One Shade of Grey: A Progress Report

The day I posted my last post, I finally closed on the house.  In fact, about 15 minutes after I posted about how impatient I was, my attorney's paralegal called to let me know we were good to go.

The first thing I did was remove the weird shower curtain rod + too short regular curtain rod above the living room window, as well as what we have dubbed, "the Jesus curtain" which I'm pretty sure was a shower curtain, but it had bible verses all over it.

two different lengths, two different rods... the stuff nightmares are made of

Currently, the window is naked, and a new rod (one that'll fit) has been purchased.  It is the same exact rod that is in the dining room, which I just love.  In fact, I love just about everything that is going on in the dining room now.  Gone is the tomato soup orange-red, the apple-trimmed cafe curtain, and the feeling that the room is a lot smaller than it actually is.

The only thing this color should be on is a Barchetta (it's never too early for Rush humor)

The dining room is now light, bright, and definitely updated.  First, I covered the walls with Behr's Ultra Premium Plus paint that was color-matched to Benjamin Moore's Edgecomb Gray.  I had no idea that you can just walk into Home Depot and ask for a color from a different paint supplier, and had samples mailed to me from Benjamin Moore first, which cost a pretty penny--the shipping was more than the paint sample!  Now, I just find colors I like, go to Home Depot, and buy an armload of samples until I figure out which color I want.  Consumer Reports rated the Behr paint as their first or second interior paint, not to mention that Home Depot is a mere 30 minutes from my house (the nearest Benjamin Moore store is over an hour away).  It's a light grey/beige that looks equally good with the blues, wood trim, and beige ceramic tile in the room.  Since you can also see the kitchen cabinets due to the open floor plan, it was important that those colors work together until I figure out what I'm going to do with those cabinets.

The only red things left are the apples

 My dining table has a story, of course.  In the summer of 2014, I went to Massachusetts to visit my mom.  Whenever I visit my family there, I stop at what I think is one of the best Goodwill stores in the country, just over the border in Nashua, New Hampshire.  I walked in during that visit to see this gem in the window with a price sticker on it for $9.99.  TEN FREAKING DOLLARS!  It just so happened that it was marked down on the color sale for that week, so for five bucks, that puppy was MINE.  Unfortunately, as the employees moved it from the window into the area that one picks up large items, one of those tripod legs snapped from it's attachment.  When asked if I still wanted it, I said, "well, if you can knock half off..."  The manager said, "Done."  So that's how I got my dining room table for $2.50.  My friends Jason and Trinda helped to take it apart and load it into my minivan, and we made the trek back to Pennsylvania with three kids and a table.  Some Gorilla Wood Glue and an overnight of clamping fixed it right up.  It has been well worn and loved, and still extends another foot for when we have guests.

I love, love, love my table.  Oh, and the seats of the side chairs match the stain

The first time I saw the chandelier on the Young House Love website, I gasped.  It's flipping gorgeous.  When I saw the price at West Elm, I wasn't sure if I could swing it.  I slowly started saving for it, but at nearly $400, I wasn't confident that I'd have enough money to buy it before it was discontinued.  By my birthday in September, I was about $175 from my savings goal when I gifted myself $100 (hey, it's my birthday, I do what I want).  The following week, it was on sale for 20% off, and I snagged it for $75 off of the original price.  Sometimes waiting has it's benefits.  Everything else came from Overstock.com.  The table runner and fruit basket came from trips to HomeGoods and T.J. Maxx, respectively.

curtain detail

This window is eventually going to be a door to the backyard.  Currently, I either have to walk around from the front of the house, or to go through the garage, onto the back porch, then out that door if I want to access the back yard.   I think a door and a stairway here would provide a faster route, and once there's a patio there, a great extension of our dining room to an outdoor dining area.

The dining room is no where near completed yet.  I still need to put something on those walls and maybe add a buffet or something that'll add some personal touches to the room.  I love how it's turning out.

Sources:

Upholstered Chairs

Side Chairs

Curtains

Curtain Rod

Area Rug

Chandelier

Paint Color

It's All In How You Mix The Two

A dear friend of mine and I decided long ago that a person should have more than one theme song that covers different aspects of their lives.  There's nothing better than just hanging out with your good friend, not doing anything in particular-- wasting the best kind of time together.  One of our mutual theme songs is Blue and Yellow by The Used.  I thought it appropriate for the styling of the desk in the entry.

Speaking of themes, notice a recurring one?

COLOR!!!  

Since my tuition bill is looming, I have to style the entry on the cheap.  The least expensive way to decorate? Shop in your own house!  I snagged the yellow painting I made ages ago, took the Mae Chevrette print from the front porch, the green glass teardrop vase from my office, and an adorable photo of Lily.  

The whole setup still needed a bit of something.  I thought I had a sparkly silver photo frame tucked away, but it is no where to be found.  I needed a bowl for my keys or pocket change, since I didn't want to tuck it in the drawer.  I like knowing they're where I can see them and one of the kids (Emily!) hasn't wandered off with them.  

Off to the local Goodwill store to see what treasures I could dig up.  Sadly, there wasn't much by way of vases or decorative bits.  I did find a small, pressed glass bowl for a very reasonable 99 cents, so I snagged it.  Later in the week, I had to go to Walmart for garden stakes (the grapes need to be trained on wire) and they were in clearance for $1.50 each.  Right beside them was a glass cylinder vase for 97 cents and a mango-scented candle for $1.50.  Mine!  The last thing I picked up was a bouquet of flowers for $3.97.  

I had enamel craft paint, Frog Tape, and some Krylon Looking Glass (mirror) spray paint already, so it was just a matter of taping off the new vase, painting the outside with the enamel paint, and the inside with the spray paint.  

The hardest part is making sure the tape is even!

I would highly recommend spray painting before putting the enamel on.  I did it in the reverse and needed to wipe it from the outside.  Spray the paint in, and allow the excess to run out onto a drop cloth or (in this case) scrap paper.  I only did one coat of paint, but I think two might be necessary.  I brushed the enamel on, and I really love the texture it gives the finished vase.  

So, putting it all together, the desk looks like this now

I still think I'm far from finished, but this is definitely far more pleasant to look at than the naked "before" photo:

There is still a ton of work to be done in here.  I'm compiling a wish list of things I'd like to get and a to-do list of what needs to be done (like ripping out carpet sometime in the next year).  For now, I'll just have to baby-step it until I can save enough pennies to accomplish what I'd like to do.

I'm going to leave you with a gratuitous pic of Lily, because she has snored through the writing of this entire blog post.  

Here and There

The desk/console is taking more time than originally planned.  Sadly, the veneer appliques on the lower drawers crumbled when I attempted to gently remove them, so they're gone.  I'm considering other appliques, but the design on the top panel is in nearly perfect condition, and finding a similarly-styled match is not an easy chore.  Apparently, the trend in wood applique is very baroque, full of acanthus leaves, flourishes, and flowers.  I don't think it'd work with the lines of the desk, so, it might just be plain Jane.

I pulled out all of the tiny finishing nails from the bottom drawers, and right now, they look like this:

Below the veneer, there were a lot of gouges in the wood, some were old, and some were caused by yours truly.  I filled them in with wood filler, and I'm still in the process of sanding them down.  It should be finished by the end of this week, so a reveal will definitely be in order.  I'm still debating on spray painting the aged brass pulls that the desk came with, or swapping them out for glass knobs.  Once the desk is painted, I'll have to see what I like best.

Right now, several projects are on deck.  The front porch looks like a warehouse!  I picked up a standing jewelry armoire at a tag sale for $10.  It is broken where the leg connects to the base, but it is an easy fix.  It will, of course be painted, and my oldest kidlet will have a place for her growing accessory collection. 

I also picked up a twin bed frame from the same tag sale (also $10), which will eventually be used in the front porch.  

I need to get a support replaced and a new screw for one of the center legs.

Lastly, is a lovely little table that was one of the last gifts I received from my dad before he died.  We saw it at the antique mall, and he gave it to me for my birthday.  It needs to be sanded down, because the top surface was stripped at some point, and then my daughter spilled Kool-Aid on it.  The full profile is in the above photo, behind the bed frame.  

styling courtesy of Liz, the 12-year-old kidlet

I haven't decided where the table is going to go.  It is likely I'll use it on the front porch, since I usually work out there when the weather is nice.  

For the next few weeks, though, my project schedule is full.  Unless, of course, I find something fabulous curbside.  I definitely can't resist a free rehab project!

Curbside Score!

Since I usually hit the local thrift store (and grocery store) on Friday, I made a list and set off to pick up some jalapenos and cilantro for tomorrow night's steak taco dinner.  I also got some more tomatillos so I could make some green salsa with avocado.  Both are definite favorites in my house, and I simply cannot wait to see the look on my kids' faces when they find out the menu.  There will also be tres leches cake for dessert, because I'm hoping to entice my friend Cynthia over to join us, as a thank you for yesterday's handychick adventures, which I'll write about next week.

So, there I was, scooting down the road to go to the grocery store, and I spied a child's desk on the curb.  I had no place to park and hitting the brakes was out of the question due to the line of cars behind me.  There was a sign on it, but the wind had flipped it over.  I decided to wait until I was on my way back from shopping to check out the desk.

Happily, it was still there, and I pulled up on the curb and put on my flashers, since that side of the street is a no parking zone.  I flipped the sign to read, FREE!  It was free, and more importantly, it was MINE.  I popped the back door up, tossed it in the car, and off I went.

There is some serious damage to the veneer on the desk, but since it is mostly lifted off, and since I'm planning to paint it, I'm just going to finish removing it from the desk surface.

The side of the desk could likely handle some wood filler and sanding.  Overall, it's a gorgeous little piece, and I can't wait to get it finished up!

I took the pictures on my front porch, which is also slated for a major overhaul this summer.  Ignore the chipping paint and missing caulking around the windows.  It'll all be prettied up soon, too.  All I need to find now is a child's desk chair, if I choose to have the kids actually use it as a desk.  I'm thinking it might be a good size for a hall table.  We'll have to see.

Reveal: THE BEDROOM!

It has been a crazy amount of work, but the bedroom is finally done (well, except for the window treatment).  Before we get to the details of the "new" bedroom, let's go back and remember the hideousness that was the "old" bedroom.  Just a note that when I took these pics, the room was a mess because I was prepping walls and moving things out so we could rip out the carpet, which looked like this:

That's genuine 1980s mauve

Paint swatches and all.  Ugh.

View of the closet, pink walls,
tiny bookcase, tv, and gratuitous paint swatches

It was so pink in there

Of course, I have to include a photo of the china cabinet, since it hasn't had a proper debut since it was painted:

Doesn't it look so sad?

Since we're walking down memory lane, here's the night table that was distressed for the Winter Pinterest Challenge:

Out with the old, and in with the NEW!!!  This is the view when you first come through the door:

Pinterest Challenge night table

Lily supervised the photo shoot

Closet detail and laundry basket

Why yes, there is a sparkly gold chevron print in the closet.

 Tiny birds are everywhere...
this one is on the TV

... and in the china sweater cabinet

New home for the TV

designer-inspired frames

It is so odd to have a window in the closet.

an unexpected pretty hinge

Had to have this pillow

The ceiling color surprised us by appearing to be a grayish white against the dark paint

The ceiling paint looks closer to the actual color
in this picture

The floors need to be refinished, but still a vast improvement from the carpet

I'm sure you want details, and I'm only too happy to provide them:

• Wall Paint:  Glidden Dark French Chocolate (flat)
• Ceiling Paint: Glidden Amethyst Haze (flat)
• China Cabinet & Night Stand Paint:  Behr Belgian Cream (flat)
• Small night table:  Ikea Lack table
• Quilt:  TJMaxx
• Basket:  TJ Maxx
• Pug Art Print:  TJ Maxx
• Small White Frames:  Ikea Ribba
• Bird Prints:  Ikea Kort
• Bonjour Bear Print:  Sebastien Millon
• Table Lamp & Rectangular Shade:  Target Threshold 
• Gold Glitter Paint:  Martha Stewart at Home Depot
• Chevron Stencil*:  Cutting Edge Stencils
• Tiny White Birds*: Amazon.com 
• Gold Glittery Bird:  Michael's
• Burlap Paris 1868 Pillow:  Ebay shop FrenchPresents
• Gold Beaded Pillow:  Crate & Barrel (sold out)
• Cream Fuzzy Pillow:  Walmart

*contains affiliates

As far as the "how-to" bits go, I'll provide those details in upcoming posts.

Young House Love's Winter Pinterest Challenge

I've been an avid Young House Love reader since way back in the day when they were This Young House.  I love me some Petersiks.  So, when my favorite Youngsters decided to team up with Sherry's BFF, Katie Bower of Bower Power Blog, and two other illustrious co-hosts--Megan from The Remodeled Life, and Michelle from Decor & The Dog, I was completely on board.

The biggest challenge of the Winter Pinterest Challenge is narrowing down a project to conquer.  I decided that my challenge would originate from one of two boards:  Do or 1868 Pleasant.  At first, I was going to sew up the pillowcase dress for my two youngest kidlets (they take the same dress size).  I received the Amy Butler fabric a couple of weeks ago, and thought that this would be the perfect time to light a fire under my butt and get it done.

But then, I found a pin about distressing wood with paint and Vaseline (petroleum jelly).  My love affair with painted furniture has been ongoing, but really hit home during my field trip to The Blue Cupboard.  I wanted something that picked up the shabby chic vibe that Stacy cultivates in her shop, without the whole Rachel-Ashwell's-cabbage-roses-on-everything element that makes me cringe.  This could be because I've been suffering living with a pink walled, pink carpeted bedroom since July, but I'm completely not about the florals.

Of course, last Friday, I found my future nightstand at the thrift store.  Did I mention that there was also a large, basketball-sized red cabbage on a table?  An actual cabbage.  I asked about it, and the clerk told me that if I needed it, to take it.  I thought it was very sweet, but declined, leaving it for someone who did indeed need food (insert shameless plug to ask you to please "grow a row" in your garden this summer to donate to the local food bank, veterans' home, senior center, or soup kitchen).

the latest resident at Danielle's Home for Rescued Furniture

I stopped by Home Depot to pick up some paint, and ended up with a quart of Behr's paint & primer in Belgian Cream in a flat finish:

and some sandpaper.

Since prep is 75% of painting work, it was time to get down to business.  After the dropcloth was down and my painting clothes were on, I removed all of the knobs from the cabinet.

There was a spot on one of the drawers where some tape had been applied, so I had to bust out the Goo-Gone.

While cracks and dings can be lovely on a distressed piece, some of them just need some love... and wood filler.

The legs also needed some filler, since there were deep chips in them.  I filled in all of the divots made by screws, and all of the larger scratches.  The legs had to set up for a minimum of 8 hours, so we went on a shopping trip to find a new quilt for the bed, since the current turquoise one clashes with our bedroom's future paint color (we're still prepping the bedroom for paint, if you're wondering what is up with that).  After the wood filler set up, the above crack looked so much better!

Then it was time to sand down all of the finished surfaces that would be painted.  I painted the insides of the drawers as well, but they were unfinished, so no sanding was necessary.  I did wipe them down with a damp microfiber cloth after everything was sanded.

I love this tiny sander

I don't know about you, but if I don't empty out the dust catcher immediately after I turn the sander off, I completely forget to do so.  My dust catcher is a bit sticky to get off, so I got my face too close to it and ended up with a face full of dust.  A lot of sneezing followed this, so I'm going to make a note to wear a dust mask when sanding and emptying the catcher in the future.  By the time I finished sanding, it was around 10 p.m., so I changed my clothes and cozied up on the couch with the tall drink of water that is my man.  I watched a couple of episodes of Lie to Me then hit the hay.

When I woke up, I started in on the Vaseline application.  I like that there was already some greenish paint crazed onto the wood, so I wanted to make sure that some of the petroleum jelly was on those bits.  I didn't want to go overboard, so I applied a few thin swipes with my finger, since the original post said not to apply it thickly.  

The Vaseline is hard to see in the photo, but it is there.

Once I was happy with what I had, I applied the first coat of paint.  The spots with the Vaseline were immediately noticeable, even with paint on them.

After the third coat, however, it was somewhat difficult to tell where the Vaseline had been applied.

Do you see the Vaseline spots?
Neither do I.

I would suggest numbering the drawers and taking a photo after the first coat to help you keep track of where you need to rub paint off.  I'm sure that the bits that I missed will eventually have the paint rub off, so I'm not that worried about it.

Once my final coat was completely dry, I took a paper coffee filter and used it to rub the areas where the Vaseline was applied.  I just moved it around in a circular motion, making sure that  there was no peeled off paint bits around the edges.  

When the paint was completely dry, I could see a little crackle-like finish
where the Vaseline had been applied.

I rubbed off all of the jelly-covered spots.  This is what one drawer ended up looking like:

I scored some fantastic glass knobs on ebay on Sunday morning, and am excited for their arrival.  Since the bedroom is going to be dark, I really needed something to reflect some light.  Besides, who doesn't love a little sparkle?  

Photo used with permission
Want knobs at great prices?  *Find them at GrandCentral on ebay!

I waited a good 12 hours for the paint to completely dry.  It still looks very naked.

I wanted to get some sort of idea as to what it'd look like when the knobs do finally arrive, so I popped in a couple of glass knobs that I had laying around.  I only have the two, and they're too big for the nightstand, but you can really see how the light is refracted by the glass.

I kept the flash off

I styled it up a bit, and shopped the top knobs onto the bottom two drawers so you could get the idea of what it will look like when the knobs finally do arrive.  It is also in the dining room at the moment, because there is no sense in putting more furniture into a room I'll be painting this weekend.  I love how it came out!  

Doesn't it look sweet?

*The folks at GrandCentral kindly allowed me to use their photograph, without any sort of exchange for promotion or perk (so they didn't pay me or give me anything for free).