Side Table Facelift

Confession #1: I really don't like painting furniture. In fact, I hate painting furniture. But I still always want to, because the results are so amazing. It's usually worth the effort in the end.

Confession #2: I admit to curb-side shopping (also known as garbage picking). I prefer to think of it as thrifty repurposing. This darling little side table was one such find from a certain neighbor's trash night. I saved it! There was nothing wrong with it, just some dust and light wear and tear. Perfectly good junk treasure, I say! 

It sat in my kitchen for a couple years, holding a basket of snacks and cookbooks. Plain 'ol boring brown wood. I often thought about painting it.

Then, when I started assembling and styling my home office, I needed a little side table next to my reading chair. Something small that wouldn't take up much space, but big enough to hold a coffee mug, yet be decorative. I wish you could have seen the light bulb that went on in my head. 

This curbside salvage was a perfect fit! And it was time to dress it up with some quick color. 

Did you know that Home Depot sells 8oz paint samples for $2.94? Did you know that a little jar like this can paint a couple of small projects? It does. I painted one coat on this table and one coat on a large wooden frame and only used about half of it. Yeah! I used flat paint in the color "venus teal". A nice dusty aqua/teal/gray. It covered really well too. 

Next time you have a small painting project, you could buy one of these samples in your choice of color, instead of buying a whole quart or gallon. This secret almost makes me want to paint another piece of furniture sitting in my basement...

Painted Confetti Glasses

This is a fun little project I found via Pinterest - painting stemless glasses (or your choice of glassware). I've been seeing stemless glasses everywhere lately (Marshall's, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond). This project is relatively inexpensive and quick to do (just my style). You can make some for yourself or give a set as a gift. 

Marlyn (my MIL) sent me a fun pair of hand-painted glasses for my birthday. Aren't they cheery? She too, has a craft night and enjoys making new things. When I was at her house, we got to have a little craft time of our own.

I painted a polka-dot design in pink, orange and red. I really like how this one turned out! I also tried painting stripes on one, but the results were not as attractive.Whomp whomp.

These confetti glasses from Anthropologie originally inspired this DIY project by Radical Possibility.

You can use any size and style glasses that you like. The stemless ones work really well and have a wide surface for painting (we did not paint the bottom). 

Martha Stewart Glass Paint is specifically for glass (hence the name) and will last longer than acrylic paint.

Supplies:
Glasses
Martha Stewart Glass Paint
Paint Brushes
Rubbing Alcohol 
Oven

Directions:
1. Clean surface of glasses with rubbing alcohol. 
2. Paint glasses with Martha Stewart Glass Paint in desired design.
3. Place painted glasses on baking sheet and into oven. 
4. Turn oven to 350 degrees (with glasses inside) and bake/cure for 30 minutes (DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN). 
5. After 30 minutes, turn oven OFF and leave glasses inside to cool completely. 

Enjoy your one-of-a-kind glassware! Marilyn even suggested using them as votive candle holders. Wouldn't that be pretty? You could store cotton balls, makeup brushes or items on your bathroom vanity. Or paperclips on your desk. I bet this recipe would taste extra delicious in one of these beautiful glasses. 

 

Spray It

If you're looking to spruce up some items around your home without spending a lot of money, spray paint is a relatively quick and easy option. You can spray paint practically anything, in any color you like.

I wondered what this brass scroll mirror would like like in a bold color. I ended up loving it in yellow. 

Valspar and Rust-oleum have a nice selection of colors. Pay close attention when purchasing gloss vs. matte finish. I accidentally picked up the yellow in gloss, and would have preferred matte. It took quite a few coats and was a little shinier than I wanted, but in the end it looked great. The Metallic Satin Nickle worked great on the metal curtain rod. I didn't use orange, but I'm sure I'll use it for a future project. 

I've had a pair of inexpensive lamps since we got married. They are traditional and I still like the style, but I was ready for something besides tan/ivory. 

I carefully taped off the mirror and the lamp stands and set up cardboard spray booths in the garage - with plenty of ventilation. 

Be sure to spray from all angles, especially when you have intricate details. (The circle mirrors didn't end up working out how I planned). 

The lamp stands were instantly transformed! I also sprayed green letters I got at Hobby Lobby. A pizza box worked well as an additional spraying surface - feel free to raid the recycling bin! 

The lamps look new and add a fun pop of color.

The yellow mirror really brightens up the wall and accents the room. This is my favorite transformation.

Spray Painting Tips: 
Spray a few/many light coats, rather than going too heavy all at once.  
Use an even back and forth spray motion - don't concentrate in one spot.
Allow enough drying time between coats. 
Avoid the temptation to touch the surface to see if it's dry yet (you will leave marks!)
Be sure to spray from all angles and rotate the item to cover all areas. 
I highly recommend wearing disposable gloves (and a mask if you have one). 

Under Construction

It's been a while since we've had a home makeover project in the works. I've had the itch to redecorate our main floor living room area, which is where we spend the most time in our home. I have a vision of what I'm hoping to achieve, along with plenty of room inspiration via Pinterest. I'm ready to say goodbye to the brown and gold walls, and welcome a fresh gray-blue. Easier said than done. 

After agonizing over what color to select, we purchased what I thought was the color I wanted and Andrew painted a couple walls to see how it looked. It turned out to be much too blue, and not enough gray. Very disappointing! 

I went back to the store and got some samples to help in the decision. I knew finding the perfect gray with a hint of blue would be challenging, but I didn't think it would be this difficult! Depending on the lighting, it changes throughout the day. 

Needless to say, our house is "under construction" at the moment with stuff all over the place. 

My office is a disaster, and is housing most of the displaced living room decor. 

Meanwhile, I have a couple design projects I'm working on. Along with some Christmas gift projects. And oh yeah, I'm excited to be hosting Thanksgiving! In 11 days! Nothing like company coming to light the fire for completing projects. We are also in the midst of replacing our water heater, fixing our dish washer, sealing a leak in our shower, and putting our downstairs back together. 

You might not be seeing me around here for a while. I'm off to check off my to-do list! 

All Hands on Deck

We've been enjoying our newly stained large back deck all month. Once again, Andrew did an amazing job. It looks beautiful! I even helped with the railings and the trellis (Ugh. Don't want to do that again!). It was quite a BIG task, spanning about 3 weekends, depending on time and good weather. But the result was well worth it. We used the same stain that we used on the front porch. The existing faded color was red, so "Russet" was a nice update. We have lived in our house for 5 years, and this was the first time we stained the decks.

Here's a look at the BEFORE:

Work IN PROGRESS:

The BIG REVEAL: 

There are a LOT of railings and spindles - that was the most time consuming part! Andrew put two coats on the main floor area and one coat on the rest. It took about 3 1/2 gallons of stain. 

Another big project we can check off our list. I love sitting out here every chance I get!

Hit the Deck

I want to start this post by saying how thankful I am to have a husband who knows how to skillfully wield a paint brush. He learned from the best - my father-in-law, Denny, owns his own painting company. Andrew did an amazing job staining our decks!


In an effort to continue "beautifying" our home's exterior, we decided it was time to stain both the front and back decks. A task no one wants to do. I can hear the groans of those reading this just thinking about it. Andrew tackled the smaller front deck on his own, to see how it would go.

He power-washed it in the fall, but we didn't actually start staining until Memorial Day weekend. We needed a stretch of weather without rain (and the motivation of summer) to do it. To prep the wood, he gave it a light sanding and swept it really well. 

As you can see, it was in rough shape. It looked so weathered and discolored. 

He used a large paint brush and a small roller to apply the stain.

We used Home Depot's Behr Solid Color Waterproofing Wood Stain, color "Russet." It worked beautifully, and Denny recommended it, so we knew it would be good.

The result was dramatic - what a difference! 

I love the new rich uniform color and the contrast of the sienna/brown against our tan siding.

It looks so warm and welcoming. I actually like to sit on that bench from time to time and take a little time out. 

Now that the front deck was a success, the BIG deck is next...it's only about 8 times the size of the front deck!