets overshare.

Sometimes I get this notion that I'm an artiste and when that happens I get positively dangerous - furniture should run away from me screaming in terror at this point -

This is so embarrassing - really this is just so embarrassing and the strangest part is you'd never have to know about it.............why am I doing this to myself?
It looked like a pair of socks gone bad.


Ok - that's all your going to see - notice I didn't watermark it?
I kept imagining John's reaction when he saw this but he was strangely silent LMHO
The the next time I walked by I painted the inserts Paris Grey again.


And who knows?
The next time I walk by it I might just paint the inserts white again.........................or just get rid of it entirely because I'm sick to death of it already !

Later that night

John says - Why didn't you leave the diamonds on the table?  I liked them !

There's no accounting for taste
And besides, he likes argyle socks................

Before


After




And we'll just ignore Mr. Inbetween .........................

Have a great day everyone
Hugs,
Me



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Monday, April 6, 2015

Using a hutch for a bookcase

Good morning everyone !

I had a brainstorm this weekend ( much to John's horror )


We had a designated place in the last 2 houses for these Ikea bookshelves - ( God - I miss that house - at this point I think I always will - it's the one that " got away " - or that I threw away - ok enough whining  )


unfortunately we don't have such a space here - they had to be placed behind a chair in the teeny tiny living room ( and they looked awful in brown so I white washed them )


And they worked for the past year


but after many years ( 10 ) of holding very heavy hard cover
( mostly ) books - the shelves were beginning to sag which drives me insane - book shelves should always be perfectly straight, don't you think?  Or is that another part of my neurosis?



anyway - we have a hutch that was sitting in the dining room that's not yet a dining room..................
and you know how it is..................repurposing items is NOT John's forte - so I had to make a lot of promises ( of which I have no intention of keeping )

1)  I will not disturb him through any of the fast approaching hockey playoffs.
2)  I will not ask him to do anything for the next 2 weekends
3)  I will not come up with any more changes for the next 2 months
4)  I will not decide that I prefer it as a hutch after all and want it back in the dining room

But we got it out of the dining room that's not yet a dining room and into the teeny tiny living room.



The beauty of this is they're behind glass ( or they will be when I put the glass inserts back in the two outer sides )
You should never renovate a house with exposed books - or you'll spend just as much time dusting the books as you are tearing down walls...............

It was a nightmare to move - a N.I.G.H.T.M.A.R.E.
The bottom piece was do-able ( just ) but that top piece?  Trying to angle it around this small place?
Shaking from my head to my feet - screaming out that I was going to drop it every 5 seconds - and eventually talking myself through it

You can do it Suzan
You can do it Suzan
You can do it Suzan

John says - CAN YOU STOP CHANTING PLEASE??????????????
Suzan says - OMG - I didn't think it was this heavy
John yells - THIS WAS YOUR HARE BRAINED IDEA !!!!
John says - MOVE !!!!!!  My hockey game is starting soon -
Suzan says - If you're going to act so negative - they'll lose
John says - Stop talking so ridiculous - and MOVE
Suzan says - I AM !!!
John says - THIS IS FOR DISHES - AND IT BELONGS IN A DINING ROOM !

But not anymore................................


John says - I'm NOT moving that thing again
Suzan says - What if I decide I want it upstairs in the office?
John says - Well don't be surprised if you're served with papers the day after...............
John says - Why is it that everything you buy is as heavy as a piece of furniture can be?
Suzan says - It keeps us in shape !
John says - No - this will kill us - GOLF will keep me in shape - thank you very much


After a year here - nothing has looked right yet - but I'm trying - I'm really really trying lol


As for that Hockey game?
They lost................
John says - You jinxed them !
( it's not nice to fool with Mother Nature John )

But the living room looks a little more " right " today

Here's how it looked in the last place


If you're new here you can look at my last house HERE - if you're into 100 year old Victorian city flats - than it's kind of a dream one...............
( and please don't bother looking around this current one yet - unless you're into 100 year old cottage fixer uppers that are kind of a nightmare  )

By the way - the unit was painted with Annie Sloan French Linen - no wax - no protection - about 4 years ago - and it's held up beautifully !
Now I have to go pick up some glass knobs - how many of you noticed it was missing them and just didn't want to say anything LOL ???

Have a wonderful day everyone ♥
Hugs,
Me

LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?
JOIN ME AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES !

BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH                                           SAND & SISAL
CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT                                     A STROLL THRU LIFE
KATHE WITH AN E                                                                    AN EXTRAORDINARY DAY
ELIZABETH & CO.                                                              FLUSTER BUSTER
DIY BY DESIGN                                                                         MY SALVAGED TREASURES
IVY & ELEPHANTS                                                            COMMON GROUND                          FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS                                  I GOTTA CREATE                   
HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON                                  THE CHARM OF HOME
FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE                                              THE SHABBY ART BOUTIQUE
TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS                                         MY TURN FOR US
MY ROMANTIC HOME                                                             MISS MUSTARD SEED
THE SHABBY NEST                                                                   SIMPLE NATURE DECOR
ONE MORE TIME EVENTS                                                       LIFE ON LAKESHORE DRIVE
IT'S OVERFLOWING                                                                 UNCOMMON DESIGNS
I SHOULD BE MOPPING THE FLOOR                                    THREE KIDS & A FISH                   
DWELLINGS THE HEART OF YOUR HOME