Don't Know If It's Just Vanity, But I Think This DIY Transformation Rules!

Well I don't know about you, but I'm all about getting the most "bang for your buck," when it comes to upgrades in my home.  We have a very limited budget to address home improvements.  With a 20+ year old home, the list of "things to do" is endless!

We did a little aesthetic upgrade to our guest bathroom a few years ago that included removing some hideous navy, floral wallpaper (can you say "busy?").  We painted the room a beautiful, watery, blue and added beachy beige accents.  Then we replaced the old shiny brass mirror and light sconces.  A new shower curtain and Voila!  It was quite an improvement, but still the dilemma of what to do with the vanity weighed on me.  The wood finish was scratched and worn (it actually looks better in the pic here than it did up close and personal!), the counter-top was white Formica, clean but not as nice as it could be.  The old faucet with the crystal ball handle-you know the one-well it had to go!  So the question was what is the cheapest way to revamp it while still achieving an upscale look? 

One problem was that the vanity was a custom size so trying to buy another one led to the Goldilocks principal- it was either too big or too small- requiring us to make changes to the flooring.  Besides, those new ready to install vanities from the big box stores are made of particle board, not good quality wood like this one.

I knew the vanity would look great repainted in a custom grey color (mix of ASCP Graphite and Paris Grey) to match the mirror and fixtures and that I could do it for very little money, but to replace the counter-top proved to be quite expensive.  So here's where we had to get really creative! 

We created the illusion of a free-standing cabinet by adding "feet!

A darker glaze brings attention to the details!

We decided to repaint the vanity and to purchase a new standard sized granite counter-top from the big box store because it was so much more affordable.  It was about 3 inches too long.  After doing some research and watching several YouTube videos, we began the process of cutting 2 inches from the end of the counter-top touching the wall.  This resulted in a centered sink and a finished edge overhang on the other side of about 2 inches.  The standard overhang is about 1 inch, but we decided we could live with it, especially since it saved us about $400! 

Cutting granite was quite a new adventure for us...so we measured many times and approached it slowly and cautiously, but we did it!  The cut was neat, but it really didn't matter too much because we covered up the cut with the side splash.  Then we added a new faucet.  We are really quite proud of the results!  You won't find this vanity anywhere else because it is uniquely ours.

DIY's rule!

This post featured on http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/add-feet-legs-to-furniture-223748

Inspiration-Jump into Creativity

Patchwork Dresser by West Elm

I absolutely fell in love with this dresser when I saw it in West Elm.  I loved the square and rectangle shapes outlined in white to emphasize the different colors creating a patchwork effect.  The lines were clean and contemporary with a nod to mid-century modern design.  It left a lasting impression on me.

A few weeks later while shopping a local charity thrift store, I happened upon this beauty and it was actually mid-century design, not reproduction.  It was all one color of wood (As I am usually anxious to paint, I often forget to take a "before" pic, which is why I don't have one of this piece), but the shapes immediately made me think of that dresser from West Elm.

Of course, I typically work with paint, rather than stain, so I decided to create a similar concept by using four different colors of ASCP-Old White, Paris Grey, Coco and Provence.

Inspiration is often the jumping off point of design.  Sometimes it is the colors in a Persian rug.  Sometimes it's a picture in a glossy decorating magazine that stops us in our tracks.  Sometimes it is the texture of a shell, rock, bark, or other element in nature.  No matter what it is that inspires you, it is possible to reinterpret it in your home design.  I used the West Elm dresser as my inspiration, but interpreted it using my own choice of colors.  I chose to leave the natural wood as my way of outlining the squares and rectangles.  Don't be afraid to trust your own instincts about what will work best for your particular design.

These sweet little antiqued gold knobs were exactly like the ones on the dresser.  I think that's what really caused me to connect with my inspiration piece.  It was also these four drawers and the four squares in the doors that helped me to determine that I would use four different colors, rather than repeat just two or three.

Here's the finished piece, inspired by the other dresser, but uniquely my own.  Love that!  Who knows maybe mine will inspire you!

A New Box of Crayons

These days, I'm either painting, or thinking about painting, or surfing the net for cool ideas (have you discovered Pinterest yet?), or shopping for furniture on Craigslist.  A recent purchase has given me the opportunity to paint my largest furniture piece so far.  It's a lovely hutch and buffet.  I think it's maple, but I know it's a well crafted piece of solid wood and boy, is it heavy!  

It took me about a week to get started, as I explored the color possibilities.  Choosing your vision for the furniture can be the most challenging, but also the most fun part of the process.  Remember when you were a kid and someone bought you a new 64 pack of crayons?  Remember the excitement you felt about the creation of your masterpiece?  What color will I use first?  What will I make?  Essentially, what is my vision?  When doing a piece of furniture, I like to let it "speak to me."  Does it lend itself well to a two-tone design?  Should the color be demure or vivid?  

I wanted this hutch to have some color variation, movement and a slightly distressed finish.  I decided to paint a Duck Egg Blue base coat.  That was followed by some hints of Paris Grey and a wash of Chateau Grey (a khaki green shade) over the entire piece.  Perhaps I was influenced by fond memories of my grandmother's home where a dark green hutch was a mainstay.  


 
My version of this hutch is a softer, watery blend of blues, greys and greens.  The subtle variations of color are evident as you move closer to the hutch, but from a distance it looks like a soft, mossy green.  
 


 

A pretty design on the sides of each drawer is revealed when you open them. 

Reminiscent of my childhood days, it is still so exciting when the creative work is done to stand back and admire my new "masterpiece!"  I am quite happy with the results.

Once designated as a kitchen or a dining room fixture, the hutch is now comfortable in many settings.  Consider using this type of furniture in a living space to display books, pictures, and memories of your travels.  In a bathroom, a hutch offers much needed storage solutions as well as a pretty way to display towels and toiletries.  

By the way, did I mention that this one is for sale?  If you are interested, contact me for the details.  Or perhaps you have a treasured furniture piece that could use a facelift, give me a call and we can look through my "crayon box" for your perfect color.    

Plain Jane Pines for a New Look

Fueled with enthusiasm from my smaller projects like candlesticks and picture frames, I asked my husband to join me for some Saturday morning shopping for more things to paint.  We headed off to the flea market, but much to my surprise, I wasn't finding the bargains I had hoped to find.  Sometimes I find better deals at thrift stores and garage sales.  Feeling somewhat discouraged we set off for home, but then I remembered reading about an estate sale.  We stopped by on our way home and I discovered some rather "plain jane" pine end tables available at a good price.  I could see they were well-made, solid wood and I could also see the potential there. 

I couldn't wait to get started! I decided to paint the tables in the beautiful Paris Grey color and then to embellish them with a stenciled design in Old White.  This was my first piece of furniture using the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  I loved the way the paint went on and the great coverage that you get.  After just about 30 minutes, it was dry and I was able to do a second coat.  I decided to do a "white wash" to accentuate the edge details and braided trim.  Then it was on to the stencil.  I have to admit, it took me some time to get the stencil done on the first table, as it had been quite a long time since I had done one.  But kind of like riding a bike, you start to remember and then it becomes quick work.  Once the stencil was dry, I waxed and distressed the piece a little bit for that well worn look. I purposely left the little dents and dings in the table because I think they add to the character of this hand painted piece. 

I don't know about you, but I love the color combination of the soft grey with the creamy white!  I think they look more delicate and detailed now.  I really like the soft sheen that you get from the wax finish, too!  What do you think?