Wednesday, February 29, 2012

New items in my Etsy shop!

O.k., I admit I've been a huge bum about taking care of my etsy store. I opened it awhile back and then didn't do anything to it. I guess its safe to say I've been spreading myself a little thin these days! I finally got around to adding a few more items. To see more, click on the "shop" button at the top of my blog.

This black carnival tray is adorable! Somebody buy this before I decide to keep it! haha
Framed foil print.



Some cute glass things:



 And some pretty cool cameras:




And if you're a camera enthusiast, let me know. I have plenty more of them here!

I've been told this is a record stand but who in my generation would know that?! It's a magazine rack!


Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Chalkboard Paint & Wine Glasses


This is such an easy project! And I love that they used my name in their demo. You can see a full demonstration on how to do this here. Enjoy!

Laura

Monday, February 27, 2012

Monday Updates: Master Bathroom Vingettes

Wanted to give you an update on the Master Bathroom project I posted last week. Above are a couple of vignettes to give you an idea of the materials. I'm still working on selections but this is what I have so far. Lookin good if I do say so myself! Can't wait for this project to come to life - Currently its still studs and wires. :)

Hope you had a great weekend! I was pretty sick all weekend and am now behind on work. I had to cancel a consultation with a new client and an install for another.......making this week twice as busy!

Laura

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Dresser Makeover Revealed!

Yesterday I showed you the long process of transforming my dresser. My hands seriously went numb from all the sanding! Now you get to see the end result! (and I'm sooooooo glad it's over!! haha)

Here's the before one more time: (you can see more photos here)


And the After:


The top surface turned out beautifully! I certainly put some time in sanding out all the cigarette burns, but it was worth it in the end!


I use the large cigar box on top of the dresser as my jewelry box. Brian brought it home for me one day and I love it!

The framed embroidery was a wedding gift from a friend and the little white dish was a gift from Anthropologie. (I love gifts!)

Glad I didn't waste any time sanding out the handles. Turns out, they almost perfectly match the stain I chose for the drawers. I just wiped a little stain into each of them just to fill cracks and even out any scratches. Good as new! 


Hopefully I've inspired you to restore a piece of your own. It really is the least expensive way to fill your home with furniture. It just takes some elbow grease and patience. In the end, your home will be filled with one-of-a-kind pieces that you'll have a special "bond" with!

Laura

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Dresser Makeover

I bought this dresser off Craig's List for $20. This piece along with a ton of other furniture was left behind at an old mansion in Springfield that was recently sold at auction. The new owners had to get rid of everything in the house before the rehab could begin. There were tons of great pieces throughout and I ended up buying 6 or 7 different pieces! (yes, I'm becoming a furniture hoarder)

I saw this dresser by Dixie had "great bones" and instantly loved the mid-century style of it. And since it was solid wood I knew it could easily be refinished.





The original state was pretty rough with scratches, dings and cigarette burns.



So the first thing I did was slather on the wood filler - I made sure you get the stainable kind. 




It's better to put on more filler than what you need. If you put on too little, you will have to add more which will take way more time in the end because you'll have to wait for it to dry again.

And here it is after sanding it......I used an electric sander but it still took forever to get all the cigarette burns out. As well as other dings and scratches. I didn't bother sanding the handles because I liked their color and they were in good shape already. (plus they would be an even bigger pain in the butt!)




And that's all I have for you now. Stop back tomorrow to see the finished result!!

Laura


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Tuesday Tip: tin cans, jars, & bottles

These cups are adorable and look like a great DIY! These would be really fun for a kid's party.



This is a great way to get organized but I would mount this inside the linen closet or a cabinet. I don't like cluttery stuff being left out on display - even if it IS organized!





~Laura

Monday, February 20, 2012

Monday Updates: Master Bath under construction




Remember this master bathroom I showed you the before pictures of? Above is a plan of the existing layout and below is my new plan for the space. This plan has been approved by the clients and is happily under construction. The finishes in this bathroom are going to be gorgeous - and slightly rustic as the home has a modern arts and crafts feel. Can't wait to keep you updated on this one!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Friday Feature: Fawn Galli

I feel in love with Fawn Galli's work that was featured in the latest issue of House Beautiful. I love her simple style and minimalist approach to interiors that are both contemporary and classic. Check out these beauties:







This bed is sooo cool!






I love these silvery greys next to the pop of green from the palms. And the mix of metals. So pretty!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Barstools

I'm working on the design of some custom barstools for a client. These really have my brain a-tickin'















Any of you working on fun projects in your home? I'd love to hear about it!

~Laura