Thrifty Find: More Cabinets

Sometimes I wish I had a larger home or at least more storage space in my house. On my weekly trip to the thrift store I ran across these beauties. I'm not sure what's gotten in to the Habitat Restore but lately they have been jam packed with some beautiful, high quality solidly built furniture. A lot of them show very little wear and tear. 

I first spotted this dresser. I am not crazy about some of the embellishments but it is still quite lovely. I could paint it a color like red or navy or even your basic white or black. I'd either remove the stars or leave them gold. The lines are great but the best thing was that it was solidly built. Oh and the price was only $10. 

I also spotted two small chests. They were about 30" wide and 36" tall. I'm sure they were once a part of a bedroom wall unit that was dismantled and for sure they are not in good shape. A little sanding, a good coat of paint and new hardware and these would make outstanding nightstands. By the way, they were only $1.00. Seriously. I may have to rethink not taking them and see if they are still available. Buy them, paint them and sell them. It would surely be worth the effort and money.

My favorite find of all is this mid century modern cabinet. OMG. I fell in love with this piece the moment I saw it. It is solid wood, has clean lines and is in near perfect condition. It's about 5 ft wide and would make a perfect TV cabinet. I still have the same problem in that I have no where to put it. I may have to find a spot for it though because one should not pass up a deal like this. Oh did I mention that it's only $10 too. I'm thinking of going back to see if it is still there. With my luck it and the nightstands are probably gone. 

Man I wish I had a big house.

Cheers,

Barbara

Thrifty Find - Garden Stones

I ran into my sister's in law sister at Home Depot some time ago. We got to chatting about yard work and such and she mentioned that she had these "things" in her yard that were really heavy, flat and kind of round but she thought they were ugly and wanted to get rid of them. I assumed they were garden stones. Whatever they were, they were free so I told her I would be happy to take them off of her hands. That weekend I sent my son over to her house to pick them up and this is what he brought back.

She was right about the ugly part. I have to admit I have never seen anything like them and I'm not sure what to do with them. I'm thinking either a mosaic, or paint them bright colors. I even thought about painting them with glow in the dark paint. I'm planning on doing some landscaping this year and will use them somehow but am not am not sure exactly where. 

I love mosaics so I am thinking about going this route. Using a single tile color for each one that follows the shape of the stepping stone is a thought. It would be easy to do and be a little more fun than just paint. I would love to get some ideas because I am stumped. 

If anyone has an idea of what I can do with them I would love to hear it. Please help.

Cheers!!

Barbara

Freshen Up the Kitchen on a Tiny Budget

It's time to freshen up my kitchen. It's not a bad kitchen just kind of ordinary. It's a little scuzzy like most kitchens I imagine so it could use a really good cleaning. I was going to move a couple of years ago and wanted the kitchen to be pretty neutral so I painted the walls this warm gray which honestly I am quite happy with. I don't want to start replacing counter tops and moving walls. It just needs a little pick me up to make it more cheery. 

I have a tendency to get bored with colors after a while and don't want to have to paint my kitchen repeatedly so I am going to leave the walls neutral. I want new curtains, dish towels, accessories, a piece of art or a clock for the only large wall in the room. 

The storage closet still has the original door and it is in good shape but that dark wood has got to go. Since it is a special size it will be cheaper to paint than to buy new so I'll paint it and replace the knob. I think I may replace the paneling on this large wall and possibly replace the ceiling fan.

Also I have to show you this issue. Oh my goodness I am so embarrassed. I've tiled my kitchen twice in my 17 years here and each time this happens because of a sag in the floor. 

We've tried shoring up the floor underneath the house and putting thick plywood down before tiling and it's not working. I finally remembered that when I bought the house the kitchen had sheet vinyl and that was why the floor tile breaking up was not a problem. I don't want to take the chance of this happening again so what I want to do is put vinyl tile down. Vinyl has come such a long way that I think it can be quite beautiful with a lot less trouble. It's an expense I am not ready to have right now so for the time being good old area rugs will do.

I have long term plans for the kitchen as well that I may tackle next year. I'd love new counter tops as this Corian counter gets so dingy and is hard to clean. Also I hate this half sink and would love to have more counter space. My kitchen is too small for an island but I am hoping I can get a peninsula.

They last thing to look at and something I need help with is this kitchen table. It is a solid wood oak table that is one of my favorite thrift store finds but as you can see the color is way wrong. It needs to be updated to match the room which means either paint or stain. 

My other option is to use my moms old table which i absolutely love.

Mom and I use to sit around it looking at all the different shaped stones to see what we could find that resembled something else like a fish or a dog. The top is resin so it's super durable and has lasted for at least 40 years. The only thing it needs is a touch up on the legs which will be simple to do. Other than that it is in perfect shape. I cannot decide whether to keep the stone table or stain the wood one. Either way I am keeping the stone table until I can find another use for it. The wooden table is not so easy to store away so it's use it or lose it. 

So that's the plan. I don't want to spend more than a few hundred dollars so I have to be frugal and shop at home first and then look for some deals. Time to get a move on.

Cheers!.

B.

Thriftstore Find - Dressers and Chests

I wasn't in the market for a dresser but the Habitat Restore had several that caught my eye. They were all well built, solid wood and had terrific details. Some had a few scratches but that's to be expected with furniture that's several decades old. They all had simple, clean lines and were neither too plain or ornate. It's hard to find new furniture built this well and especially at this price. They all ranged from $40 to $60 bucks. Whether you refinished, painted them or in some cases just gave it a good cleaning they are all well worth the price. 

I love the arches on these two pieces. I definitely would never purchase both. That would be too much of a good thing. 

Check out the unique hardware detail on this chest.  

This is by far my favorite piece. Love the color and the recessed hardware.

Have you recently had a thrifty furniture find you were excited about?

Enjoy your day.

B.

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Friday's Fascination: Orange Spaces

I suddenly have orange on the brain. It could be because it's only about three degrees today and I'll run with anything that says warm weather is on the way. Orange is a seasonless color that says summer when it's hot outside and fall when it's chilly. It's energetic and not one I would ordinarily have picked as an accent color. That was how I felt at least until I saw how the bright orange trim spices up the crisp white shams in this shot from a bedroom featured in House Beautiful. 

When this vibrant citrus color is paired with white, black or any neutral it adds a colorful twist that can really brighten a space. If you are feeling bold and want to add a real punch of color to a room, step out side the box a bit give this color a shot. Here are a few accessories to might help you get there.

 

1. Dana Gibson
2. Jonathan Adler
3. Zinc Door
4. Bloomingdales
5. Horchow
6. Z Gallerie
7. Overstock.com
8. Tonic Home
9. Lamps Plus
10. Zazzle
11. Barclay Butera

I may have to find a way to incorporate this fun color into one of my rooms. But which one?

B.

Thriftstore Finds - Bamboo

One of my favorite thrift store finds was this gorgeous bamboo console table. It measures 4' 3" wide x 12" deep and was manufactured by the Brandt company in Hagerstown, MD. It has such great detail like the rich color of the wood and bamboo, the three paneled doors, of course the painted leaves on the front and sides and it even has a shelf inside for lots of extra storage. It's in excellent shape except for the top which just  needs a good sanding and re-staining. For $25 it think it was a steal. 

The other piece I found this year was this wonderful bamboo mirror. Ahh yes. Insert deep sigh here. The bamboo mirror. There is a long story behind this mirror but I promise to keep it brief. Let me explain. ARRRGGHHH!!!!

I spotted this mirror at the Salvation Army thrift store and it was marked, get this, $6.95. One look and I said to myself, this baby is mine. I'd been looking for one and definitely did not want to pay top dollar. This was a gift from heaven. Thank you heaven. I also added to my cart a beautiful crystal decanter, a silver sequined box and piece of gray wool for $2. When I got to the register the cashier said that someone had changed the price on the mirror so she couldn't sell it at the price marked and proceeded to rip off the tag. Well that was just completely unacceptable so I huffed and puffed and demanded to speak to the manager. The manger came out, looked over the mirror and again stated that someone changed the price. So now I am not only mad, but I am offended because it sounded as if they were accusing me of switching the tags. Me. Me?? How dare they question my integrity. I then threw a big ole hissy fit, said I don't want any of this stuff and proceeded to walk out. I went home angry, insulted and just a little hurt. I go there every week and they should know I, Miss Honest Every Moment of Every Day, would never do such a thing.  

As I calmed down I began to realize that they were right and the mirror had to be the wrong price. It was very heavy measuring 24x36 and I would guess that it really should be more like $15-20 bucks. I was also disappointed that I didn't get the other pieces that I really wanted. Instead of having a tantrum I should have asked them if they would give me a discount but my feelings were bruised since they insinuated I altered the price. 

A week goes by and I still can't get that mirror off my mind. I've always wanted a bamboo mirror and this was nearly perfect. I decided to go back and get the mirror. I was too ashamed to go in myself and opted to send my beloved son. Sure enough he found and bought the mirror but now we have a new problem. It is written on the back that the price is $22 and the tag reads to me $22. When they rang it up they rang it at $28. Dang it dang it dang it. I can't win. So at this point I ask myself should I go back and tell them to give me my $6 or do I chalk it up to a $6 donation. I decided it's a $6 donation that I am happy to donate. It is after all not just a retail store, it's the Salvation Army. 

By the middle of the day that store got the better of me. At the end of the day I was the better for it. Not only do I have my mirror but I donated to the Salvation Army twice in one day. Once when I bought the mirror and second when I donated $6.

Still love thrifting. Always will.

B.

Inspirational Winter Decor

It took some time but I finally put away all the Christmas and holiday decorations. Now that it's done I looked around my house and my first thought was glad that’s done. My second thought was, now what? It’s easy to forget that although the holiday season is over winter has only just begun. We have at least three long months of cold snowy weather to get through and if you live in the Midwest it could be even longer. 

It gets a little chilly on the main floor in my home so I want to at least make it look warm and cozy by adding a few throw blankets and fluffy pillows. Add a cup of coffee and the latest issues of my decor magazine and all that's left is to curl up on the sofa and stay warm because it's way to cold to go out. 

I checked out my favorite stores and websites like Z Gallerie and Target to get inspired. My brother told me I am into shabby chic because I have a lot of white furniture. I don't think that is quite accurate but I do like a clean, simple look with neutrals and lots of texture. Here are some pieces that I took a fancy to.

1. Z Gallerie candles
2. Deco 79 basket
3. Z Gallerie throw
4. Target pillow
5. Target throw
6. Target throw
7. Z Gallerie pillow
8. Overstock.com candle holder

Before I go making any new purchases I'll take a look around the house and see what I already own and what I can reuse. I'll even take a trip over to the thrift store because I am sure to find something I can use for $1 or $2. It's getting cold and I fear the roads will get icy so off to the stores I go before it's too late.

How did you cozy up your home for winter?

B.

Decorating for Christmas

I so look forward to decorating the house for Christmas. I get to be creative and change up the scenery and just enjoy being festive and generous with loved ones. So this weekend I put up my Christmas decorations, set a pretty table and of course put up the Christmas tree. I still need to put up my wreaths so I'll work on that next. It can be hard work so I just need a little breather. 

I didn't want to spend too much money so I took a look around the house to see what I could re-purpose and only bought a few new ornaments. Instead of purchasing a new tablecloth or table runner I re-purposed some old curtains. Remember fabric is fabric. Shower curtains, drapes, tablecloths and cloth napkins all started out as just yards of fabric.  

I've held on to these ivory curtains for several years. I no longer wanted them for curtains but knew eventually I would find a use for the fabric. They have a velvety texture with a shadow stripe and were the perfect length and width for a table runner. Sorry about the shadows in my photographs. I have very poor lighting in my house and this time of year we don't get much sunshine. Note to self. Read up on how to eliminate unwanted shadows.

Anyway, to make it even more colorful and festive I layered it with a light blue table runner I already owned. Talk about a no sew project. 

To finish off the table I added some branches to a glass vase surrounded by some aqua potpourri 

and hung a few glittery bulbs on the branches. 

 The final touch was to add my DIY napkins.

How are you decorating your home this year.

Happy Holidays!!


Barbara

What to do with those bookcases

Line the stairs...

House & Home

Go so high you need a ladder...

Architectural Digest

...or how low can you go.

Apartment Therapy

Make it monochromatic....

Home Designing

...or color coordinated

House & Home

Give it a vibrant background with black shelves...

Grange

...or with white shelves

House & Home

or patterned....

HGTV - Pure Design

The color can be rich....

Elle Decor

...or soft.

Vogue

behind glass doors...

House & Home

or what's the right angle...

Viceroy Hotel

If you had a wall of bookcases, what would you do.?

Paisley

Today I am writing about my all time favorite pattern, paisley. It's a fun, playful, not too serious not too silly pattern that is perfect in any room. The multi-colored pattern works well in a country or traditional setting and the single color is more contemporary. With paisley, anything goes. 

Sarah's House

Remember Sarah Richardson's country home on season 3 of Sarah's House? She used paisley in several rooms including the bedrooms and entryway. The best was the paisley pattern she chose for my favorite room in the house, the dining room. Tommy called it a "giant paisley". I'd never seen anything like it and thought it was stunning. This yellow settee from Horchow is so sweet. Love it.

Horchow

And a whole wall of paisley. Very nice.

T&G Interiors

Everyone could use a little paisley in their home. Here are some more paisley pieces that might inspire you.

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                                        9.                                                         10.

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1. Amazon 2. Peter Dunham 3. India Circus 4. Company C 5. India Circus 6. Peter Dunham   
7. Amazon 8. Zazzle 9. French Bull 10 Zazzle 11. Amazon 12. Angelo Home 13. Company C